Europe
Europe has set targets that 12% of all energy consumption and 22% of electricity consumption be from renewable energy by 2010.

Coal Goal: phase out by 2009 – so need to find 9000 MW of generation capacity

North America
27 Ethanol plans are currently in operation in Iowa, another 19 are undergoing construction or major expansion. This is compared to eight ethanol plants producing about 700 million litres or 183 million gallons annually in Canada.

More than a quarter of Iowa’s corn crop will go to feed ethanol generation. Iowa produces about one third of six billion gallons of ethanol produced in the U.S. annually. If all plans for plant expansion come on-line the biggest corn-growing state in the U.S. will have to start importing corn. (Source: The Star, Report on Business, July 23, 2007)