Renewable Energy Supplied Almost a Quarter of Global Power in 2015

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.achrnews.com/articles/132846-renewable-energy-supplied-almost-a-quarter-of-global-power-in-2015

[font face=Serif][font size=5]Renewable Energy Supplied Almost a Quarter of Global Power in 2015[/font]

[font size=4]Wind and solar PV had record additions for the second consecutive year[/font]

July 4, 2016

[font size=3] PARIS — Renewable energy accounted for nearly 25 percent of global electrical capacity in 2015, according to a new study, Renewables 2016 Global Status Report, by REN21.

The power sector experienced its largest annual increase in capacity ever, with significant growth in all regions. Wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) had record additions for the second consecutive year, accounting for about 77 percent of new installations, and hydropower represented most of the remainder. The world now adds more renewable power capacity annually than it adds (net) capacity from all fossil fuels combined. By the end of 2015, renewable capacity in place was enough to supply an estimated 23.7 percent of global electricity, with hydropower providing about 16.6 percent.

Modern renewable energy supplies approximately 8 percent of final energy for heating and cooling services worldwide in buildings and industry, the vast majority of which is provided by biomass, with smaller contributions from solar thermal and geothermal energy.

Global investment also climbed to a new record level, in spite of the plunge in fossil fuel prices, the strength of the U.S. dollar (which reduced the dollar value of non-dollar investments), the continued weakness of the European economy, and further declines in per unit costs of wind and solar PV. For the sixth consecutive year, renewables outpaced fossil fuels for net investment in power capacity additions.

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[kristopher]

1. Compared to 2.5% of final energy consumption fm nuclear

[caraher]

2. Not a fair comparison

The article cited in the OP comes with a misleading headline conflating "power" and "electricity." Of that renewable contribution to electricity, 2/3 was from hydro. Electricity from nuclear worldwide was 11% of the total in 2014 and surely not very different in 2015. Hydro was 17% of all electricity, all other renewables 7%, for 2014.

Of course, there's been a lot of growth in renewables, particularly wind, while nuclear has been at best stagnant. But you don't need to compare apples to oranges to make that point!

[kristopher]

3. You're right. Let's simplify to 'final energy consumed':

The fossil-centric record keeping organizations (IEA, EIA etc) have long been burying within their data good indicators on progress being made by renewables; with most of the confusion traceable to the way they include the expelled heat from burning fossil fuels. It's one of the reasons they created IRENA.
40 years ago it made sense to have primary energy content front and center, but, since the future holds a vastly diminished role for combustion of all stripes it's easier to see our status toward the decarbonization goal by looking directly at that end user requirement.

[caraher]

4. Works for me!

The fact that most renewables do not involve "heat engine" inefficiency does indeed tend to mask their true contribution, when stats are oriented toward primary energy.