Renewable energy use is growing much faster than 10% per year
throughout the world, according to a new report from the Renewable
Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21). Excluding large
hydropower, the global electric generating capacity of renewable
energy facilities reached 237 gigawatts (GW) this year, up 15% from
last year. That's about 5.5% of the electric generating capacity
throughout the world. At 93 GW, wind power provided about 40% of that
renewable generating capacity; wind power capacity increased by 25%
over 2006. Grid-connected solar photovoltaic systems reached 7.8 GW in
capacity, a 56% increase, while the global production of photovoltaic
systems reached 3.8 GW per year, a 52% increase over 2006.