renewable energy generated about 30% of electricity across the globe in 2023
Solar generation growth increased 23% globally
wind grew 10%
fossil fuel generation grew only 0.8% last year
Solar reached a 5.5% share of the global electricity mix, reaching 1,631 TWh, rising from 4.6% in 2022
ember: Despite reaching new record highs, the absolute growth in wind and solar (+513 TWh) was below expectations and slightly smaller than in 2022 (+517 TWh). This was mainly due to lower-than-expected wind growth, which was 18% lower compared to the 249 TWh increase in 2022
Demand for electricity grew by 637 TWh globally in 2023, rising 2.2%, or the equivalent of adding the entire electricity demand of Canada to the total
global electricity demand to a record 29,471 TWh
Solar and wind met most of the increased electricity demand globally, adding 513 TWh of generation, or about 82% of new demand
In aggregate, all other clean electricity sources fell – small rises in bioenergy and nuclear were not enough to counter the large fall in hydro generation caused by extensive drought
Together, all clean sources met 79% of the increase in electricity demand
Combined with nuclear, the world generated about 40% of its electricity from low-carbon sources in 2023. Ember said this has resulted in CO2 intensity of global power generation falling 12% lower than its peak in 2007.
Absolute fossil fuel generation increased 0.8% over the year, and global emissions increased by 1%, reaching 14,153 million tons of CO2 emitted by electricity generation
2023 came very close to becoming the first year of a new era of falling power sector emissions
! Clean energy capacity growth was already large enough to deliver a decline in emissions 2023, but a record fall in hydropower generation due to droughts prevented that. Ember said that 2023 likely marked the peak of power sector emissions.