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| 40 percent of world's electricity clean but emissions rising - report | 40 percent of world's electricity clean but emissions rising - report |
| (3 months later) | |
| More than half of the growth of solar in 2024 was in China. | More than half of the growth of solar in 2024 was in China. |
| More than 40 percent of the world's electricity was generated without burning fossil fuels in 2024, according to a new report from think-tank Ember. | More than 40 percent of the world's electricity was generated without burning fossil fuels in 2024, according to a new report from think-tank Ember. |
| But carbon dioxide emissions, which warm the planet, have risen to an all time high, the report says, with hot weather pushing up the overall demand for power. | But carbon dioxide emissions, which warm the planet, have risen to an all time high, the report says, with hot weather pushing up the overall demand for power. |
| That meant an increase in the use of fossil fuel burning power stations. | That meant an increase in the use of fossil fuel burning power stations. |
| Solar power continues to be the fastest-growing energy source, with the amount of electricity it generates doubling in the last three years. | Solar power continues to be the fastest-growing energy source, with the amount of electricity it generates doubling in the last three years. |
| "Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition," said Phil Macdonald, the managing director of Ember. | "Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition," said Phil Macdonald, the managing director of Ember. |
| "Amid the noise, it's essential to focus on the real signal. Hotter weather drove the fossil generation increase in 2024, but we're very unlikely to see a similar jump in 2025." | "Amid the noise, it's essential to focus on the real signal. Hotter weather drove the fossil generation increase in 2024, but we're very unlikely to see a similar jump in 2025." |
| In a separate report, the European Copernicus climate service said March 2025 was the second hottest on record, extending a spell of record or near record breaking temperatures. | In a separate report, the European Copernicus climate service said March 2025 was the second hottest on record, extending a spell of record or near record breaking temperatures. |
| Ember is a global energy think tank which has been predicting for several years that emissions of the climate warming gas carbon dioxide were about to start falling. | Ember is a global energy think tank which has been predicting for several years that emissions of the climate warming gas carbon dioxide were about to start falling. |
| But this hasn't happened yet due to increasing global demand for electricity. | But this hasn't happened yet due to increasing global demand for electricity. |
| Solar revolution | Solar revolution |
| Cheap and relatively easy to install, for the twentieth year in a row solar is the fastest growing electricity source. According to Ember, the amount generated by solar panels has doubled every three years since 2012. | Cheap and relatively easy to install, for the twentieth year in a row solar is the fastest growing electricity source. According to Ember, the amount generated by solar panels has doubled every three years since 2012. |
| China continues to dominate the growth of solar with more than half of the increase taking place there. India's solar capacity doubled between 2023 and 2024. | China continues to dominate the growth of solar with more than half of the increase taking place there. India's solar capacity doubled between 2023 and 2024. |
| Though it is growing fast, solar remains a relatively small part of the global energy mix contributing just under 7% of global supply – that's the same as powering the entire country of India. | Though it is growing fast, solar remains a relatively small part of the global energy mix contributing just under 7% of global supply – that's the same as powering the entire country of India. |
| Wind contributes just over 8%, with hydropower contributing 14% making it the largest source of clean energy. Both hydro-electric and nuclear power (9%) are growing much more slowly than wind and solar. | Wind contributes just over 8%, with hydropower contributing 14% making it the largest source of clean energy. Both hydro-electric and nuclear power (9%) are growing much more slowly than wind and solar. |
| Back to the 1940s | Back to the 1940s |
| The report says that clean energy sources contributed more than 40% of global electricity generation for the first time since the 1940s. Back then demand was much lower, and hydroelectric power stations contributed a significant share. | The report says that clean energy sources contributed more than 40% of global electricity generation for the first time since the 1940s. Back then demand was much lower, and hydroelectric power stations contributed a significant share. |
| The big picture is that the rise in the global demand for electricity continues to outpace the growth in renewable energy. | The big picture is that the rise in the global demand for electricity continues to outpace the growth in renewable energy. |
| That means that though the percentage generated by clean power has risen to 40.9% the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted has yet to start falling. | That means that though the percentage generated by clean power has risen to 40.9% the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted has yet to start falling. |
| According to the Ember report global demand for electricity rose by 4% in 2024. | According to the Ember report global demand for electricity rose by 4% in 2024. |
| This was partly due to an increased use of air conditioning in what was a particularly hot year. That meant that fossil fuel generation, mostly coal (34%) and gas (22%), increased by 1.4% and global emissions of the climate warming gas CO2 from the power sector rose to an all time high of 14.6bn tonnes. | |
| In the last five years, fast-growing Asian economies, in particular India and China, have continued expanding their use of fossil fuels to meet rapidly rising demand for electricity. | In the last five years, fast-growing Asian economies, in particular India and China, have continued expanding their use of fossil fuels to meet rapidly rising demand for electricity. |