Renewable Energies in Developing Countries: Issues, Interests, and Implications

This article deals with the question of how renewable energies can contribute to a sustainable development of the “South”. The authors argue that the promotion of renewable energies entails a number of benefits for developing countries, including the protection of natural resources, reduction of health risks, increased access to modern energy, reduction of dependence on energy imports, and promotion of economic development. On the other hand, industrialised countries should also have a vital interest in the dissemination of renewable energies in the South, because of the problem of global climate change and the export interests of their renewable energy industries. In order to achieve an increased utilisation of renewable energies in developing countries, a number of barriers - such as a lack of finance and of political support for renewables - have to be removed. The authors suggest to ways in which these barriers may be overcome.