While the steady increase of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere and the rise of global temperatures can make the state of affairs for the future of our climate seem bleak, there is positive progress being made in regards to how we, as a species, respond to the crisis. A report released recently by the Paris-based International Energy Agency revealed that over three-quarters of newly-installed electrical production in 2015 was made up of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power.
“About half a million solar panels were installed every day around the world last year,” according to the report, titled Medium-Term Renewable Energy Market Report 2016. Out of the 153 gigawatts brought on line last year, 66 GW of that energy was from wind, and 49 GW from solar photo-voltaic: between those two sources alone, they accounted for three-quarters of newly-installed energy sources.
“We are witnessing a transformation of global power markets led by renewables and, as is the case with other fields, the center of gravity for renewable growth is moving to emerging markets,” says Dr. Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA.
The report forecasts that renewables will account for 28 percent of all energy sources by 2022, up from the 23 percent share seen in 2015. The report explains this increase as being the result of falling prices for the generation of electricity from renewables, but also “due mostly to stronger policy backing in the U.S., China, India and Mexico.”
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