Paris, March 30 (BNA): Solar and wind power could grow enough to limit global warming to 1.5°C if the 10-year compound average growth rate of 20% could be maintained until 2030, says the CNPC. Ember Independent Climate Research in a report. Wednesday.
Solar generation rose 23% globally in 2021, while wind supply rose 14% over the same period. Data from Ember showed that both renewable sources together account for 10.3% of the world’s total electricity generation, up 1% from 2020.
The Netherlands, Australia and Vietnam have the fastest growth rates for renewables, they said, having shifted about 10% of their electricity demand from fossil fuels to wind and solar power in the past two years.
“If these trends can be replicated globally and sustained, the energy sector will be on track to meet the 1.5 degree target,” Ember was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Dave Jones, Ember’s global leader, said the main problem currently slowing the rate of growth is constraints on the ground such as allowing, and if governments want to increase growth they need to solve the problems of slowing spread.
However, despite the gains in wind and solar power, coal-fired power generation has seen its fastest growth since at least 1985, up 9% in 2021 at 10,042 TWh, or 59% of total demand increase, According to the report.
This came in a year that saw a rapid recovery in demand, with 2021 seeing the largest recorded annual increase of 1,414 TWh in global electricity demand in 2021, an increase of 5.4% and equivalent to adding a new India to global demand.
“We’re approaching that break-even point where wind and solar could cover new electricity demand, but we’re still not quite there,” Jones said. “If we maintain those growth rates that we’re seeing, we’ll be there soon.”
The data showed that the largest increase in demand was recorded in China, up 13% in 2021 compared to pre-epidemic levels in 2019.
The report said the country largely relies on coal for energy production, but it passed a tenth of wind and solar power generation for the first time in 2021 along with six other countries.
Jones said China is “not only installing record levels of wind and solar power, but also installing record levels of clean electricity such as hydro, nuclear and bio, which means coal generation will start to decline.”
“What’s not clear is how fast that can be,” he added.
China plans to continue using coal as a vital part of its energy strategy, as it seeks to balance economic stability with its long-term climate goals.
FA