Despite the rapid growth in the renewables
field, the traditional sources of coal and natural gas (and to a lesser extent,
nuclear energy) remain the primary sources of electric generation in most of
the world.
This is changing, but it will
take years of development and vast investment before renewable generation of
electricity dominates over fossil fuels and nuclear.
In late 2021, the International Energy Agency
(IEA) stated that, through 2026, renewables would account for nearly 95% of the
increase in global electricity production capacity—mostly in the form of
solar.
The IEA further stated that, by
2026, global renewable electricity capacity will rise more than 60% from 2020
levels, to over 4,800 gigawatts (GW)—equivalent to 2021's total worldwide
capacity of nuclear and fossil fuel-powered electric plants combined.
(However, it is important to note that the
IEA is talking about capacity, not output.
Nuclear and fossil fuel electric plants are generally available to
generate electricity 24/7, while renewable capacity is not always producing.
For example, solar plants cannot gather
sunlight 24 hours per day.)
Meanwhile, some of the world's leading oil and
gas companies, including Royal Dutch Shell, are increasing their investments in
renewable energy sources and technologies.
U.S.
electric production from all renewable sources was 18.0% of total
electric power in 2019, up from only about 7.6% in 1970.
In this case, “renewable” includes
conventional hydroelectric and geothermal, along with solar, wind and
biomass.
(In 1970, such production was
almost entirely
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