In 2020, coal-fired power generation has dropped by a record 4%. China is the only G20 country. As the global coal industry continues to shrink, coal power generation has increased by a record 4% year-on-year.

In the fall of 2021, global power generation will be approximately 346 MWh (TWh), which is closely related to the increase in wind and solar power generation. In 2020, the total power generation of wind and solar power has increased by 15%, and the supply is close to one-tenth of the world's total. However, research published by the climate think tank Ember shows that although the 315 TWh increase in wind and solar power generation in 2020 is the largest ever in absolute value, the growth rate has slowed down compared with recent years. The report said: "Although wind and solar power generation has been steadily increasing every year, it has not accelerated at the speed needed to achieve climate goals.

Since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the supply of clean energy has not kept up with the growth of global electricity demand. During the five-year period, gas-fired power generation has increased by 11%, and the carbon emissions of the power sector have increased by 2%.

Fossil fuels still supply 61% of the world's electricity, of which 23% comes from natural gas. The report pointed out that decarbonization in Asia will be the key to achieving climate goals. Currently, Asia’s rapidly growing demand exceeds the deployment of clean energy, and approximately 77% of the world’s coal production is located in this region.

China's industry bucks the trend

China remains the main driving force of coal-fired power generation, currently accounting for more than half (53%) of the world's total supply.

In 2020, China is the only Group of 20 (G20) country that announced a 1.7% year-on-year increase in coal use. China responded to a 4% increase in national electricity demand throughout the year. In 2020, China's new coal production capacity will be approximately 39 million kilowatts, easily exceeding 9 million kilowatts of power generation. Chinese leaders have recently promised to achieve emission reduction targets in the next few decades, and finding ways to reduce dependence on coal power will be the key to achieving this goal. More sustainable demand growth will enable China to phase out its large coal fleet, especially the least efficient sub-critical coal units, and provide greater opportunities for China to realize its climate aspirations.

The market share of wind and solar has more than doubled

In the past five years, the share of wind and solar energy in the global energy mix has still more than doubled. By 2020, they will supply 9.4% of the world's electricity and will gradually take away market share from coal-fired energy. . Germany and the United Kingdom are at the forefront of this trend. In 2020, these two renewable energy technologies will account for 33% and 28% of their respective energy mixes. Both countries announced deadlines for the complete elimination of coal from the power system.

Other G20 countries, including India, China, Japan, Brazil, the United States and Turkey, each own about 10% of wind and solar power generation. South Korea, Argentina, and Australia have also seen substantial growth in the past few years. Since 2015, global wind power generation has grown by 92%, solar power by 232%, hydropower by 13%, nuclear power by 5%, and bioenergy by 28%. Editor/Xu Shengpeng