Summary
In 2021, wind and solar power reached a record 10.3% of global electricity generation, but this growth was insufficient to offset a historic surge in electricity demand. Consequently, global coal generation and power sector CO2 emissions both hit all-time highs, with coal meeting 59% of new demand. While 50 countries now derive over 10% of their power from wind and solar, the report warns that the global energy transition is significantly off track from the IEA's net-zero pathway, which requires wind and solar to grow by 20% annually through 2030.
Key insights
- Wind and solar power reached a record share of global electricity generation in 2021, increasing to 10.3% from 9.3% in 2020. This is more than double the 4.6% share recorded when the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.
- Global electricity demand saw its largest absolute increase in 2021, growing by 1,414 TWh (a 5.4% increase), the fastest growth rate since 2010. This demand surge was primarily driven by economic growth in Asia, with China's demand in 2021 being 14% higher than in 2019.
- Global coal generation hit a new historic high in 2021, reaching 10,042 TWh, which is 2% higher than the previous record set in 2018. Coal met 59% of the new global electricity demand in 2021, contributing to its 36.5% share of total global electricity.
- CO2 emissions from the power sector reached a record high in 2021, exceeding 12 billion tonnes and surpassing the 2018 record by 3%. Emissions grew by 7% (approximately 778 million tonnes) in 2021, the largest absolute annual increase on record.
- To align with the IEA's 1.5°C pathway, wind and solar generation must maintain a compound annual growth rate of 20% to reach a 40% share of global electricity by 2030. Currently, 50 countries have surpassed the 10% share milestone for wind and solar, including China, Japan, and Vietnam.
Cite the original document
- APA
- Ember (2022). 2022 年 全球电力评论. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2022/03/CN_Report-GER22-PDF-11-MB.pdf
- Chicago
- Ember. 2022 年 全球电力评论. 2022. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2022/03/CN_Report-GER22-PDF-11-MB.pdf.
- Wikipedia
- {{cite report |author=Ember |title=2022 年 全球电力评论 |date=30 March 2022 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2022/03/CN_Report-GER22-PDF-11-MB.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}
- BibTeX
- @techreport{ember20222022, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{2022 年 全球电力评论}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2022}, month = mar, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2022/03/CN_Report-GER22-PDF-11-MB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }
Full text
Collected · Record updated