Renewables: Increased wind and solar power generation impacts growth in coal and gas generation

Renewable energy generation capacity, such as wind and solar, equals virtually all of the increase in global electricity demand in the first half of 2022

A UK report from energy think tank Ember to be published on Wednesday will show that renewables covered all growth in global electricity demand in the first half of 5, preventing any growth in electricity generation. from coal and gas.

Growing wind and solar power generation covered more than 75% of global electricity demand growth in the first half of 2022, while hydropower covered the rest. According to the publication, this prevented a possible 4% increase in fossil energy generation, thus avoiding $40 billion in fuel costs, as well as 230 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Renewable energy from wind, solar and water – saw an increase of 416 TWh, more than the increase in demand for electricity.

Wind and solar energy alone saw an increase of 300 TWh, equivalent to 77% of the increase in global electricity demand. China's wind and solar power generation growth meets 92% of electricity demand growth; in the United States, 81%, and in India, 23%, according to data from Ember

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"The first step in ending the dominance of expensive and polluting fossil fuels is building enough clean energy to satisfy the world's growing appetite for electricity." Ember senior analyst said

The growth of wind and solar energy reduces the generation of energy from fossil fuels

In China, wind and solar energy growth has reduced fossil fuel energy by 3% – without that growth, fossil fuels would have increased by 1%. In India, energy from fossil fuels grew by 9%, but without the growth in wind and solar energy, the increase would have been 12%. In the United States, fossil fuel energy growth slowed from 7% to just 1%. In the EU, energy from fossil fuels grew by 6%, but without the growth in wind and solar energy, the figure would have increased by 16%.

Despite the shutdown of fossil fuel production in the first half of 2022, coal and gas production increased in July and August. This raises the possibility that CO2 emissions from the electricity sector will increase in 2022, after reaching a record high last year.