Renewables reach record 30% of global electricity production in 2023, says report

According to a report by the think tank Ember, growth in solar and wind power has propelled renewable energy generation to a record high, accounting for 30% of global electricity production in 2023.

This milestone places the ambitious global target to triple renewable capacity by 2030 within reach, a goal agreed upon by more than 100 countries at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai last year.

Key drivers of renewable energy growth

The significant increase in renewable energy capacity, particularly from solar projects, has been a critical factor in this achievement.

Dave Jones, Ember’s director of global insights, said:

“The rise in solar capacity that happened during 2023 really unlocks the possibility that we are able to reach that level of renewables by 2030, and the tripling of capacity that was promised at COP28.”

The report highlighted that more than half of the global additions in solar and wind capacity originated from China, underscoring the country’s pivotal role in the global energy transition.

Overall, global solar generation surged by 23.2%, while wind power grew by 9.8%.

Challenges and predictions for new projects

Despite these advances, industry experts point out ongoing issues with grid connections and permitting for new projects, which could hinder progress towards the 2030 targets.

However, Ember’s report remains optimistic, forecasting that continued growth in renewable sources will lead to a 2% decline in fossil fuel power production in 2024.

This reduction is expected to push overall fossil fuel power production below 60% of global electricity output for the first time since at least 2000, the earliest point of Ember’s dataset.

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