Global wind energy generated plus solar energy growth rate in 2019 was ‘slowest this century’

So according to RECHARGE, Electricity generated on a global wind energy basis grew by 12% year-on-year in 2019. That’s with solar energy rising by 22%, according to a report by climate think-tank Ember (formerly Sandbag).

“The wind and and solar generation rise of 265TWh was the second biggest on record. However but the growth rate slowed. Because the 14% growth rate was the lowest this century,” said the Global Electricity Review.

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Global Wind energy grew to 1,404 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2019. Now that’s up from 1,260TWh in 2018. All the while solar grew from 573TWh in 2018 to 699TWh last year.

China was by far the largest source of both wind power generated. Then solar electricity last year. Then followed by the US and Germany (see panels). This is all according to data released alongside the report.

TOP TEN WIND COUNTRIES IN 2019 (BY TWH)

The study shows how far the world still has to go to meet the Paris Agreement goals, with coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels still supplying 62% of the world’s electricity.

According to Ember’s data, coal was the world’s largest source of electricity in 2019, with 35.18% of the total (despite a 3% year-on-year fall), followed by natural gas (23.52%), hydro (16.54%), nuclear (10.52%), wind (5.44%), other fossil fuels (3.47%), solar (2.71%), biomass and waste (2.24%), and “other renewables” (0.4%).

TOP TEN SOLAR COUNTRIES IN 2019 (BY TWH)

The study points out that 87% of the world’s coal-fired generation comes from ten countries, and none of them have made commitments to reduce coal use to levels consistent with the IEA’s Sustainable Development Scenario (ie, to be compatible with the Paris Agreement).

For the entire story 9 March 2020 13:37 GMT UPDATED 9 March 2020 13:37 GMT By Leigh Collins