Renewables set to claim record share of energy mix in 2021
Wind and solar PV power will continue to grow in 2021 after increasing market share last year—but coal may be set for mini-revival
Global renewable energy generation is set to grow by 6pc during 2021, with a record level of new capacity boosted by delayed projects becoming operational, according to the IEA in its Electricity Market Report. This growth follows a 7pc rise in global renewable power generation from various sources including hydropower, wind and solar PV in 2020. Renewables account for 28pc of global electricity production—up c.2pc on 2019 and forecast to rise to 29pc during 2021. Wind and solar PV generation grew by more than 10pc and 20pc respectively during 2020 and are together responsible for more than 9pc of electricity supply. The IEA expects wind to grow by 11pc and solar PV by 17pc during 2021. Hydr

Also in this section
22 July 2025
Sinopec hosts launch of global sharing platform as Beijing looks to draw on international investors and expertise
22 July 2025
Africa’s most populous nation puts cap-and-trade and voluntary markets at the centre of its emerging strategy to achieve net zero by 2060
17 July 2025
Oil and gas companies will face penalties if they fail to reach the EU’s binding CO₂ injection targets for 2030, but they could also risk building underused and unprofitable CCS infrastructure
9 July 2025
Latin American country plans a cap-and-trade system and supports the scale-up of CCS as it prepares to host COP30