By Simon Evans Renewable sources of electricity are set for rapid growth over the next five years, which could see them match the output of the world’s coal-fired power stations for the first time ever. This would mean renewables matching coal as the joint-largest contributors to the global electricity mix in 2024, according to Carbon Brief analysis of new forecasts in the International Energy Agency (IEA) Renewables 2019 report. The analysis is based on the IEA’s "accelerated case," in which the combined capacity of hydro , wind , solar and biomass increases by more than 60% over the next five years. Even in its "base case," renewable capacity is set to expand by nearly 50%, the IEA forecasts. Dr. Fatih Birol, IEA executive director, writes in a foreword to the report that "thanks to falling costs, technologies such as solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind are at the heart of transformations taking place across the global energy system." He adds: "Their increasing deployment is crucial for efforts to tackle greenhouse gas emissions, reduce air pollution and expand energy access." The IEA’s base-case renewable forecasts have historically underestimated the pace of growth. Yet even in its accelerated case, the extra electricity […]
Latest Articles
Halving Pesticide Use, Dismantling Dams: EU’s Ambitious Draft Law to Restore Nature
Takeaways: The European Commission has drafted a law that will halve pesticide use across Europe by 2030 and dismantle big dams to make rivers...
Why Growing Forests Are Awesome
Why Growing Forests Are Awesome Guest Post by: Job van Hooijdonk, co-founder of Regreener In 2016, a record of 29.7 million hectares of forest disappeared. That's2 90,000 square...
The Benefits of Adaptive Reusing Old Buildings into New
Takeaways: Reusing old buildings instead of building new ones can benefit communities, inhabitants and the environment.
Reusing these buildings helps maintain the community's roots...
How Replacing Coal with Renewable Energy Could Pay for Itself
Takeaways: Transitioning from coal to renewable energy can result in an economic gain of $78 trillion.
The benefits of ending coal use come from...
Unilever Invests in Biotech Alternatives to Palm Oil for Greener Cleaning
Takeaways: Unilever is investing in a plan to use plant-based ingredients in their extensive household product range.
The company has partnered with a U.S....
How Indigenous Traditions Are Saving Zimbabwe’s Endangered Wildlife
Takeaways: A mix of beliefs, taboos and myths, passed orally from generation to generation, has been at the centre of wildlife conservation in many...
