The world capacity of renewable energy increased to 3,372 GW

The world capacity of renewable energy increased to 3,372 GW shutterstock
Katerina Belousova

Solar and wind energy accounted for 90% of all newly installed "green" capacities

The annual report of the International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA showed that in 2022 the global capacity of "green" energy increased by 9.6% (295 GW) and reached 3,372 GW.

But by 2030, the annual increase in renewable capacity must triple from current levels to limit global warming to 1.5°C, Arab News reports.

It is noted that about 83% of all new energy capacities in 2022 were renewable.

"This continued record growth demonstrates the sustainability of renewable energy sources in the face of a prolonged energy crisis," said IRENA CEO Francesco La Camera.

The report emphasized that during the year, solar and wind energy dominated the expansion of renewable energy capacity. They accounted for 90% of all installed green power plants.

About half of all new capacities were installed in Asia. The largest amount of new RES generation appeared in China (141 GW). In addition, new capacities were added in:

  • Europe – 57.3 GW;
  • North America – 29.1 GW;
  • Middle East – 3.2 GW, which is a record increase for the region and 12.8% more than in 2021.

The article emphasized that the report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change showed that in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the mid-2030s, emissions must be halved.

Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that a new study by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showed that by the beginning of the 2030s, the world will exceed the warming limit by 1.5°C, and by 2100 it will reach 3.2°C.

As EcoPolitic previously reported, analysts of the International Energy Agency (IEA) assumed that the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as state aid programs in the USA and the EU, will speed up the energy transition by 5-10 years.

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