Electricity Quick Facts

The document reports that clean electricity generated 38% of the world's power in 2021, surpassing coal. While renewables met all electricity demand growth in the first half of 2022, the report notes that unabated coal power must fall by 87% in the next nine years to align with 1.5C goals. Regional analysis highlights China's leadership in wind and solar, Europe's accelerated transition due to the gas crisis, and the significant role of coal mines as the largest source of energy sector methane.

• Clean electricity generation surpassed coal in 2021, accounting for 38% of global electricity compared to coal's 36%. Wind and solar specifically represented 10% of global electricity that year.
• In the first half of 2022, renewables met all growth in electricity demand, which stopped the growth of fossil fuels. However, to meet 1.5C targets, global unabated coal power needs to decrease by 87% over the next nine years.
• China's wind and solar generation growth met 92% of its electricity demand increase in the first half of 2022, resulting in a 3% decrease in fossil fuel power instead of a 1% increase.
• Coal mines are identified as the largest source of methane within the energy sector, exceeding both oil and gas. Australia could achieve two-thirds of its Global Methane Pledge commitment by reducing annual methane emissions from coal mines by 18% by 2030.
• In the ASEAN 5 (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam), solar and wind generated only 4% of electricity in 2021, with current plans projecting a rise to only 11% by 2030.

APA

Ember (n.d.). Electricity Quick Facts. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/09/COP27-Electricity-Quick-Facts-Ember.pdf

Chicago

Ember. Electricity Quick Facts. n.d. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/09/COP27-Electricity-Quick-Facts-Ember.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Electricity Quick Facts |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/09/COP27-Electricity-Quick-Facts-Ember.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{emberndelectricity, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Electricity Quick Facts}}, institution = {Ember}, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2024/09/COP27-Electricity-Quick-Facts-Ember.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }