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Global renewable electricity hits 30% milestone


Worldwide Renewables


The surge in renewables, rising from just 19% in 2000, signals a shift toward sustainable energy sources, driving down the carbon intensity of global power generation to unprecedented lows, according to a report by energy think tank Ember.


The report, titled Global Electricity Review, offers a comprehensive overview of the global power landscape in 2023, drawing on country-level data from 80 nations, representing 92% of global electricity demand. The findings, disclosed alongside the world’s inaugural open dataset on electricity generation in 2023, underscore a seismic transformation in the energy sector. “The renewables future has arrived,” stated Dave Jones, Ember’s director of global insights, emphasizing the unexpected acceleration of solar energy adoption. Solar power emerged as the primary driver of electricity growth, outpacing coal in 2023. Surging ahead for the nineteenth consecutive year, solar now claims the title of the fastest-growing electricity source globally, surpassing wind energy to become the foremost contributor to new electricity generation for the second consecutive year.


While the trajectory toward clean energy


appears promising, challenges persist. The report highlights a significant dip in hydropower generation, attributable to droughts in key regions such as China. Despite this setback, renewable capacity additions in 2023 would have enabled a notable decline in fossil fuel generation under normal circumstances. However, an uptick in coal generation, particularly in drought-affected nations like China, India, Viet Nam, and Mexico, offset this potential decline, resulting in a 1% rise in global power sector emissions.


Nevertheless, the report projects a forthcoming era of declining power sector emissions, with a projected 2% decrease in global fossil generation anticipated in 2024. This trajectory aligns with commitments made at the UN’s COP28 climate change conference, where world leaders agreed to triple global renewables capacity by 2030. If achieved, this target could propel the world toward a 60% renewable electricity share by 2030, substantially curbing power sector emissions and advancing climate goals. Jones emphasized the critical role of high-level policy ambition, incentive mechanisms, and flexibility solutions in propelling the rapid growth of solar and wind energy, particularly in nations like


China, Brazil, and the Netherlands. “Expanding clean electricity not only helps to decarbonise the power sector, it also provides the step up in supply needed to electrify the economy; and that’s the real game-changer for the climate” he said. Echoing these sentiments, former UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres said: “The fossil fuel era has reached its necessary and inevitable expiration date as these findings show so clearly. This is a critical turning point. Last century’s outdated technologies can no longer compete with the exponential innovations and declining cost curves in renewable energy and storage. All of humanity and the planet upon which we depend will be better off for it.”


Commenting with regards to hydropower, Eddie Rich, CEO of the International Hydropower Association, emphasised: “Hydropower continues to generate more electricity than any other renewable but wind and solar power are on the rise. Sustainable hydropower needs to double capacity by 2050 to provide the flexibility and storage capacity necessary to support the growing intermittent renewable energy sources. That means planning now. Water, wind and sun get the job done!”


Australian government backs 25 GW of offshore wind


Australia Wind power The Australian government has backed 12 offshore wind projects totalling up to 25 GW off the coast of Victoria, and is poised to announce further support for renewables in the next budget. But there is some doubt about whether this will be enough to super-charge growth in the offshore wind and wider renewable energy supply chain.


Nonetheless, the Australian government’s announcement of support for the twelve offshore wind farms is perceived as crucial for the industry.


On 1 May it awarded licences for six projects to carry out further work to assess their feasibility and environmental impacts; and identified six more that are in line to receive these crucial licences subject to further consultation.


The government reportedly had 37 applications to consider, and ended up backing schemes by prominent developers


6 | May 2024 | www.modernpowersystems.com


including Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Ocean Winds and Ørsted.


The six projects to receive licences are: Blue Mackerel North (JERA Nex / Parkwind, and Beach Energy) Gippsland Skies (2.5 GW fixed-bottom project by AGL, Direct Infrastructure, Mainstream Renewable Power and Reventus Power )


High Sea Wind Project North (1.28 GW project by EDP Renewables and Engie joint venture Ocean Winds) Kut-Wut Brataualung (2 GW project by CIP / Southerly Ten, Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation) Ørsted 1 (2.8 GW project by Ørsted) Star of the South (2.2 GW project by new Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners vehicle Southerly Ten, Cbus Super Fund and original co-founders Andy Evans, Terry Kallis and Peter Sgardelis).


There are six projects with the potential to receive licences after further consultation which are:


Aurora Green (up to 3 GW project by Iberdrola)


Gippsland Dawn (by BlueFloat Energy) Great Eastern Offshore Wind (2.5 GW project by Macquarie’s Corio Generation) Kent Offshore Wind (by RWE) Navigator North (1.5GW project by Origin Energy and RES)


Ørsted 2 (2 GW project by Ørsted). It has taken more than a decade so far to turn offshore wind from an idea into reality in Australia, which is why industry reaction to this announcement has been very positive, although it is considered that much more needs to happen to unleash offshore wind at scale.


At present, Star of the South looks likely to be the first to be operational in Australian waters, with commissioning scheduled to take place in 2028.


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