International. After nearly two decades of strong annual growth, renewables around the world added as much net capacity in 2018 as they did in 2017, an unexpected flattening of growth trends that raises concerns about meeting long-term climate goals.
Last year was the first time since 2001 that growth in renewable energy capacity did not grow year over year. Net capacity from solar PV, wind, hydropower, bioenergy and other renewable energy sources increased by about 180 Gigawatts (GW) in 2018, the same as the previous year, according to the latest data from the International Energy Agency. That's only about 60% of the net additions needed each year to meet long-term climate goals.
Renewables have an important role to play in reducing global emissions. Renewable capacity additions must grow by more than 300 GW on average each year between 2018 and 2030 to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, according to the IEA's Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS).
But the IEA's analysis shows that the world is not doing enough. Last year, energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 1.7% to an all-time high of 33 Gigatons. Despite a 7% growth in electricity generation from renewables, emissions from the electricity sector increased to record levels.
"The world cannot afford to press 'pause' in the expansion of renewables and governments must act quickly to correct this situation and allow for a faster flow of new projects," said Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA. "Thanks to the rapid decline in costs, the competitiveness of renewables is no longer strongly linked to financial incentives. What they need most are stable policies backed by a long-term vision, but also a focus on integrating renewables into energy systems in an economical and optimal way. Stop-and-go policies are particularly damaging to markets and employment."
Since 2015, the exponential growth of global solar PV has offset slower increases in wind and hydropower. But the growth of solar PV stopped in 2018, adding 97 GW of capacity and falling short of expectations that it would surpass the symbolic mark of 100 GW. The main reason was a sudden shift in China's solar PV incentives to reduce costs and address grid integration challenges to achieve more sustainable PV expansion. In addition, lower wind additions in the European Union and India also contributed to halting the growth of renewable capacity in 2018.
China added 44 GW of solar PV in 2018, compared to 53 GW in 2017. Growth was stable in the United States, but solar PV additions increased in the European Union, Mexico, the Middle East and Africa, which together offset the slowdown in China.
Despite the slower growth of solar PV, China accounted for nearly 45% of the increase in total capacity in renewable electricity last year. With new transmission lines and increased electricity demand, China's wind additions increased last year, but hydropower expansion continued to slow, maintaining a trend seen since 2013.
Capacity additions in the European Union, the second largest market for renewables, saw a slight decline. Solar PV grew compared to the previous year, while wind additions decreased. The challenges of policy transition and changing renewable incentives led to slower growth of onshore wind in India and solar PV in Japan.
In the United States, the third largest market, renewable capacity additions increased slightly in 2018, mainly due to a faster expansion of onshore wind, while the growth of solar PV was stable.
The expansion of renewable capacity accelerated in many emerging economies and developing countries in the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia, led by wind and solar PV as a result of rapidly declining costs.
Governments can accelerate the growth of renewables by addressing policy uncertainties and ensuring cost-effective integration of wind and solar systems. Reducing the risks affecting investment in clean energy in developing countries, especially in Africa, will also be critical.
"This 2018 data is deeply troubling, but smart and determined policies may make renewable capacity additions an upward trend again. We are assisting the 38 members of the IEA family, and all other countries around the world, in their energy transitions with policy advice aimed at accelerating investment in a global portfolio of renewable energy technologies as well as energy efficiency, carbon capture and utilization and storage, and all other clean energy technologies," Dr. Birol said.
Source: International Energy Agency.
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