In 2023, the world saw a significant increase in the use of renewable energy sources, marking a record-breaking year for clean energy. According to a report by Ember, a London-based think tank, 30% of electricity produced globally came from renewable sources that do not emit harmful pollutants like carbon dioxide and methane.
Solar and wind farms played a crucial role in this shift towards clean energy, with solar power leading the way as the fastest-growing source of electricity generation for the 19th consecutive year. The report also highlighted the growing demand for technologies such as heat pumps, electric vehicles, and electrolyzers, which extract hydrogen from water for energy purposes, all of which contribute to combating climate change.
Despite the positive trend towards renewable energy, fossil fuels still dominated the global electricity generation landscape, leading to a 1% rise in global power sector emissions. Countries like China, India, Vietnam, and Mexico were responsible for the increase in electricity generated from burning fossil fuels, highlighting the urgent need to transition to cleaner energy sources.
Looking ahead to 2024, analysts predict a further increase in global electricity consumption, but also anticipate a faster growth in renewable energy generation. This shift could potentially lead to a 2% decrease in energy generated from fossil fuels, signaling a positive step towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy future.