Renewable generation: global capacity increased by 9.6% in 2022

Global renewable energy generation reinforces its crucial role amid the energy crisis and now accounts for 83% of new electricity generation projects

The year 2022, marked by a severe energy crisis caused by—among other factors—the war in Ukraine and the resulting rise in energy commodity prices, ended with a significant increase in global renewable energy generation capacity, reaching 3,372 gigawatts of installed capacity. This is according to a report published by theInternational Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which puts the increase in green energy generation capacity at 295 GW (+9.6%) worldwide; a figure that also corresponds to 83% of the total renewable energy capacity added last year.

Global renewable energy generation 2021-2031

This only serves to highlight thatrenewablesThey are dominating most energy generation investment projects, banishing fossil fuels or other polluting generation sources from the equation.

Looking at how this increase is distributed, the country that added the most renewable energy to its energy mix was China, with 144 GW, thus leading the Asian market, which accounted for almost half of the increase recorded last year. Meanwhile, Europe and North America added 57.3 GW and 29.1 GW respectively; while Africa expanded its renewable generation by 2.7 GW, South America by 18.2 GW, and finally, the Middle East by 3.2 GW.

With regard to Spain, it increased its renewable generation capacity, going from 62 GW installed in 2021 to 67.9 GW at the end of 2022.increasing trendThis growth began in 2018 following legal changes in renewable energy generation and their positive reception by the market. As a result, the European country has increased its renewable energy capacity by 20 GW in the last decade, rising from 46.9 GW in 2013 to 67.9 GW in 2022. This makes it the second largest renewable energy market in Europe after Germany (148 GW), ahead of France (65 GW) and Italy (59 GW) – its closest competitors in this ranking. During the same period, the 27 countries of the European Union have added nearly 230 GW, climbing from 337 GW in 2013 to the current 569 GW.

Regarding the most installed renewable technologies, solar photovoltaic energy stands out as the market’s preferred option thanks to a 191 GW increase in 2022. Wind energy comes in second place, with a 9% increase to 75 GW, continuing its deceleration trend. Renewable hydropower ranks third, increasing its share by 2% thanks to an additional 21 GW added during the year, maintaining a steady upward trend. Finally, and far from the major renewable technologies, the report mentions bioenergy, which grew from 7.6 GW in 2021 to 8.1 GW in 2022, and geothermal energy, which increased its renewable generation capacity by 181 MW.