The share of global electricity from renewables rose to a record 30% last year as the growth of wind and solar power continued to far exceed that of fossil fuels.
That trend is set to accelerate this year, according to data from energy think-tank Ember. The group expects clean-power growth to more than make up for the overall rise in electricity demand, leading fossil fuel-derived generation to drop 2% in 2024.
While gas and coal generation — the latter driven by a drought-induced decline in hydropower — also increased last year, Ember forecasts that trend to end this year.
“The decline of power-sector emissions is now inevitable,” said Dave Jones, Ember’s director of global insights. “But the pace of emissions falls depends on how fast the renewables revolution continues.”
© Supplied by BloombergThe rise in renewables has been driven in large part by solar farms in recent years, the Ember data shows. The cost of solar generation has plummeted as manufacturers in China ramped up supplies and offered record-low prices.
