Energy derived from sources that can be naturally renewed over a human timescale is referred to as renewable energy. Sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat are examples of renewable resources. Despite the fact that the majority of renewable energy sources are sustainable, some are not. For instance, certain biomass sources are deemed unsustainable at the rate at which they are being used. A lot of times, heating, cooling, and electricity are produced using renewable energy. Large-scale renewable energy projects are typical, but they are also suitable for rural, isolated, and developing nations, where energy is frequently essential for human growth. In order to maximise the benefits of electricity, renewable energy is frequently used in conjunction with further electrification. Electricity can convey heat or items effectively and is clean at the point of use.
Renewable energy has increased from 20% to 28% of the world’s electrical supply between 2011 and 2021. Nuclear energy use dropped from 12% to 10%, and fossil fuel use dropped from 68% to 62%. Hydropower’s proportion dropped from 16% to 15% while solar and wind energy’s share rose from 2% to 10%. Geothermal energy increased from 2% to 3%, as did biomass. While 156 nations have legislation governing the renewable energy sector, there are 3,146 gigawatts of installed capacity in 135 nations. Nearly half of the growth in renewable electricity generated worldwide in 2021 came from China.
Over 10 million people are employed by the renewable energy sectors worldwide, with solar photovoltaics being the largest renewable employment. With a big portion of the world’s newly installed power capacity being renewable, renewable energy systems are quickly becoming more efficient and affordable, and their percentage of overall energy consumption is growing. The least expensive electricity for new construction is often produced by photovoltaic solar or onshore wind.
Renewable energy already makes up more than 20% of the energy used in many countries throughout the world, and in certain cases, more than 50% of the power produced. Only a few nations use renewable energy to produce 100% of their electricity. In the 2020s and beyond, it is anticipated that national renewable energy markets would expand much further. 90% of the world’s electrical generation must come from renewable sources by 2050, according to the IEA, in order to reach net zero emissions. According to some assessments, switching the entire world over to renewable energy for power, heat, transportation, and industry would be both technically and financially possible. In contrast to fossil fuels, which are largely confined to a small number of nations, renewable energy resources are spread across a large geographic region. Energy security, climate change mitigation, and economic benefits are all greatly increased through the use of renewable energy sources and energy-saving technologies. However, hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies for fossil fuels are putting a barrier in the way of renewable energy. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power are overwhelmingly supported in international public opinion polls. To increase their chances of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, governments were challenged by the International Energy Agency in 2022 to address policy, regulatory, permitting, and financial barriers to adding more renewable energy sources.
