According to the information gathered in the report, 2022 marked a new record for the electricity sector as it reached its cleanest year with a record low of 436 gCO2/kWh.
Renewables reached a record 12% of global electricity in 2022
This week, Ember launched its 4º annual Global Electricity Reviews with a global review of changes in global electricity generation in 2022. The report analyses electricity data from 78 countries representing 93% of global electricity demand and includes estimated changes in the remaining generation.
According to the information gathered in the report, 2022 marked a new record for the electricity sector as it reached its cleanest year with a record low of 436 gCO2/kWh. This was possible thanks to the rise in wind and solar generation that meant the 12% of the last’s years total global electricity.
Some of the highlights of the report are the following:
- Solar generation rose by 24%, making it the fastest-growing electricity source for 18 years in a row.
- Wind generation grew by 17%.
- Over 60 countries now generate more than 10% of their electricity from wind and solar.
Besides this positive data, power sector emissions rose a 1.3% in 2022, reaching an all-time high due the increase in the electricity demand. Moreover, coal generation increased by 1.1%, in line with average growth in the last decade.
The experts stay optimistic even so as the forecast that 2022 may be “peak” of this power emissions as they expect that clean power growth would exceed the electricity demand growth in 2023 reducing therefore the power emissions.
