G20 countries leading the way in renewables progress

The world’s top 20 biggest economies are seeing a growing proportion of renewables in their power generation mix.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance research group have compiled data showing the share of electricity that the world’s 20 major economies are generating from solar and wind power has jumped by more than 70 per cent in the space of five years.

According to BNEF, G20 countries collectively produced 8 per cent of their electricity from solar farms, wind parks and other green power stations in 2015, up from 4.6 per cent in 2010.

Seven G20 members now generate more than 10 per cent of their electricity from these sources, compared with three in 2010.

Germany leads this particular group with renewables accounting for 36 per cent of its electricity mix.The UK, Italy and France all generated more than 19 per cent of their electricity from renewables while Australia and Brazil reached 11 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. For the 28 members of the EU, the number was 18 per cent.

The figures do not include hydropower, one of the oldest sources of renewable electricity.

The UK example is particularly striking with 24 per cent of its electricity generated from renewables last year compared with just 6 per cent in 2010.

China is the world’s largest clean energy market, accounting for nearly a third of the $329bn invested in clean energy globally last year as the government continued to boost its renewables industry.

By PEI