Despite clean energy's growth, emissions reached an all-time high due to soaring electricity demand.
**Clean Energy Reaches Historic Milestone, Yet Emissions Rise**
**Clean Energy Reaches Historic Milestone, Yet Emissions Rise**
The global electricity generated from clean energy sources has surpassed 40%, marking a significant milestone; however, CO2 emissions continue to rise, driven by increasing demand for power.
A recently released report by the think-tank Ember reveals that renewable energy sources contributed to over 40% of the world's electricity for the first time since the 1940s. However, the associated carbon dioxide emissions have reached a record high, challenging efforts to combat climate change. Notably, the rise in temperatures has escalated the demand for electricity, forcing an increase in the use of fossil fuels to meet this demand.
Among clean energy sources, solar power emerged as the fastest-growing, with its output doubling every three years since 2012. “Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition,” said Phil Macdonald, Ember's managing director. The report highlighted that China was responsible for more than half of the solar growth in 2024, while India also saw an impressive doubling of its solar capacity.
Despite solar’s impressive expansion, it constitutes just under 7% of the global energy mix, akin to the electricity consumption of an entire nation, such as India. Wind power brings in slightly more than 8%, while hydropower accounts for the largest share of clean energy at 14%. Both hydropower and nuclear power are experiencing much slower growth rates compared to wind and solar.
Ember's findings emphasize the paradox faced in global energy consumption; even as clean energy's share has climbed to 40.9%, greenhouse gas emissions remain on the rise. In 2024, global electricity demand surged by 4%, partly driven by increased use of air conditioning during a scorching summer, resulting in a 1.4% increase in fossil fuel generation, primarily coal and gas.
As the report noted, fast-growing Asian economies, especially India and China, have heavily relied on fossil fuels to meet the soaring electricity needs. While advancements in renewable energy are promising, the urgent challenge remains in curbing emissions and meeting the rising demand sustainably.
