Renewables added 66GW to global grid in 2022

Solar energy contributed the most to the global power grid compared to other forms of clean energy, according to a report

Renewables and clean energy projects added nearly 66GW to the global power grid in 2022.

That’s according to a new report by the trade association Energy Industries Council (EIC), which suggests a total of 335 renewable and clean energy projects were delivered last year.

These included 128 onshore wind, six offshore wind, 159 solar, ten energy from waste, 17 biomass, and 15 hydroelectricity projects.

Solar energy led the way compared to other clean energy sources, adding 25.7GW.

The report, which covers a range of energy projects worldwide, excluding China and Russia, shows that solar was followed by offshore and onshore wind projects, which produced 3.7GW and 22GW respectively.

France, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US are the countries leading the way in clean power projects commissioned in 2022, the EIC suggests.

Neil Golding, EIC’s Head of Market Intelligence, said: “Although there is a promising pipeline of clean energy projects, as shown by EIC’s proprietary data, the global supply chain may not have the capacity or capabilities needed to deliver on these projects and achieve our climate targets.

“If we look at the offshore floating wind sector, we can see what having ambitious targets means in practice. Our data shows that there are plans to generate 140MW of power by 2035, but achieving these goals will require significant changes in the supply chain, including building sufficient capacity to produce turbines and export cables, as well as streamlining project execution for faster delivery. Other sectors need, of course, to make similar changes relevant to their industries.”

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