For the first time in history, solar energy and wind energy accounted for a greater share of new energy added to the energy mix than fossil fuels.
Good news for the planet. This Thursday, June 20, the site specializing in energy Carbon Brief deciphered data from the Statistical Review of World Energy to reveal that solar and wind energy together produced the vast majority of new energies brought into the global mix. Between 2022 and 2023, global energy production increased by 2%. And of this 2% increase, the share of wind and solar energy weighed 40%, compared to 39% for oil and 20% for coal, while nuclear power only represents 4%.
Although this is the first time that renewables have overtaken oil in new energy, the fact remains that they represent only a small part of the global mix; namely 8%. This share is much lower than oil (31%), coal (26%) and gas (23%). This development is mainly due to the considerable development of solar energy in China. “A forecast that we have always missed is the deployment of solar power” comments Nicolas Goldberg, energy expert for Colombus Consulting.
Although the tipping point between 2022 and 2023 is positive, specialist Nicolas Goldberg is still worried about the persistence of investments in fossil fuels, the reasons for which are disconnected from the climate emergency and short-termist: “secure supplies” or “keep prices low for consumers and industries”. The Paris Agreement having set the objective of an increase in global temperature below 2°C, “we won’t make it” if investments in fossil fuels continue, says Nicolas Goldberg.
