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Renewables are inexhaustible sources of energy. Unlike fossil fuels, the production of which requires huge efforts, time, and expensive heavy machinery, they convert a natural resource – like sun, wind, water, or biomass – directly into electricity. Another big factor that makes renewable energy much more attractive than coal, oil, and natural gas is their significantly smaller environmental footprint. Renewables are not only cleaner but also cheaper and easier to produce than any fossil fuel. Here are 7 interesting renewable energy facts about the current state of the market and what role these clean sources will play in the future.
In 2021, all mainstream clean energy sources – hydroelectric, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal– generated a combined 38% of the world''s electricity, marking a record year for clean energy sources. They surpassed the amount of energy produced from coal – which stopped at 36.5% in the same year despite a record 9% rise, the fastest yearly growth in coal energy generation since 1985.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of global electricity still came from non-renewable sources. In 2021, global electricity demand grew by 5.4%, the biggest increase since 2010. Despite a record rise in wind and solar power generation, clean electricity has not been deployed quickly enough to keep up with the rapid increase of global demand, most of which was met once again by fossil fuels. Coal generation alone accounted for 59% of the total rise. This, experts argue, shows how far off-track the electricity transition is.
In 2021, the fastest-growing sources of clean energy were wind and solar, whose share doubled since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. Within just one year, the latter rose by 23% from 2020 levels, while electricity generated by wind turbines experienced a 14% increase. For the first time, solar panels and wind turbines generated over 10% of the global electricity demand. According to research by Ember, these two clean energy sources experienced an average of 20% compound growth per year. In order to meet the 1.5C pathway by 2030, Ember''s researchers argue, such high growth rates need to be maintained throughout the current decade.
The European Union hit a record 12% in solar power production from May to August 2022, and 13% from wind. What''s more, 19 of the bloc''s 27 member states have achieved record wind and solar power generation since March of this year. The growth in renewable energy capacity has saved the EU approximately €99 billion (US$97 billion) in avoided gas imports between March and September, the report found.
The statistics were revealed in the 2022 State of the Energy Union report, published yesterday by the European Commission. Data suggests that the bloc managed to increase its share of renewables in the electricity mix to 43% in the second quarter of 2022, outplaying fossil fuels, which stopped at 36%. Poland saw the greatest increase in renewables (48.5%) between March and September compared to last year.
Norway is by far the largest clean energy producer, followed by Brazil with 84.1% and New Zealand with 80%. 50 countries have now crossed the 10% wind and solar mark, with seven new countries doing so in 2021 alone: China, Japan, Mongolia, Vietnam, Argentina, Hungary, and El Salvador. The fastest switch to wind and solar took place in the Netherlands, Australia, and Vietnam. All three nations managed to shift over 8% of their total electricity demand from fossil fuels to wind and solar between 2020 and 2021. Vietnam alone experienced unprecedented growth in solar energy, which grew by over 300% in a single year.
Lacking far behind are Asian countries like China and India. Despite China contributing the biggest growth in solar and wind energy capacity in the past few years, it has also experienced a record rise in coal in 2021 for the fifth year in a row. China was the only country to significantly increase nuclear power production. Similarly, India is also big on fossil fuels: it is the world''s second-largest coal power generator and relies on this energy source to cover 74% of its total electricity demand.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewables were the world''s cheapest energy source in 2020. The Agency''s latest report showed that the cost of renewable technologies – especially concerning wind and solar energy – is falling significantly. The rapid drop in costs of these technologies in recent years has enabled countries around the world to increase their renewable energy production capacity. This, coupled with high fossil fuel prices, improves the competitiveness of these two renewable sources further.
In its World Energy Outlook 2020 report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) confirmed that solar power schemes now offer the cheapest electricity in history and predicted that by 2050, renewable energy generation will keep growing, with solar power production skyrocketing and becoming the world''s primary source of electricity. Solar energy is indeed praised for the relatively marginal operation and maintenance costs of panels. In 2020, the average cost of solar photovoltaics – once considered a financial burden – was 7% less than the previous year. Furthermore, the cost of large-scale solar projects has plunged 85% in the past decade, and those of concentrating solar power (CSP) – an approach to generating electricity through mirrors – dropped by 16% in 2020.
Similarly, wind power is also experiencing rapidly declining costs. In 2020, onshore wind power dropped by about 13% while offshore wind costs decreased by about 9%. With the IEA estimating that costs of wind power could drop by as much as 40% over the next decade based on current technology and market growth, projected offshore wind energy has the potential to generate 425,000 TWh of electricity in a year worldwide, which is more than 18 times the current global electricity demand. Likewise, onshore wind energy capacity is projected to increase by 57% by 2024.
Renewable energy sources are one of our greatest allies in the race to reach net-zero emissions because of their low carbon dioxide emissions in comparison to fossil fuels. Indeed, wind, solar, hydroelectric, and geothermal electricity all have a particularly low environmental footprint throughout their life cycles.
