World needs to triple sustainable energy – Arab Press

The International Sustainable Energy Authority (ARENA) has published a report on the current potential of sustainable energy sources, which gives a comprehensive picture of the extent of development of these energy sources and the challenges they face up to the first quarter of this century, as well as the extent of development of sustainable energy sources. The challenges they face in the next quarter of a century and in 2050, assume the responsibility of providing energy for the world in the … zero-emission era (2050).

The Sustainable Energy Annual Statistics Report 2024 states that these energy sources provided about 29.1% of the world’s electricity supply in 2022, equivalent to about 8,440 terawatt-hours. 70.9% of the electricity in the power industry, or about 20,591 terawatt-hours, came from fossil fuels, nuclear energy and some other sustainable energy sources.

The main reason for the rise in the importance of sustainable energy in electricity generation since 2010 is the rapid growth of solar and wind energy, which will reach 11.7% of electricity supply by 2022, an annual growth rate of 11.7% globally by 2022, or an increase of 18.2% from 2021.

The available information shows that the role and importance of sustainable energy sources vary widely. While hydroelectric power generation is growing in the sustainable energy basket, we also find that the role of solar and wind energy in electricity generation has increased from 1.1% in 2000 to 40.2% in 2022.

The study concluded that the Asian continent ranks first in terms of electricity generation using geographically sustainable energy sources, with 3,749 TWh generated in 2022, an increase of about 9.3% over the previous year, thanks to the role of solar and hydro energy, which compensated for the decline in the role of wind and organic energy.

The North American continent ranks second with 1,493 TWh of electricity generated, i.e. an increase of about 8.6% in all types of sustainable energy, despite a decrease in the role of organic energy. Europe will generate 1,462 TWh in 2022, a small decrease of about 0.6% compared to 2021. As for the South American continent, electricity generation in 2022 will be 940 TWh, an increase of 11.9% compared to 2021. By 2021, the role of hydropower will be restored and the role of solar energy will be greater.

Africa produced 205 TWh of electricity from all sources (fossil and sustainable), 3.5% more than in 2021. Finally, the Middle East produced 47 TWh, 16.9% more than in 2021, thanks to the use of new wind power and the construction of new solar projects.

From a geographical perspective, Latin America uses the most sustainable energy, with 75% of electricity in Latin American countries coming from sustainable energy, especially hydropower, which accounts for three-quarters of the continent’s sustainable energy. Europe ranks second, with 40.5% of its electricity coming from a variety of sustainable energy sources. Among them, wind energy accounts for 35.7%, hydropower accounts for 33.3%, solar energy accounts for 16.1%, organic energy accounts for 14%, and geothermal energy accounts for 0.8%.

The agency’s recently released Annual Statistical Report to 2024 concludes that “while sustainable energy has already grown to become the fastest-growing source of electricity generation, the world will lose the opportunity to triple its electricity generation capacity at the same time” as it seeks to achieve the growth in sustainable energy, as set out in the (CUP 28) target. To move on the right path and at the necessary speed, the world must increase its sustainable energy potential by at least 16.4% per year until 2030.

The above conclusions show the observer that these proposals are very ambitious and that tripling the potential of sustainable energy in a few years is a major challenge and difficult to achieve given the growth experience of the past few years. The reason for this, as statistics from recent years show, is that the growth of sustainable energy sources is not at the same rate, nor is it that all energy sources reach the ideal rate, but only some of them. What has happened is the rapid growth of the two energy sources that are easiest and fastest to build (solar and wind), and even wind energy is facing great difficulties, especially the offshore wind industry.

The challenges are exacerbated by military wars in Europe and the Middle East, which consume billions of dollars every year for the military sector. There are also trade wars between the major countries that invented modern industry suitable for the era of zero emissions, such as the current increase in tariffs between Europe and the United States on Chinese electric vehicles, in addition to hindering the scientific exchange of some of the most important sustainable energy technologies between the major powers, which hinders the growth of the industry. Not to mention the victory of European far-right parties that oppose the implementation of environmental measures – as can be seen in their support for the recent European farmers’ strike, because environmental laws have a negative impact on the possibility of European farmers to compete. Latin American agricultural products invade European markets.

Walid Kaduri
Economic expert from Iraq
London Middle East