Page 6 - AsiaElec Week 15 2022
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AsiaElec RENEWABLES AsiaElec
Global green growth
reaches 9.1% in 2021
GLOBAL. RENEWABLES now accounts for 38% of total UN IPCC’s 1.5 degree targets.
power consumption and was the first choice for The latest statistical report warned that
81% of new capacity additions in 2021, the Inter- renewables must grow at a faster pace than
national Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) energy demand in order to meet climate goals.
said in a recent statistical report. However, IRENA warned that many coun-
IRENA data showed that at the end of 2021, tries have not reached this point yet, despite sig-
global renewables capacity amounted to 3,064 nificantly increasing the use of renewables for
GW, 9.1%, or 257 GW, more than at the end of electricity generation.
2020. “Our current energy crisis also adds to the
IRENA stressed that renewables had proved evidence that the world can no longer rely on
to be extremely resilient during the global coro- fossil fuels to meet its energy demand. Money
navirus (COVID-19) pandemic, although the directed to fossil fuel power plants yields unre-
pace of change was still far from enough to meet warding results, both for the survival of a nation
the demands of reaching net zero and slowing and the planet. Renewable power should become
down climate change. the norm across the globe. We must mobilise the
Hydro still dominates the absolute amount political will to accelerate the 1.5°C pathway,”
of green capacity with 1,230 GW, while solar said La Camera.
reported 849 GW and wind 825 GW. On a regional basis, Asia accounted for 60%
However, solar (133 GW, +19%) and wind of new green additions in 2020, with China the
(93 GW, +13%) continued to dominate new gen- biggest single contributor with 121 GW. India
erating additions, together accounting for 88% was next with 13 GW, followed by Japan with 5
of all new renewable capacity in 2021. Hydro GW and South Korea and Vietnam with 4 GW
only added 19GW (+2%), of which 14.6 GW each.
was in China. Europe added 39 GW and the US 38 GW.
Behind solar and wind, geothermal was the Renewable capacity grew by 3.9% in Africa and
fasted growing form of energy at 8%, or 10 GW 3.3% in Central America and the Caribbean.
of new additions. The pace of growth in the developing world
“This continued progress is another testa- is much slower than the global average and is a
ment of renewable energy’s resilience. Its strong major concern, indicating the need for stronger
performance last year represents more oppor- international co-operation to optimise electric-
tunities for countries to reap renewables’ mul- ity markets and drive massive investments in
tiple socio-economic benefits. However, despite those regions.
the encouraging global trend, our new World “Choosing renewables should be the standard
Energy Transitions Outlook shows that the for new power additions as we act resolutely to
energy transition is far from being fast or wide- stop new fossil fuel power generation, phase out
spread enough to avert the dire consequences of the assets and upgrade infrastructure to ensure
climate change,” said IRENA Director-General system flexibility that allows a higher integration
Francesco La Camera. of variable renewables,” said La Camera.
IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook, “The rate of growth is still not sufficient to
published in March, warned that annual CO2 guarantee a net-zero future. Renewables need
emissions needed to be cut by 37bn tonnes per to reach around 40% in total energy generation
year (tpy) by 2050 if the world was to meet the across all sectors by 2030,” he added.
P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 15 13•April•2022
