IRENA: Renewables account for almost three quarters of new capacity in 2019

The latest data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), shows global Renewable Energy (RE) capacity growth in 2019 was marginally slower than in 2018. However, new RE power implemented worldwide last year, accounted for 72% of all power expansion. Globally, the RE sector added 176 GW of generating capacity, slightly lower than the 179 GW added in 2018.

IRENA’s data shows RE expansion of 7.6% in 2019 outpacing fossil fuel growth by a factor of 2.6. Solar and wind energy accounted for 90% of total RE capacity added in 2019 with solar and wind adding 98 GW and 60 GW respectively. The overall global RE capacity reached 2,537 GW of which 623 GW was derived from wind, 586 GW from solar and the remaining coming from hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal and marine energy.

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