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According to data released by IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency), additions to global renewable capacity in 2020 exceeded estimates and all previous records, despite the economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The research found that more than 260 GW of renewable energy power was added across the planet last year, an increase of 50% compared to 2019.
The survey also highlighted that more than 80% of all electricity capacity added in 2020 was clean and sustainable, with solar and wind accounting for 91% of new renewable energy.
According to IRENA, this expansion is attributed to the net decommissioning of fossil fuel generation in Europe, North America and for the first time in Eurasia (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Russian Federation and Turkey).
To give you an idea, for example, total additions of this type of source fell from 64 GW in 2019 to 60 GW in 2020. “These numbers tell a remarkable story of resilience and hope. Despite the challenges and uncertainty of 2020, renewable energy has emerged as a source of undeniable optimism for a better, more equitable, resilient, clean and fair future,” said Francesco La Camera, director general of IRENA.
“The great reconfiguration offered a moment of reflection and a chance to align our trajectory with the path to inclusive prosperity, and there are signs that we are realizing this”, he highlighted.
For the expert, despite the difficult period, as predicted, 2020 marks the beginning of the decade of renewables. “Costs are falling, clean technology markets are growing and the benefits of the energy transition have never been clearer. This trend is unstoppable, but as the review of our World Energy Transition Outlook highlights, there is much to be done”, he pointed out.
“Our outlook shows that significant investments in planned energy must be redirected to support the transition if we are to achieve 2050 goals. In this critical decade of action, the international community must look to this trend as a source of inspiration to go further,” concluded La Camera.
Highlights of 2020
At the end of 2020, IRENA reported that global renewable generation capacity totaled 2,799 GW, with hydropower still accounting for the majority (1,211 GW).
However, photovoltaics and wind dominated capacity expansion last year, with 127 GW and 111 GW of new installations respectively. China and the United States were the two standout growth markets in 2020. The Asian country added 136 GW, with the majority coming from 72 GW of wind and 49 GW of solar.
The US installed 29 GW of renewable power last year – almost 80% more than in 2019, including 15 GW of solar and 14 GW of wind.
Also according to the study, Africa continued to expand steadily with an increase of 2.6 GW, slightly more than in 2019, while Oceania continued to be the fastest growing region (+ 18.4%), although its share of global capacity is small and almost all expansion has occurred in Australia.
