Last year's wind and solar power generation hit a record high, fossil fuel ``beginning of the end'' - UK analysis

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

昨年の風力・太陽光発電は過去最多、化石燃料の「終わりの始まり」　英分析

2023.04.13 Thu posted at 10:47 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） 風力・太陽光発電のブームを受け、再生可能エネルギーによる発電量が過去最高の水準に達したことが、英シンクタンク「エンバー」の分析から明らかになった。

１２日に発表された報告書によると、発電目的での石炭や石油、ガスの使用は２０２３年に減少に転じる見通し。世界的な景気後退やパンデミック（感染症の世界的大流行）の期間を除き、化石燃料による発電が減少する年は初めてとなる。

報告書では、化石燃料発電による地球温暖化汚染の水準はすでにピークに達した可能性があると指摘している。

報告書の筆頭著者を務めたマウゴジャータ・ウィアトロス・モティカ氏は声明で、研究結果は世界が「化石燃料の時代の終わりの始まり」に到達したことを示していると説明。「私たちはクリーンパワーの時代に入りつつある」と付け加えた。

エンバーは今回、年次報告書「世界電力レビュー」の第４版のために、世界の電力消費量の９３％を占める７８カ国のデータを分析した。

報告書によると、現在、世界の電気の４割近くは再生可能エネルギーや原子力によって発電されており、過去最高の水準にあるという。

２２年の世界のエネルギー発電量に占める風力や太陽光の割合は１２％と、前年から１０％増大した。

太陽光エネルギーは前年から２４％増え、１８年連続で最も成長ペースが速い電力源となった。風力発電は１７％増えた。

化石燃料は依然として支配的だ。石炭電力が２２年の世界の発電に占める割合は３６％と、電力源としては依然最も大きかった。ただ、エンバーの予測では、発電による地球温暖化汚染の水準は２２年が「ピーク」になる見通しで、化石燃料の発電量が増える年はこれが最後になりそうだ。

Translation

(CNN) A boom in wind and solar power had pushed renewable energy production to record levels, according to an analysis by British think tank Ember.

According to a report released on Thursday, the use of coal, oil and gas for power generation was expected to decline in 2023. It would be the first year, other than during a global recession or pandemic, when fossil fuel power generation declined.

The report noted that levels of global warming pollution from fossil fuel power generation might have already reached the peak.

In a statement, lead author of the report, Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, said the findings showed the world had reached "the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era". She added that "We are entering an era of clean power".

For this fourth edition of its annual report, the Global Electricity Review, Ember analyzed data from 78 countries that accounted for 93% of the world's electricity consumption.

According to the report, nearly 40% of the world's electricity was currently generated by renewable energy and nuclear power, which was the highest level ever.

In 2022, wind and solar power accounted for 12% of the world's energy output, up 10% from the previous year.

Solar energy was the fastest-growing electricity source for the 18th consecutive year, up 24% from the previous year. Wind power increased by 17%.

Fossil fuels still in domination. Coal power accounted for 36% of global power generation in 2022, still the largest source of electricity. But Ember predicted that 2022 could be the last year that fossil-fuel power generation would rise, as the level of global warming pollution from power generation would peak in 2022.

              So, some experts say that the world has reached "the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era"; and that "We are entering an era of clean power". Although I am skeptical about the prediction, this is good news for us.

Note:

1. Ember, formerly Sandbag or Sandbag Climate Campaign, is an environmental non-profit think tank, campaigning to reduce the use of coal. Based in the UK, the organization was launched in 2008 by Bryony Worthington and was the first (and founding) member of The Guardian's Environment Network. (Wikipedia)

2. Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka joined Ember in August 2022 to lead its analysis of the global electricity transition. Maggie was previously with the IEA Clean Coal Centre (now the ICSC), where she was integral to several international projects, including country-sectoral analyses for the CIAB and the USDOS. She has authored various policy-relevant reports on energy. (https://ember-climate.org/about/people/malgorzata-wiatros-motyka/)