The growth of renewable generation is helping to feed the ever-increasing global demand for power using the renewable sources that are expected to comprise two-thirds of new generation by 2040, according to one scenario in the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook, released in November.
Solar, wind and other renewable sources have become the lowest-cost alternative for most countries, supplanting coal plants. Coal has added 900 GW of new electric capacity since 2000, but coal is expected to supply only 400 GW through 2040, as even India and China turn toward renewable sources.