15 December 2017

The International Hydropower Association (IHA) joined nearly 300 climate change and renewable energy experts at the Global Renewable Energy Solutions Showcase (GRESS) at the COP23 climate change conference in Bonn, Germany, last month.  

The two day showcase which brought together leading representatives of the wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower sectors, aimed to demonstrate how a 100 per cent renewable energy future is achievable.

Stefan Gsänger, Secretary General of the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) and organiser of the showcase between 7 and 8 November 2017, said: “The word ‘GRESS’ comes from Latin and means ‘step’ or move’. This is exactly what we need now: the governments of the world must move fast and take the big decisions to pave the way for a renewable energy future.

“Governments should in particular remove barriers which are preventing citizens and communities from investing in renewable energy and from harvesting their local renewable resources.

“A clear outcome of GRESS is that the renewable energy community, including thousands of companies and millions of citizens around the world, are ready to deliver the solutions that will be necessary for a renewable energy future.”    

Richard Taylor, Chief Executive of IHA, one of the speakers, said: “There is no one technology that is the panacea to the challenges posed by climate change. We need all renewables working together in different ways to serve different needs – for power, heat and transport.

“It isn’t the variability of some renewables that is the problem, it is the variability of some political decisions that compromises investment in the sector. There are alarming signs of a slowdown in the rate of progress, notably in Europe, but there is good progress elsewhere.

“A shining light is Central America. Costa Rica delivering 99.6 per cent of the country’s power through renewable energy is an inspiration, as is the flourishing regional market through the Central American Electricity Interconnection System.”

Peter Rae, the World Wind Energy Association’s (WWEA) President, commented: “A broad cross-section of experts spoke at this two day event, which demonstrated that 100 per cent renewable energy is achievable using present technologies and by methods which are in train – particularly storage.”

A summary of GRESS can be found on the event website: www.globalrenewable.solutions