Brasília – Demand for energy worldwide will increase by a third from 2010 to 2035, despite the international crisis scenario, and China will remain the world’s leading consumer, using 70% more energy than the United States, which ranks second. Even though the country ranks first, per capita consumption in China accounts for less than half than consumption in the USA. The figures were culled from the 2011 edition of the annual World Energy Outlook, issued this Friday (2) by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
According to the document, worldwide demand for primary energy rose sharply, by 5%, in 2010. According to the agency, this causes carbon dioxide emissions to peak. Another cause for concern, according to the IEA, is the fact that consumption growth rates in India, Indonesia, Brazil and the Middle East are rising at an even faster pace than China’s.
The executive director with the IEA, Maria van der Hoeven, believes Brazil is making significant progress in terms of knowledge and development of different fields of technology. “Although it is not a (IEA) member country, Brazil maintains very positive partnerships with our agency,” said the director, who mentioned biofuel production technologies.
However, the director ponders that in Brazil, primary energy demand will grow by 78% from 2009 to 2035. “It is the second highest rate, after India,” she says. According to the director, a considerable increase in gas consumption is also expected. The end started in 2010.
In the electric power sector, renewable energy technologies, spearheaded by hydroelectric and wind energies, comprise half the new capacity installed to meet the rising global demand. The share of renewable, non-hydroelectric energy sources in electric power generation will go from 3% in 2009 to 15% by 2035.
“Power generation investment will grow the most for sun and wind energy. [This field] will get 60% of investment, and will account for 30% of addition generation. Despite its high cost, it is believed that benefits will be lasting in terms of energy security and environment protection,” said the IEA director.
“But it will take time before this type of energy becomes commercially viable to the point where it will be significantly present in the market, in the medium run,” she said.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