Renewable energy will become the largest source of global electricity generation by 2025 and by 2027, the world will have twice as much renewable capacity as in the previous five years, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said. According to the Agency, the global energy crisis has triggered an "unprecedented momentum" in the renewable sector, forcing countries to find alternatives to replace increasingly expensive fossil fuels and speed up the development of solar, wind, and other clean power sources.
According to the latest IPCC climate report, we have all the tools and options to halve emissions in all sectors by 2030, and renewables are one of them. These low-cost, low-emission, infinite natural resources have the potential to pave the way for the world to reach a net-zero scenario by 2050. The IEA''s 1.5C pathway shows wind and solar as the powerhouse of clean electricity, providing three-quarters of all new clean electricity to become 40% of the world''s electricity by 2030.
There should be no more delays to transition to 100% clean energy and it requires all nations around the world – especially developing countries – to increase investments in renewables and step up efforts to facilitate the transition to clean power. The Agency predicts that emerging economies will have to increase their annual clean energy investments from less than USD$150 billion in 2020 to over USD$1 trillion by 2030 if we want to be on track to achieve carbon neutrality. Nevertheless, fossil fuels still account for the majority of global electricity and while renewable capacity additions are set to grow the fastest in the coming five years, the expansion trend is not on track to meet the net-zero scenario by 2050.
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The Thanksgiving dinner table talk can be fraught with conversational landmines. But if you''re looking for a topic to get even your most fossil-fuel-loving family members oohing and aahing rather than yelling and death-staring, here are some fun conversation starters on renewable energy for you!
Here are some lesser-known facts about renewables.
When we think of bringing sustainability to our roads, our minds often leap to electric and hydrogen vehicles. While these technologies do cut down on emissions, why stop there?
Here''s a fact that''ll really get your engines revving about renewables: Imagine driving on a road that not only gets you from point A to point B, but also generates clean energy along the way.
Countries, such as the U.S., France and the Netherlands, are experimenting with the concept of embedding solar panels into their roadways. This innovative concept could turn miles of pavement into paths of power seamlessly blending transportation with renewable energy.
The first solar road actually already opened in 2016: The Tourouvre-au-Perche, in France. They are not as efficient as straight solar panels due to the lack of an optimal tilt following the sun and their inability to vent air when they overheat. Despite Normany''s cloudy disposition, the over 600 mile long solar road produced 150,000 kWh/yr which is still enough to power nearly 400 refrigerators year round. Imagine the amazing outputs that these roads could have in sunny areas. Who said there’s no room for renewable infrastructure when we''ve got all these roads?
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream has always been a whirlwind of innovative flavor, but now that phrase takes on more meaning. Dairy is a large contributor to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, and for this ice cream shop it accounts for 53% of their emissions. To mitigate this they have turned to renewable energy. Their main factory in the Netherlands, has been sourcing all of their power from wind turbines since 2011, allowing customers to enjoy their treats with much less guilt!
In the world of hydropower, not all heroes wear capes — some have steps. To ensure that aquatic life can thrive despite the presence of dams, some hydroelectric plants have installed fish ladders, essentially creating staircases for fish to navigate the dam''s walls.
This innovation addresses one of the major concerns surrounding hydropower: the potential harm it can bring to wildlife. Dams can significantly disrupt migration patterns and are the main reason fish population has declined 81% since 1970. But fish ladders save the day!
These ingenious structures allow fish to migrate upstream to spawn, preserving delicate ecosystems while still generating energy. By blending technology with nature, fish ladders demonstrate that sustainable practices can coexist with energy production.
In fact, Iceland gets all of its electricity from renewable energy sources, 25% of that being geothermal. Its unique geology has allowed the nation to take the lead in renewables.
The Earth''s heat is giving them stunning natural hot tubs outdoors as well as allowing them to take hot showers indoors. It’s a win-win!
Buckle up for this solar technology! The Solar Impulse 2 made history as the first aircraft to fly around the world powered entirely by solar energy. Completing its epic journey in 2016 with wings adorned with solar panels, it flew without burning a single drop of fossil fuel, proving that aviation could one day be "clean."
Who needs music when you have wind turbines? The Denmark Dance Company held a workshop and performed at the Denmark Community Windfarm in January, celebrating the beautiful synergy between the arts and renewable energy. This "turbine tuneup" sounds like an absolute hoot!
When you hear "Sea Dragons," you probably don''t picture underwater kites. But that''s exactly what they are in the Faroe Islands. These unique creations represent a fascinating blend of nature and technology, designed to harness the power of the ocean.
These fascinating five-meter long kites dance with the tides 40 meters below the surface. With their big wings, they glide in a figure-eight, generating enough energy to power 50-70 homes each! With just 50,000 residents, the islands already rely on hydroelectric power for over 40% of their energy, and now they''re adding these amazing tidal kites to fill the gap.
This innovative technology is a key component of the island''s plan to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2030. As of 2023, they had already achieved 50% of their energy coming from renewables. These tidal kites are set to push them to the finish line.
They''re super low-impact and don''t take up any land, making them perfect for the island lifestyle. These kites even have the potential to supply power to half of all homes in the Faroes.
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