Clean Energy Revolution in Full Swing
Renewables Surge Ahead as Costs Plummet and Global Capacity Hits Record Highs, Marking a Turning Point in the Fight Against Climate Change
Renewables Now Cheaper:
A report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) found that 91% of large renewable energy projects commissioned last year were more cost-effective than fossil fuel alternatives.
Massive Cost Drops:
- Solar PV: 41% cheaper than the cheapest fossil fuels.
- Onshore wind: 53% cheaper.
- Battery storage: Prices down 93% since 2010.
Record Growth in 2024:
- 582 GW of renewable capacity added — 20% more than 2023.
- Highest annual expansion since records began.
- Almost all new global power capacity came from renewables.
Global Momentum:
- Every continent added more renewables than fossil fuels.
- India hit its 50% non-fossil electricity capacity target five years early.
- UN: Solar and wind are now the cheapest and fastest options for new energy.
Climate Goals in Sight:
- COP28 (2023) set a target to triple renewable capacity by 2030 to keep warming under 1.5°C.
- The UN report “Seizing the Moment of Opportunity” emphasized that nearly three-quarters of global electricity growth came from green sources.
UN Message:
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General: “Fossil fuels are running out of road… this shows how far we’ve come since the Paris Agreement sparked a clean energy revolution.”
The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy
