Ufuk Alparslan, Ember’s regional lead for Türkiye and the Caucasus, said renewable energy sources had moved beyond being an alternative to fossil fuels and had become increasingly important in meeting rising electricity demand worldwide.
According to Alparslan’s assessment, global electricity demand increased by 849 terawatt-hours last year compared with the previous year. Over the same period, electricity generated from clean energy sources rose by 887 terawatt-hours.
This trend showed that renewable energy was not only replacing fossil fuels but was also taking on an increasingly larger role in meeting new electricity needs.
Growth in solar and wind generation
Electricity generation from solar energy increased by 636 terawatt-hours last year, while generation from wind farms rose by 205 terawatt-hours. Alparslan said the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy would not be limited to expanding the capacity of solar and wind farms.
Alparslan said the shift from fossil fuel consumption to electricity in industry, transport and buildings would also be part of this process. He noted that industrialization, electric transport, heating and cooling, and data centers were driving growth in new electricity demand.
Electricity needs are expected to rise further as electrification accelerates in transport, buildings and industry. Alparslan said the record capacity added to wind and solar energy in recent years would need to increase further to meet future demand.
Renewable energy gains ground in China and India
China was among the countries where electricity demand increased most rapidly. Last year, 42% of the country’s electricity generation came from clean energy sources, while solar and wind accounted for 22% of total electricity generation.
Electricity generation from fossil fuels in China declined by 56 terawatt-hours over the same period. Renewable energy took on a greater role in meeting the country’s rising electricity needs.
Electricity demand in India increased by 49 terawatt-hours last year. Electricity generation from renewable sources rose by 98 terawatt-hours; 53 terawatt-hours of this increase came from solar, 22 terawatt-hours from wind and the remainder from hydropower.
India recorded a record increase in solar power generation capacity, while electricity generation from coal-fired power plants declined by 44 terawatt-hours.
Developments in Brazil and the United States
Electricity demand in Brazil increased by 5 terawatt-hours last year. Solar generation rose by 17 terawatt-hours, while wind generation increased by 9 terawatt-hours.
The share of solar and wind in Brazil’s total electricity generation rose to 27%. Renewable sources as a whole accounted for 87% of the country’s electricity generation.
Electricity demand in the United States increased by 131 terawatt-hours last year amid growth in industry and data centers. Over the same period, solar generation rose by 85 terawatt-hours, while wind generation increased by approximately 13 terawatt-hours.
Solar and wind farms met approximately 74% of the new electricity demand generated in the United States last year.
Renewable energy’s share is rising in Türkiye
Türkiye is also among the countries increasing their solar and wind energy capacity. According to data from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the share of renewable energy sources in total electricity generation exceeded 60% in August.
