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Renewable Energy Surge: Progress and Challenges
Global renewable energy capacity is rapidly expanding, particularly in China, but challenges remain in grid infrastructure and energy efficiency improvements.
Dutch
Netherlands
TechnologyClimate ChangeNetherlandsEnergy SecuritySustainabilityRenewable EnergyEnergy
International Energy Agency (Iea)Universiteit UtrechtPlanbureau Voor De Leefomgeving (Pbl)Tata SteelNos
Rob RamakerDetlef Van Vuuren
- What investments are needed to support the expansion of renewable energy capacity?
- The IEA projects a need for 25 million kilometers of additional or upgraded power grids by 2030 to accommodate the growth in renewable energy. This includes investments in energy storage solutions like batteries to manage the intermittency of solar and wind power.
- What is the main challenge in harnessing the increased renewable energy generation?
- While renewable energy generation is increasing rapidly, the challenge now lies in integrating this energy into existing power grids. Many countries face issues with grid congestion, requiring significant investment in grid infrastructure to handle the influx of renewable energy.
- What is the current progress towards tripling the world's renewable energy capacity by 2030?
- The world is on track to triple its renewable energy capacity by 2030, primarily driven by solar and wind power. This progress is largely due to decreasing costs, particularly for solar panels, and rapid development in countries like China.
- Besides renewable energy expansion, which area of climate action is currently lagging behind?
- Despite progress in renewable energy, energy saving efforts are lagging behind targets. The world is currently only improving energy efficiency by 2 percent annually, falling short of the goal to double that rate by 2030. This shortfall could hinder the achievement of overall climate goals.
- Which country is leading the global expansion of renewable energy, and what is its contribution?
- China is leading the expansion of renewable energy, installing more solar panels in the first nine months of 2024 than currently exist in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain combined. This rapid growth highlights the global shift toward cleaner energy sources.