Renewable energy's record year helps uncouple growth of global economy and CO2 emissions [View all]

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http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/tca-rer061515.php

[font face=Serif]Public Release: 17-Jun-2015
[font size=5]Renewable energy's record year helps uncouple growth of global economy and CO2 emissions[/font]
[font size=4]Record installations for wind and solar PV in 2014; renewable energy targets created in 20 more countries, new total: 164[/font]

REN21

[font size=3]Renewable energy targets and other support policies now in place in 164 countries powered the growth of solar, wind and other green technologies to record-breaking energy generation capacity in 2014.

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With 135 gigawatts added, total installed renewable energy power capacity worldwide, including large hydroelectric plants, stood at 1712 gigawatts, up 8.5% from the year before and double the 800 gigawatts of capacity reported in the first REN21 report in 2005.

In 2014, renewables made up an estimated 59% of net additions to global power capacity and represented far higher shares of capacity added in several countries around the world. By year's end, renewables comprised an estimated 27.7% of the world's power generating capacity. This was enough to supply an estimated 22.8% of global electricity demand.

The quantity of electricity available from renewables worldwide is now greater than that produced by all coal-burning plants in the USA (in 2013 coal supplied ~38% of US electricity, down from ~50% in the early 2000s).

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