2024 marked a historic year for renewable energy, with 92.5% of all new global electricity coming from clean sources like solar and wind. A total of 585 billion watts of renewable energy were added, a 15% increase from 2023. This surge has fueled optimism, with the UN’s Climate Chief, Simon Stiell, calling the global renewables boom "unstoppable."

However, while this progress is encouraging, the world is still falling short of its renewable energy goals. The UN aims to triple renewable capacity by 2030, but we're currently on track to miss that target by 28%. Yet, there’s hope; the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) believes this gap can be reduced.

To accelerate the transition, Stiell has urged Europe to increase its investment in clean energy. Although the EU added less renewable energy than China last year, it still surpassed the U.S. in growth. With the U.S. pulling back on some green energy initiatives, Europe has an opportunity to lead the way and drive its economy with renewable energy. Last year, 1.9 trillion euros were raised for green energy, much of which could flow toward European projects.

The renewable energy market continues to grow, proving the world is committed to fighting climate change. As experts suggest, with stronger climate policies, growth could happen even faster.

Photo: Kenueone via Wikimedia Commons