According to a report by the Pew Research Centre utilizing data from the energy think tank Ember, fossil fuels accounted for 57 percent of the world’s electricity last year, even with the swift expansion of renewable energy sources.
The report indicated that the proportion of electricity produced from coal, natural gas, and oil declined from 65 percent in 2000 to 57 percent last year.
It noted that the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy projected that coal, gas, and oil continued to represent 86 percent of worldwide primary energy usage, a percentage that has stayed mostly consistent over the last twenty years.
The report states that wind and solar energy have grown quickly, especially solar power.
Information from Ember indicated that wind and solar combined represented 17 percent of global electricity production last year, up from under five percent ten years earlier.
The report indicated that when paired with hydropower, geothermal, and tidal energy, renewable sources produced a greater portion of global electricity than hydrocarbons, highlighting the important role of well-established hydropower capacity.
It, however, noted a drop in nuclear power production, which decreased to nine percent of overall global electricity generation last year from 17 percent in 2000.
The Energy Institute states that the reduction is notable as global electricity demand is increasing at a much quicker pace than the addition of new generation capacity.
The institute stated that coal, natural gas, and to a lesser degree, oil continue to be primary electricity sources since they can be provided and delivered as needed, unlike wind and solar energy.
The report also highlighted that the demand for electricity is increasing more rapidly than the supply, leading to a persistent rise in the total consumption of hydrocarbons despite a reduction in their proportion of global electricity production.
It stated that wind and solar have grown their portion of electricity generation as numerous nations aim for lower emissions and decreased reliance on energy imports.
The report states that China has achieved the most significant advancements in increasing wind and solar capacity, yet continues to be one of the largest global consumers of coal, oil, and natural gas.
It stated that the nation’s energy profile shows the gap between renewable capacity and real energy usage, highlighting that China continues to be the biggest coal consumer globally while also being the top investor in wind and solar energy.
The report stated that last year the European Union produced more power from non-hydrocarbon sources than from fossil fuels.
As per Ember data, non-hydrocarbon sources made up 48 percent of the region’s electricity production, while gas- and coal-fired plants contributed 29 percent.
In Nigeria, approximately 70 percent of the nation’s electricity is produced by gas-fired plants.
