WCRE Press Release, October 27th, 2006
Beijing, China. A historic agreement was forged October 25th among four renewable energy organizations to assess the feasibility of increasing the use of renewable energy to 25% of global primary energy supply by the year 2025.
The memorandum of understanding entitled “Joint Assessment of Reaching 25% Renewable Energy by the Year 2025” was negotiated and signed by Michael Eckhart, President of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), Li Junfeng, Executive Director of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA), Arthouros Zervos, President of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), and Wolfgang Palz, Chairman of the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE).
“The time is right to raise our thinking to the next level,” stated Michael Eckhart of ACORE. “We acknowledge Europe’s pledge to increase renewable energies, China’s commitment to 15% renewables, and the Renewable Portfolio Standards of many of the US states, and now join together to assess how to take the next step in policy development.”
The memorandum calls for the groups to assess the feasibility and policy requirements needed to move the US, Europe and China to the 25% level in their respective areas, and to merge the results together into a joint report one year from now.
“It is imperative that we do this now,” said Wolfgang Palz of WCRE. “The world cannot wait for such policy thinking.”
The signing took place at the Great Wall World Renewable Energy Forum (GWREF), a world conference and exposition in China that opened this week with leaders from the US, Europe, China and other countries in attendance.
Great Wall Renewable Energy Memorandum (pdf)