Available publicly from June 4 (http://www.ren21.net/gsr),
REN21's Renewables 2014 Global Status Report is the world's most
frequently-referenced report on the renewable energy market, industry and
policy developments.
Among highlights:
Overall last year, renewables accounted for more than 56% of
net additions to global power capacity.
Hydropower rose by 4% to approximately 1,000 GW in 2013,
accounting for about one-third of renewable power capacity
added during the year. Other renewables collectively grew nearly 17% to an
estimated 560 GW.
Renewable energy provided 19% of global final energy
consumption in 2012, and continued to grow in 2013. Of this total share in
2012, modern renewables accounted for 10% with the remaining 9% coming from
traditional biomass the share of which is declining.
Useful heat energy from modern renewable sources accounted
for an estimated 4.2% of total final energy use; hydropower made up about 3.8%,
and an estimated 2% was provided by power from wind, solar, geothermal, and
biomass, as well as by biofuels.
For the first time, more solar PV than wind power capacity
was added worldwide, accounting for about one-third of renewable power capacity
added during the year.
Even as global investment in solar PV declined nearly 22%
relative to 2012, new capacity installations increased by more than 32%. The
solar PV market had a record year, adding more than 39 GW in 2013 for a total
of approximately 139 GW. China saw spectacular growth, accounting for nearly
one third of global capacity added, followed by Japan and the United States.
China, the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Germany
remained the top countries for total installed renewable power capacity.
China's new renewable power capacity surpassed new fossil fuel and nuclear
capacity for the first time.
In the European Union, 2013 marked the sixth consecutive
year in which renewables represented the majority of new electricity generating
capacity. The 72% share in 2013 is in stark contrast to a decade earlier, when
conventional fossil generation accounted for 80% of new capacity in the EU-27
plus Norway and Switzerland.
Renewables are achieving high levels of penetration in
several countries. For example, throughout 2013, wind power met 33.2% and 20.9%
of electricity demand in Denmark and Spain, respectively; in Italy, solar PV
met 7.8% of total annual electricity demand.
Growing numbers of cities, states, and regions seek to
transition to 100% renewable energy in either individual sectors or
economy-wide. For example, Djibouti, Scotland, and the small-island state of
Tuvalu aim to derive 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
Among those whom have already achieved their goals are about 20 million Germans
who live in so-called 100% renewable energy regions.
Uruguay, Mauritius, and Costa Rica were among the top
countries for investment in new renewable power and fuels relative to annual
GDP.
Wind power was excluded from one of Brazil's national
auctions because it was pricing all other generation sources out of the market.
More than 35 GW of wind power capacity was added in 2013,
totalling just more than 318 GW. However, despite several record years, the
market was down nearly 10 GW compared to 2012, reflecting primarily a steep
drop in the U.S. market. Offshore wind had a record year, with 1.6 GW added,
almost all of it in the EU. Heating and cooling from modern biomass, solar, and
geothermal sources account for a small but gradually rising share of final global
heat demand, amounting to an estimated 10%.
Denmark banned the use of fossil fuel-fired boilers in new
buildings as of 2013 and aims for renewables to provide almost 40% of total
heat supply by 2020.
Robust policies coupled with continuing technological
advances, falling prices, and innovations in financing have made renewables
increasingly affordable for a broader range of consumers worldwide. Global new
investment in renewable power and fuels was at least USD 249.4 billion in 2013
down from its record level in 2011.
REN21's 2014 report says policy mechanisms continue to
evolve. In 2013, feed-in policies in many countries shifted towards premium
payments in the power sector, and continued to be adapted for use in the
heating sector. New policies advanced or managed the integration of high shares
of renewable electricity into existing power systems, including support for
energy storage, demand-side management, and smart grid technologies.
"Global perceptions of renewable energy have shifted
considerably," says Arthouros Zervos, Chair of REN21.
"Over the last 10 years, continuing technology advances
and rapid deployment of many renewable energy technologies have demonstrated
that the question is no longer whether renewables have a role to play in the
provision of energy services, but rather how we can best increase the current
pace to achieve a 100% renewables future with full energy access for all."
"For this to be become reality, current thinking needs
to change: continuing the status quo of a patchwork of policies and actions is
no longer sufficient. Instead, technology developments, finance models as well
as stable and predictable renewable
energy policies need to be systematically linked across the public and
private sectors in order to support and drive the transition process."
Says Christine Lins, Executive Secretary, REN21: "The
past decade has set the wheels in motion for a global transition to renewables,
but a concerted and sustained effort is needed to achieve it. With increasingly
ambitious targets and innovative policies, renewables can continue to surpass
expectations and create a clean energy future."
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