Clean Power Outpaced Global Electricity Demand Growth Last Year
Clean-energy generation rose faster than electricity demand, with solar and wind gains helping meet new needs in several countries.
Key takeaways
- Global electricity demand rose by 849 terawatt-hours last year.
- Clean-energy electricity generation increased by 887 terawatt-hours.
- Solar and wind met about 74% of the US increase in electricity demand.
Global electricity demand grew by 849 terawatt-hours last year, while electricity generation from clean sources rose by 887 terawatt-hours, Alparslan told Anadolu Agency. Solar generation increased by 636 terawatt-hours and wind generation by 205 terawatt-hours.
Alparslan said renewables are increasingly helping meet new demand, alongside replacing fossil-fuel generation. He said further growth in electricity use from industry, transport, buildings and data centers will make continued expansion of wind and solar important.
In China, clean sources supplied 42% of electricity generation last year, according to Ember country reports. Wind and solar together accounted for 22%, while fossil-fuel generation fell by 56 terawatt-hours. In India, renewable generation rose by 98 terawatt-hours as electricity demand increased by 49 terawatt-hours; coal-fired generation fell by 44 terawatt-hours.
In the United States, demand grew by 131 terawatt-hours. Solar generation rose by 85 terawatt-hours and wind by about 13 terawatt-hours, together meeting about 74% of the increase, according to the report. In Brazil, wind and solar reached 27% of electricity generation, while all renewables accounted for 87%.
Türkiye’s renewable sources made up more than 60% of electricity generation in August, according to Energy and Natural Resources Ministry data cited in the report.
This article was produced with the help of AI technology. Based on reporting by the outlets listed above.
