BRUSSELS (AP) — A report issued Thursday says the European Union can cut its emissions of greenhouse gases dramatically by 2050 without spending any more money — and even, perhaps, saving a bit.

That estimate is based on an assessment that the new plants and equipment needed to switch to the generation of clean energy would cost more than continued reliance on fossil fuels, but that the clean energy itself would cost less.

PARIS -- Renewable energy continued its global surge in 2010, accounting for about half of the 194 gigawatts of new installed capacity, according to the REN21 Renewables 2011 Global Status Report.

BEIJING -- Xinhua

The China Electricity Council (CEC) projected Tuesday the country's electricity consumption will almost double from the 2010 level to 8.2 trillion kWh by 2020.

In a report on the electricity industry's development in the 12th Five-year Program period (2011-2015), the CEC said electricity consumption this year will reach 4.17 trillion kWh and increase to 6.27 trillion kWh by 2015.