Things to sit up for: In 2022, the European continent is going through one of many worst vitality crises ever. An actual turning level, which in any case provides an actual boon for the adoption of renewable vitality options.
The adoption of wind and photo voltaic vitality within the EU has elevated considerably over the previous yr. The European Union has managed to beat the vitality disaster sparked by Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, based on a brand new report from UK-based vitality assume tank Ember, which makes use of “data-driven insights” to drive a shift from coal to wash electrical energy. .
The Ember report states that by 2022, wind and solar energy crops will account for 22% of Europe’s complete electrical energy payments. For the primary time within the historical past of the Old Continent, renewable vitality was in a position to overtake pure fuel, one of many primary causes for the unprecedented row between Europe and Russia.
After Ukraine’s invasion, the European Union and different Western powers tried to place intense financial strain on the Kremlin by imposing more and more robust sanctions on Russia. The Moscow authorities responded by slicing off fuel provides to their primary clients, particularly Europe, which in flip triggered a big acceleration of the vitality transition in the direction of renewable vitality.
According to the Ember report, solar energy technology will enhance by a report 39 TWh (or +24%) by 2022, with photo voltaic panel installations rising by 47% to 41 GW. Ember stated 20 EU international locations achieved the “highest ever share of photo voltaic technology”, with the Netherlands a pacesetter within the photo voltaic transition.
Fears that coal consumption would get better extra broadly to compensate for Russian fuel shortfalls proved unfounded as coal crops averaged solely +18% utilization within the final quarter of final yr. Of the 26 crops that got here again on-line, 9 had been at zero utilization. All advised, coal energy technology grows by 7% in 2022.
Dave Jones, head of knowledge insights at Ember, stated Europe had “prevented its worst vitality disaster”. The shock skilled in 2022 precipitated solely a “slight ripple” within the restart of coal energy and triggered an enormous wave of help for renewable vitality. Jones stated fears of a coal rebound had now “quieted” and plans for Europe’s transition to wash energy technology had been properly underway.
As for nuclear energy crops, by 2022 they may present the identical quantity of electrical energy as wind and photo voltaic – 22%. Today, most of Europe’s nuclear energy comes from France, however Ember doesn’t count on a big enhance in utilization this yr.
