The Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008) is the largest international platform for governments, private sector and NGOs to address the challenge for developing renewable energy technologies.

Following the Bonn Renewables Conference in 2004 and the Beijing Conference in 2005 (BIREC), WIREC 2008 was convened from 4-6 March 2008. and was hosted by the United States Government and was addressed by President Bush. WIREC 2008 consisted of a Ministerial Meeting, a business conference, a trade show exhibition and side events. More than 3,000 participants from 118 countries registered for the Ministerial Meeting, including approximately 100 ministerial representatives. Over 4,000 individuals registered to participate in the business conference, trade show and side events.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) conducted regional consultation meetings for WIREC 2008 in Pretoria, South Africa, Melbourne, Australia, New Delhi, India, Singapore as well as across Latin America, with support from the Australian Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage, and the Arts and the US State Department.

The report highlighted that strong global leadership is needed to ensure that the potential of renewable technologies is realised. Affordable technological solutions already exist, and as these regional reports show, such technologies offer solutions to improve both social and economic development, and help countries to balance their energy demand with their energy supply portfolio, and provide this in a manner that is diverse, stable, secure and sustainable manner.

The following recommendations were presented by the South African Minister for Minerals and Energy, Buyelwa Sonjica, on behalf of REEEP at the Prime Ministers Meeting on the final day of WIREC 2008.

Governments at all levels must:

* Develop and implement well formulated long-term policies and favourable regulatory frameworks, coupled with appropriate incentives, which work to remove uncertainty in the market and look to attract increased investment in renewable energy technologies * Work together and collaborate with international and regional organisations which encourage clean energy regimes and increase skills and knowledge amongst local and national decision and policy makers * Provide financial incentives, and encourage the enlargement of carbon markets to provide further support and promote renewable projects, which can act as catalysts in attracting funding from private sector sources * Remove any existing market distortions between renewables and fossil fuel energy production. * Encourage research and development by providing clear policy initiatives and research and development grants; ‘seed’ funding; and the use of public/private partnerships to support start-up businesses. * Provide expertise, education and financial opportunities to further technological advancements and deployment.

Interested international and regional organisations should provide training to financial institutions and investors to gain a better understanding of renewable projects and the rates of return available.

International and regional organisations and financial institutions should provide training for renewable project developers to enable them to develop good business models and have better understanding of projects that will attract both public and private investment.

Project developers should work with, and take advantage of these resources in the organisation and other individuals working in the renewables field to work together and share knowledge and develop best practices.

Collaboration between all the stakeholders in the regions is the key to surmounting the barriers to renewable energy development. There is increasing political will within the region to embrace a clean energy regime, technology is improving and reducing in cost, levels of expertise are expanding and investment capital is available. The most beneficial way to take advantage of these resources is through collaboration and knowledge sharing aimed at the adoption of global best practices.

Australian Government makes renewable energy pledge

Countries were invited to make voluntary, specific and action-oriented pledges at the Ministerial meeting. Australian Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Assistant Secretary Stephen Oxley represented the Australian Government at the Ministerial Event and pledged the government’s commitment to ensuring at least 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity supply comes from renewable energy by 2020. He also pledged Federal Government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 through the implementation of a national Renewable Energy Target scheme, which rolls in and expands on existing and planned national and state schemes and includes a legislated annual target of 45,000 gigawatt hours in 2020.

Mr Oxley said a comprehensive plan requires more than just an emission trading scheme and must include transitional measures. He identified renewables as an economic growth opportunity, and Australia’s focus on energy efficiency, including phasing out the incandescent light bulb.

The US Department of State pledged to provide an additional 48 megawatts of clean renewable power in India through the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.

Renewables on the international stage

WIREC highlighted that renewables is a mainstream industry; a fact that was demonstrated by the size and diversity of the audience. There was a significant shift to energy security as the predominant industry driver.

President Bush outlined the US support for renewables, the role of renewables in addressing energy supply and the need for better policies and an international agreement. He added that a clean technology fund is needed to help poor countries afford clean energy technologies, and has called on Congress to commit $US2 billion ($2.19 billion) for this purpose. Bush also said tariffs and barriers on exports of clean energy technologies should be eliminated to enable them to move duty free around the world.

This signals that the industry should expect continued growth and maturing international markets.