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How green is Richard Branson? This article was taken from the September issue of Wired UK magazine.

How green is Richard Branson?

Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online Just before Sir Richard Branson delivered his bombshell, he seemed nervous. Perhaps he didn't know how some of the world's most influential people, gathered in New York for a meeting of former President Bill Clinton's foundation, would react. Fiddling with his ring finger, Branson told the press conference they had inherited a beautiful planet. "It's really in our hands whether our children and their children inherit the same world," Branson continued. "...for an estimated value of $3 billion over the next 10 years.

" That was September 2006. "I was brought up with a social conscience," Branson says as he relaxes into an old chair in his den. His conversion began in 2003, he says, when fuel prices started soaring and he began looking into ways to lower the price of oil. The ‘unstoppable’ renewable grid. The energy transition juggernaut I previewed last May is rolling on unabated, despite U.S. natural gas prices falling to 10-year lows last year.

The ‘unstoppable’ renewable grid

According to a new Gallup poll, two-thirds of Americans would like to see more emphasis on solar, wind and natural gas, while less than half of them support more emphasis on nuclear, oil and coal. In addition to popular sentiment, installations of renewable generation are proceeding apace. According to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [PDF], the United States installed more power generation capacity from wind than for any other power source in 2012: 10,700 megawatts (MW), 23 percent more than natural gas (8,700 MW) and more than double the new coal capacity (4,500 MW). New solar capacity grew by 1,500 MW, a 31 percent increase over 2011. Even in China, the world's largest consumer of coal, wind generation capacity grew more than coal-fired generation did for the first time ever.

Citigroup study The upshot of the Citi report? Countries with 100% renewable energy. Cahora Basso, Mozambique Which countries have the highest percentage of renewable energy – care to guess?

Countries with 100% renewable energy

I suspect that names like Germany, Denmark or Spain might spring to mind. They’re certainly making good progress, but they’ve got nothing on the world’s renewable energy leaders. There are countries in the world powered entirely by renewable energy, and some that are even net exporters of green electricity.

These pioneers are overlooked for a variety of reasons. Most often its a matter of categorisation – what is and what isn’t considered renewable energy. Others simply leave hydro and geothermal out because they’re older technologies, and including them in renewable energy statistics might make people complacent about their percentages. Still, taking that broader perspective, here are some forgotten pioneers of the renewable energy world: Iceland – Built as it is on a volcano, Iceland has tapped the earth’s natural warmth to supply 85% of the country’s housing with heat.

Like this: Hydro Energy. Hydro energy is simply energy that is taken from water and converted to electricity.

Hydro Energy

Hydro energy can be obtained by using many methods of capture. The most common method of using energy from water is a hydroelectric dam, where water coming down through an area causes turbines to rotate and the energy is captured to run a generator. Power can also be generated from the energy of tidal forces or wave power, which uses the energy created by waves. Many countries in the world use hydro energy for conversion to electricity.

Canada maintains the highest use, while the United States comes in second. One downside to using hydro energy is that it can sometimes change the natural flow of the water which can make it possible to harm plants and animals in the water. The U.S. is falling behind other countries in renewable energy - Denver green energy. The world’s largest economy, the United States, is falling further behind many other countries in development of renewable energy.

The U.S. is falling behind other countries in renewable energy - Denver green energy

On Thursday, a report was released by, Germany’s energy association (BDEW) showing that Germany produced 67.9 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy in the first half of 2012, a record high and an increase of 19.5% from the same period last year. Renewables now account for 25% of all energy production in Germany, up from 21% last year.

The (BEDW) said this reinforces Germany's position as a leader in green technology. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that 88% of the electricity generated inside Brazil in 2011 came from renewable sources. The global average is 19.5%. 5 Top Countries Leading The World In Renewable Energy. Sustainable Energy and Renewable Energy are terms that are thrown around a lot these days, but what exactly do they mean, and how many countries are taking them seriously?

5 Top Countries Leading The World In Renewable Energy