Renewable Energy Soon Cheaper

The Global Apollo programme will research on methods of restoring renewable energy that could make it cheaper than coal within years.

16:59 02 June 2015

If Global Appolo’s Programme is to succeed in finding new methods of restoring renewable energy, this could pave the way for cheaper than coal energy within years. The international research project will explore novel ways of storing solar and wind power and investigate the development of smart grids to balance supply and demand. 

 

Naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough welcomed the scheme. "At last - an authoritative, practical and comprehensible plan that could avert the catastrophe that is threatening our planet," he said.

 

The initiative is being launched by stakeholders, including former UK government chief scientist, Sir David King, former BP chief executive Lord Browne, former cabinet secretary Lord O'Donnell and former Climate Change Committee chairman Lord Turner.

 

Lord Stern, who is also involved in the scheme, wrote the key reports on the economics of climate change. 

 

The report's authors added: "The greatest scientific challenge facing the world is the need for clean energy that costs less than that from fossil fuel.

 

"Yet only 2% of world R&D (research and development) now goes on that problem. In the past, when our way of life has been threatened, governments have mounted major scientific programmes."