Renewable sources accounted for 40,9% of global electricity production in 2024, according to report released this month by Ember, a British organization specializing in energy transition.
This is the first time since the 1940s that this percentage has been exceeded. At that time, the global electricity system was 50 times smaller and virtually all renewable energy generation was concentrated in hydroelectric plants.
The report also points out that, for the first time, the sum of solar (6,9%) and wind (8,1%) generation exceeded the share of hydroelectric power (14,3%) in the global matrix. This result was driven by droughts in several parts of the world, which affected the performance of hydroelectric plants.
According to Ember, solar and wind energy were mainly responsible for the new record growth of clean sources in 2024. Brazil played a prominent role in this advance.
Last year, the country recorded the third largest growth in the world in solar energy production, with a 45% increase, and a 13% increase in wind generation.
With this, Brazil surpassed Germany and now occupies fifth place in the global solar generation ranking, behind only China, the United States and India.
Fossil fuels
Despite the advance of renewable sources, fossil fuels continue to lead the global matrix, with coal representing 34,4% of electricity generation and natural gas, 22%.
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Generation from polluting sources grew by 1,4% in 2024, which led to the additional emission of 223 million tons of CO₂, worsening the global warming scenario.
The report also highlights that 2024 was the hottest year on record and marked the moment when, for the first time, global electricity consumption surpassed the 30 TWh mark.
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