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Renewable energy accounted for more than 30% of the world’s electricity for the first time last year, following rapid growth in wind and solar power, according to new data.
A report on the global energy system has found that the world may be on the brink of reducing fossil fuel productionalthough overall electricity demand continues to rise.
Clean electricity has already helped slow the growth of fossil fuels by almost two-thirds over the past 10 years, according to a report by climate think tank Ember. It found that renewables have grown from 19% of electricity in 2000 to more than 30% of global electricity last year.
“The future of renewables has arrived,” said Dave Jones, Ember’s Director of Global Insights. “Sunnyin particular, it’s accelerating faster than anyone thought possible.”
Solar is the main provider of electricity growth, according to Ember, adding more than twice as much new electricity generation as coal in 2023.
It was the fastest-growing source of electricity for the 19th year in a row and also became the largest source of new electricity for the second year in a row, surpassing wind power.
The first comprehensive overview of global electricity data covers 80 countries, which account for 92% of global electricity demand, as well as historical data for 215 countries.
The rise of clean electricity is expected to lead to a 2% drop in global fossil fuel production next year, according to Ember.
“A decline in emissions from the energy sector is now inevitable,” Jones said. “2023 was probably the tipping point – peak emissions in the energy sector – a major turning point in the history of energy. But the rate of emissions reduction depends on how fast the renewable energy revolution continues.
Although the use of fossil fuels in the world’s electricity system may be starting to decline, it continues to play a huge role in global energy – in transport fuels, heavy industry and heating.
A separate study of Energy The institute found last year that fossil fuels, including oil, gas and coal, make up 82% of the world’s primary energy.
World leaders are aiming to increase renewables to 60% of global electricity by 2030 under an agreement reached at the UN climate change conference Cop28 in December.
This would require countries to triple their current renewable electricity capacity over the next six years, which would almost halve emissions from the power sector.
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