World added enough solar power in 2022 to cover SA’s needs

THE increase in global solar energy generation in 2022 could have met South Africa’s annual electricity demand, according to a new report by Ember, which notes that solar is now “the cheapest electricity in history”.

The London-based think tank, however, said that Africa is falling behind in the energy transition, with growth in renewables on the continent having slowed in recent years.

On the other hand, the world may have reached a critical inflection point in the fight against climate change, with Ember saying emissions from the power sector will likely decline from 2023 onwards, despite ever-growing demand for electricity.

The surge in wind and solar generation in 2022 met 80% of global electricity demand growth, and clean power additions will likely exceed electricity demand growth in 2023, Ember said.

According to its analysis, all clean electricity sources – renewables and nuclear – reached 39% of global power production last year, a new record high.

This is despite a decline in nuclear output as the French fleet struggled with outages.

Solar power generation rose by 24% in 2022, making it the fastest-growing electricity source for 18 years in a row, while wind power production grew by 17%.

“The increase in global solar generation in 2022 could have met the annual electricity demand of South Africa, and the rise in wind generation could have powered almost all of the UK,” Ember’s Global Electricity Review 2023 report reads.-

With wind and solar accounting for 25% of its electricity mix, Namibia is Africa’s frontrunner.

Morocco (17%) and Kenya (16%) are next in the rankings, but elsewhere, reliance on solar and wind is mostly far below the global average.

Among G20 countries, SA has had the highest share of coal generation since 2015, followed by India and China.

In the UK, coal accounted for just 1.6% of electricity generation in 2022, down from 23% in 2015.

Ember said investments in clean energy sources “will play a crucial role in meeting rising electricity demand” in developing countries.

“Globally, one in 10 people still do not have access to electricity, mostly across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

“Leapfrogging fossil fuels and moving directly to clean power will provide multiple benefits to health, the economy and climate, while increasing access to affordable energy as recommended by the United Nations in Sustainable Development Goal 7.”

bbc.com