Renewables 2020 Global Status Report

We are pleased to announce that the Renewables 2020 Global Status Report is available now!

The report, released today, shows that growth in renewable power has been impressive over the past five years.  But, too little is happening in the heating, cooling and transport sectors.

Overall, global energy consumption keeps increasing, eating up the progress made in renewable generation. The journey towards a climate crisis continues, unless we make an immediate switch to renewable energy – in all sectors.

To make the switch, policy change is needed. GSR2020 shows that today’s progress is largely the result of policies and regulations initiated years ago, which focus on the power sector. Major barriers seen in heating, cooling and transport have remained in place for almost a decade.

For progress to be made, policies must create the right market conditions in heating, cooling and transport. Plus, policymaking must be collaborative, with decisions spanning and connecting the different sectors.

GSR2020 provides a comprehensive overview of global developments in renewable energy markets, investments and policies in 2019. This year’s report includes a feature chapter on citizen support for renewable energy projects. 2019 highlighted the important role of community action in the push for renewables, as supporters call for change at both the local and global level.

Renewables 2020 Global Status Report Highlights

• There was only a moderate increase in the overall share of renewables in total final energy consumption (TFEC). As of 2018, modern renewable energy accounted for an estimated 11% of TFEC. This is only a slight increase from 9.6% in 2013.
• In 2019, the private sector signed power purchase agreements (PPAs) for a record growth of over 43% from 2018 to 2019 in new renewable power capacity.
• Despite significant progress in the power sector, the share of renewables in heating, cooling and transport continued to lag far behind due to insufficient policy support and slow developments in new technologies.
• Although CO2 emissions remained stable in 2019, the world is not on track to limit global warming to below 1.5 °C as stipulated in the Paris Agreement.
• Climate change policies that directly or indirectly stimulate interest in renewables increased in 2019, spreading to new regions and reaching new levels of ambition.
• Among the general public, support for renewable energy continued to advance alongside rising awareness of the multiple benefits of renewables, including reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. By year’s end 1,480 jurisdictions – spanning 28 countries and covering 820 million citizens – had issued “climate emergency” declarations.

Download the Key Findings

Launch Events

Participate on our livestream broadcast on 18 June. REN21 Executive Director, Rana Adib, will present the key findings of the GSR2020, followed by a Q&A. Watch live on Youtube or Facebook.

Join us for a webinar with the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) on 6 July – The Global Status of Renewables – REN21’s 2020 Report. REN21 Project Manager and Analyst, Duncan Gibb, will give an overview of the developments during 2019. He will explain the leading role of solar energy in renewable energy uptake.