The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21 Century’s (REN21) recently released the 2014 edition of its Renewables Global Status Report. The report notes that one-third (32%) of new renewable power capacity installed in 2013 came via solar PV. What that means is that, for the first year ever, more solar PV capacity was installed worldwide than wind capacity.
Something else worth noting with regard to that growth was that it was in spite of the fact that investment into PV actually declined by nearly 22% — as compared year-on-year to 2012.
More than 39 MW of installed solar PV capacity was added last year, bringing the total up to 139 GW worldwide. This means that nearly half of the planet’s installed solar PV capacity was completed in just the last two years — and about 98% since the the year 2004.
Nearly one-fifth of the world’s energy consumption in 2014 was met via renewable energy — which was possible thanks to an 8% increase in capacity.
Some other specifics based our previous coverage:
• China, the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Germany remained the top countries for total installed renewable power capacity. China’s new renewable power capacity surpassed new fossil fuel and nuclear capacity for the first time.
• Global new investment in renewable power and fuels was at least USD 249.4 billion in 2013 down from its record level in 2011.
• More than 35 GW of wind power capacity was added in 2013, totalling just more than 318 GW. However, despite several record years, the market was down nearly 10 GW compared to 2012, reflecting primarily a steep drop in the U.S. market. Offshore wind had a record year, with 1.6 GW added, almost all of it in the EU.
Not a bad year! 🙂
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