Page 5 - AfrElec Week 33

AfrElec COMMENTARY AfrElec

coal generation, its behaviour is crucial to reduc-
ing global output. Solar and wind growth stood largest increase in solar generation of any coun-
at 10% in H1-2020, less than the global average try in H1-2020, rising 5.35 times compared to
of 14%, according to China Electricity council H1-2019.
data. Vietnam increased wind and solar’s share of
Wind and solar supplied 8.6% of China’s elec- the electricity mix from 0.2% in 2018 to 6.4% in
tricity in 2019, above the global average of 8.1%, the first half of 2020.
but in H1-2020 both China and the global aver- Coal generation rose, but this was mainly to
age were 9.8%. cover a fall in hydro generation. Wind and solar
China’s share of global coal generation are clearly weakening the case to build new coal
increased from 50% in 2019 to 54% in H1-2020, power plants.
the report found.
Thermal generation shrank by 1.6% in the More to be done
first half of 2020, compared to the same period While wind and solar’s performance so far in
last year, while the drop in coal generation was 2020 is welcome, it is obvious from this study
around 2%. Globally coal decreased by 8% in that the global power sector is not moving fast
H1-2020 compared to the same period last year, enough in the right direction. Governments,
so a fall of just 2% means China is lagging as the utilities and investors all need to do more to meet
world moves away from coal. the Paris targets. Put simply, the world is not yet
India was a better comparative performer, as on track to limit the global temperature increase
coal’s share of India’s electricity has now declined to 1.5 degrees.
from 77% in 2015 to 68% in the first half of 2020, The report warned that coal-fired electricity
at the same time as wind and solar have risen needs to fall by 13% every year this decade, and
from 3.4% to 9.7%. that the unprecedented conditions of the global
Elsewhere in Asia, Vietnam reported the COVID-19 pandemic still only pushed down
most rapid growth. It recorded probably the coal generation by 8%.™

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