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Milestones in Green Energy

Milestones in Green Energy

Milestones in Green Energy
Energy accounts for two-thirds of total greenhouse gas. Embracing cleaner sources is key to fighting climate change. And while the energy transition still has a way to go, renewable energy is nonetheless on a roll, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The energy transition is an “unstoppable” trend, the agency said. Here are some recent historic shifts in energy use that illustrate that trend.

  • 2020 was a record year for renewables — More than 80% of all new electricity capacity added last year was renewable, with solar and wind accounting for 91% of new renewables, according to the agency’s Renewable Capacity Statistics 2021. Total fossil fuel additions fell from 64GW to 60GW over the same period.
  • Britain had its greenest day on record — Easter Monday, 5 April, broke a renewable energy record for Great Britain.The nation’s electricity grid reached the greenest it’s ever been, with zero-carbon power sources including wind, solar and nuclear making up 80% of the energy mix.
  • IEA crowns solar ‘the king of electricity supply’ — Solar power will be the new king of electricity supply and looks set for massive expansion, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). 
  • Adelaide’s operations run on 100% renewable energy — Swimming pools, car parks, depots and community buildings in the Southern Australia capital of Adelaide are now powered entirely by renewable energy. The city is the first council in South Australia to use 100% renewable electricity across its operations, including the historic Adelaide Town Hall, which was built in 1866.
  • Vietnam increases solar capacity by 25 times in just one year — Government-backed incentives to install rooftop solar systems helped Vietnam soar to new solar energy highs in 2020. By the end of December, 9.3GW of solar capacity had been added – equivalent to six coal power plants – and a 25-fold increase in installed capacity compared to a year earlier. There are now more than 101,000 rooftop solar systems on homes, offices and factories across the country, according to Vietnam Electricity, the state utility.

For more about the future of energy, read the Forum’s “Energy Transition Index 2020” here. This is a fact-based ranking to help policymakers and business leaders plot a course for a successful energy transition.

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