Solar: Number 1 in global energy investments

20 MW Gemasolar solar tower plant (Fuentes de Andalucía, Sevilla, Spain). It can support 27,500 households Cristina Quicler / European Union, 2012 / EC - Audiovisual Service

In 2017, solar dominated global investment in power generation like never before. The record 98 gigawatts of additional solar capacity has been achieved globally, far more than the net additions of any other technology - renewable, fossil fuels or nuclear.

With $ 160.8 billion in total, up 18%, solar energy has also attracted more investment than any other technology. It accounted for 57% of last year's renewable energy investments, which came to $ 279.8 billion, excluding large hydroelectric power plants, thus outpacing investments in new power generation capacity by about $ 103 billion. from coal and gas. One of the main drivers of solar energy growth was China, where 53 gigawatts were added - more than half of the global total - and $ 86.5 billion invested, up 58 percent.

The report " Global Trends in Investments in Renewable Energy 2018 " published by UN Environment, the Frankfurt School - UNEP Climate Cooperation Center and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) [1], notes that lower costs of solar and, to some extent, wind power continue to support the deployment of renewable energy. Last year for the eighth consecutive year, global investments in renewable energy exceeded $ 200 billion . Since 2004, the world has invested $ 1.9 trillion in these clean energy sources.

" The extraordinary growth in solar investments shows how the global energy map is changing and, more importantly, what are the economic benefits of such a change, " said Erik Solheim, executive director of UN Environment. " Renewable energy investments drive the economy, they create new jobs, better jobs and higher wages Clean energy is also synonymous with less pollution, leading to healthier and happier development . "

Overall, China was by far the world's largest investor in renewable energy in 2017 , with a record $ 126.6 billion, up 31% from 2016. Investment also rose sharply in Australia (from 147% to $ 8.5 billion), Mexico (from 810% to $ 6 billion) and Sweden (from 127% to $ 3.7 billion).

A record 157 gigawatts of renewable energy was funded last year, above 143 gigawatts in 2016, and far exceeding the net 70 gigawatts (after adjustment for the closure of some plants) of generating capacity from fossil fuels added over the same period.

" The world has added more solar power capacity than combined coal, gas and nuclear power plants ," said Nils Stieglitz, president of the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. " This shows the direction in which we are moving even though, since renewable energies are still far from providing the majority of electricity, we still have a long way to go. "

Some major markets, however, saw their investments in renewable energy fall in 2017 . In the United States, investment declined by 6% to $ 40.5 billion. In Europe, there was a drop of 36% to $ 40.9 billion, with sharp declines in the United Kingdom (from 65% to $ 7.6 billion) and in Germany (from 35% to 10%). , $ 4 billion). Investment in Japan fell 28% to $ 13.4 billion. Angus McCrone, Editor-in-Chief of Bloomberg New Energy Finance and lead author of the report, said: " In countries where investments have fallen, this has generally reflected a mix of support changes in public policies, timing of funding for large projects like offshore wind, and lower investment per megawatt. "

Global investments in renewable energies amounting to $ 2.7 trillion from 2007 to 2017 (11 years) increased the share of wind, solar, biomass and waste, geothermal, marine energy and small hydropower plants from 5.2% to 12.1%. The current level of electricity generated by renewable energy has avoided the emission of 1.8 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide, which is roughly equivalent to the emissions generated by the entire transportation sector in the United States .

This article appeared first on https://www.notre-planete.info/actualites/564-energies-renouvelables-solaire-investissements
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