Investment in solar energy should surpass oil extraction

Photovoltaic source will receive US$ 380 billion in investments around the world in 2023, estimates new IEA report
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Investimento em energia solar deve superar extração de petróleo em 2023
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You contributions to solar energy must overcome for the first time, in 2023, the amounts spent on Oil extraction, highlights the IEA (International Energy Agency, its acronym in English), in its new global report about investments, released this Thursday (25). 

The entity's estimate indicates that around US$ 2.8 trillion should be invested in energy worldwide in this year, of which US$ 1.7 trillion must be intended for clean technologies. The remainder, approximately US$ 1 trillion, goes to coal, gas and oil.

To the carbon neutral energies They include renewables (wind, solar and the like), as well as nuclear, heat pumps and electric car batteries. Investments in all of these activities are expected to register an increase of 24% in the period 2021-2023.

In contrast, the values allocated to hydrocarbons and coal continue to advance at a rate of 15% per year. “Clean energy is moving quickly and faster than many people realize. This is clear in investment trends, where clean technologies are moving away from fossil fuels,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. 

According to him, for every dollar invested in fossil fuels, about 1.7 dollars is going into clean energy. “Five years ago, this ratio was one to one. A brilliant example is investment in solar energy, which should exceed the amount of investment in oil production for the first time”, highlighted the executive. 

Altogether, the solar energy expected to receive more than a billion dollars a day in investments, What represents US$ 380 billion in 2023 - one value above the US$ 370 billion foreseen for oil exploration and extraction, highlights the AIE report.

Carbon neutrality

Despite the accelerated growth of clean energy around the world, investments in fossil fuels remain above necessary levels so that the planet can achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the main goal of Paris Agreement. 

“Global demand for coal reached an all-time high in 2022 and investment this year is on track to reach almost six times the levels predicted in 2030 in the Net Zero scenario”, highlights the Agency. 

Also according to the IEA, the biggest deficiencies in clean energy investment are in emerging and developing economies, which still uses a lot of polluting sources. 

“There are some bright spots, such as dynamic investments in solar in India and in renewables in Brazil and parts of the Middle East. However, investment is being held back by factors such as higher interest rates, unclear policy structures and market designs, weak network infrastructure, financially troubled utilities and high cost of capital.” 

Picture of Henrique Hein
Henry Hein
He worked at Correio Popular and Rádio Trianon. He has experience in podcast production, radio programs, interviews and reporting. Has been following the solar sector since 2020.

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