DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES IN THE WORLD AND EUROPEAN UNION

Abstract

Energy stability and security have become one of the most important issues in recent years on planet Earth. Nowadays, worldwide economic, industrial and social development is related to the energy and energy-system that provided great benefits to a society, but the society is paying a high price because of the production and emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. There are numerous climate changes, which pose a threat to each continent, disorder in agriculture, disorder in food production, floods and fires, as well as changes in the ecosystem. Energy stability and security have become one of the most important issues in recent years. Energy is essential for development of any country, notably when it comes to its industry and economy. Without adequate policy operations of the energy sector, it is not possible to achieve industrial or economic progress. Nevertheless, no matter how important energy is for the development, it is only a mechanism for achieving the ultimate goals – sustainable economy, clean environment, high standard of living, prosperity and health of the population. This paper elaborates on and outlines a strategy for energy development of renewable energy sources in the world, as well as in the European Union. It presents in great details the application of new technologies that have led to the development of renewable energy sources: wind-power, solar energy, small hydro power plants, biomass, and their increase in the overall participation of energy production and reduction of fossil fuels in energy production. Investing in new technologies which use renewable energy sources have led to the increase in employment in the world, so that about 6.5 million people in the world have been employed until today. This paper outlines the trend of increasing energy production from RES (renewable energy sources) by investing in any of the abovementioned energy sources, as well as employment for each energy source in the world and the EU-28. Also, the development of renewable energy sources in the future has been presented.