Energy in the BRICS

This report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the power sector transition across the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates). It finds that while the bloc continues to build fossil-fueled capacity, non-fossil capacity additions are accelerating, with the share of power capacity fueled by coal, oil, and gas potentially falling below 50% by the end of 2024.

• The share of power capacity in the BRICS group fueled by coal, oil, and gas is currently close to 50% and could fall below this threshold by the end of 2024. Non-fossil capacity additions to mid-2024 in China, India, and Brazil alone totaled 190 GW, which exceeds the 158 GW of fossil capacity slated for commissioning in 2024 (72 GW with a target date and 88 GW without).
• Wind and utility-scale solar projects in development across the BRICS total 1,550 GW, which is approximately double the capacity of fossil-fueled projects in development. Utility-scale solar is the leading technology with 814 GW, while wind follows with 744 GW; China hosts 70% of the in-development utility-scale solar and 67% of the in-development wind capacity.
• Despite the growth of renewables, almost all BRICS members continue to develop fossil-fueled power plants, with the exception of Ethiopia. If all in-development projects are completed, operating coal capacity in the BRICS would increase by 36% and oil/gas capacity by 53%.
• The BRICS group has 2,276 GW of renewable capacity in development due for completion by 2030. This represents approximately 95% of the additional utility-scale renewable capacity needed to meet the global tripling target, assuming distributed solar PV covers one-third of the total required additional capacity.
• China's power capacity mix surpassed 50% non-fossil in 2023, and its wind and solar capacity (1,180 GW in mid-2024) has exceeded its coal capacity (1,170 GW). However, coal generation in China remains over four times greater than wind and solar combined.
• Brazil is a global leader in offshore wind, with 234 GW of projects in the licensing phase as of April 2024, more than any other country. However, the lack of a completed regulatory framework for offshore projects risks stalling this buildout.
• India's coal-fired power fleet is the second largest globally at 239.6 GW. In the first half of 2024, new and revived coal plant proposals reached 23.5 GW, surpassing the total for all of 2023 (13.6 GW).
• South Africa remains the most coal-reliant economy in the G20, with 85% of the African continent's total coal capacity. While it has a significant pipeline of wind and solar, the government's draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) from early 2024 was criticized for envisaging continued coal use and limited renewables growth.
• Ethiopia's power system is nearly 100% non-fossil, with hydropower supplying over 90% of total generation. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) was 95% complete as of March 2024, and the country is pursuing 550 MW of new geothermal capacity.
• Iran and the UAE both maintain high dependencies on oil and gas for power. Iran has 21.8 GW of oil and gas plants under development, with 73% in the construction phase. The UAE has transitioned from nearly zero to a 25% non-fossil share of capacity in just over five years, driven by the Barakah nuclear power plant and large solar installations.

APA

Norman, J., Clark, G., Babajeva, J., Sidorovskaya-Fretz, N., Yu, A., Han, Y., & Zhang, M. (2024). Energy in the BRICS. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-BRICS-Oct2024_11.pdf

Chicago

Norman, James, Gregor Clark, Jelena Babajeva, Natalia Sidorovskaya-Fretz, Aiqun Yu, Yujia Han, and Mengqi Zhang. Energy in the BRICS. Global Energy Monitor, 2024. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-BRICS-Oct2024_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{norman2024energy, author = {Norman, James and Clark, Gregor and Babajeva, Jelena and Sidorovskaya-Fretz, Natalia and Yu, Aiqun and Han, Yujia and Zhang, Mengqi}, title = {{Energy in the BRICS}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-BRICS-Oct2024_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }