Page 4 - AsiaElec Week 34 2021

AsiaElec COMMENTARY AsiaElec

Global power sector

emissions rise, threatening

green commitments

ASIA RISING demand for electricity across the world CO2 emissions compared to pre-pandemic
outpaced growth in green power output in the levels – with wind and solar replacing coal –
first half of 2021, creating increased consump- but only in the context of suppressed demand
tion of coal in power generation and a corre- growth.
sponding rise in CO2 emissions. Countries with rising electricity demand
Think-tank Ember said in its mid-year update also saw higher emissions, as coal generation
to its Global Electricity Review that power sec- increased as well as wind and solar.
tor emissions rebounded in the 1H-2021, rising These grey recovery countries are mostly in
12% from the lows seen in 1H-2020. Emissions Asia: China, Bangladesh, India, Kazakhstan,
are now 5% above the pre-pandemic levels of Mongolia, Pakistan and Vietnam.
1H-2019. In South Africa, coal provided 89% of power
This means that no country achieved a truly demand in June 2021, slightly down from 91.7%
‘green recovery’ in the power sector in the first in June 2020. At the same time, demand climbed
half of 2021. Some countries reduced emissions, 5% from 20.17 TWh in June 2020 to 21.3 TWh in
but only due to flattened demand or temporary June 2021, as renewables expanded from 4.63%
conditions. of production in June 2020 to 5.37% in June
Crucially, rising CO2 emissions show that the 2021. Nuclear accounted for the rest of rising
global electricity transition is so far off track that output.
it is putting the IPCC’s 1.5 degree targets at risk.
Ember used data from 63 countries cover- China
ing 87% of the world’s electricity production to The biggest power generator is China, and it
show that electricity demand also grew by 5% in needs to reduce its use of fossil fuels.
1H-2021. The country’s demand rose by 14% from
Wind and solar accounted for 57% of the new 1H-2019 to 1H-2021 and is approaching EU per
demand, but coal accounted for 43%, pushing up capita levels.
emissions. Over two-thirds (68%) was met by coal
Gas consumption globally for power gen- power and the rest by wind and solar (29%).
eration remained unchanged, while hydro and China was responsible for 90% of the world’s
nuclear saw a slight fall. increase in electricity demand and 43% of the
For the first time, wind and solar generated world’s growth in wind and solar during this
over 10% of global electricity and overtook period.
nuclear generation. It added more coal power (+337 TWh) than
“Catapulting emissions in 2021 should send the EU’s total coal generation in H1-2021. As a
alarm bells across the world. We are not building result, China’s share of global coal generation
back better; we are building back badly. A super- rose from 50% in 2019 to 53% in H1-2021.
fast electricity transition this decade is critical to
limit global heating to 1.5 degrees. The electricity India
transition is happening but with little urgency: In India, the continued impact of the pandemic
emissions are going in the wrong direction,” said in H1-2021 kept electricity demand muted and
Dave Jones, global programme leader at Ember. coal rises minimal.
The report warned that no country has yet Electricity demand in H1-2021 was only
achieved a truly ‘green recovery’ for their power 3% higher than H1-2019 levels; one of the low-
sector, which would involve structural changes est increases in developing Asia as pandemic
in both higher electricity demand and lower restrictions continued.
CO2 power sector emissions. Almost three-quarters (72%) of India’s
Several countries including the US, EU, Japan increase in demand was met by growth in solar
and South Korea achieved lower power sector (+47%) and wind (+9%).™

P4 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 34 25•August•2021