10 years ago, renewable energy was still evolving, and at that point in time, only 15 countries had developed policies. These policies were limited to first-world, technologically advanced countries who had the money to expend. Now, in 2014, over 140 countries have a renewable energy target in place, with 138 of them having solidified energy support policies.
Europe is leading the way - almost every country in the European Union has a plan set forth, and they have a collective target of producing at least 20% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. They're making great strides with it too. In 2009, they had already hit 11.7% of their energy production from renewable sources. Some countries in the EU are even striving towards deriving all of their energy from renewable sources - Scotland has that aim, while Germany is already well on their way, with over 20 million residents living in regions where the energy is from renewable sources.
The United States is staying with the pack as far as developing our policies. We currently have the second most capacity for renewable power across the planet, with only China ahead of us. We've got quite a ways to go if we want to reach the point that Denmark, currently the world leader, has reached in terms of population served by renewable energy. How advanced are they? In 2013, wind power alone accounted for 33.2% of the energy used in Denmark.
Renewable energy is a permanent part of our infrastructure, and it is a field that will continue to develop as time goes by. As more nations strive to produce the majority of their energy from renewable sources instead of relying upon gas, coal, and other non-renewable sources, the market will continue to grow. Continuing the shift to renewable energy will make energy cheaper, more reliable, and will help to reduce our impact on our environment.
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