(Yicai) April 8 -- Over 40 percent of the global electricity was generated by low-carbon energy sources last year, mainly driven by China's substantial contribution to renewable energy expansion, according to a report by think tank Ember.

Clean power, including renewables and nuclear power, exceeded 40 percent of global electricity generation for the first time since the 1940s last year, thanks to record growth in renewables, especially solar, the Ember report showed.

Renewable power sources added record 858 terawatt-hours of generation last year, up 49 percent from the previous record of 577 TWh set in 2022, according to the report. Hydropower remained the largest source of low-carbon electricity at 14 percent, followed by nuclear, wind, and solar power at 9 percent, 8 percent, and 7 percent, respectively.

"Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition," said Phil MacDonald, managing director at Ember. "As the fastest-growing and largest source of new electricity, it is critical in meeting the world's ever-increasing demand for electricity."

Fifty-three percent of last year's increase in solar generation was in China, with the country's clean generation growth meeting 81 percent of its demand increase. For the first time ever, solar power was the largest single source of new electricity in China, up by 250 TWh or 43 percent in 2024 from the previous year.

Hydropower output rose by 182 TWh in the period, with China accounting for 72 percent. The country's hydroelectric generation increased by 130 TWh or 11 percent, as drought conditions improved.

Wind generation also climbed by 182 TWh last year from 2023, with China contributing 58 percent of the new wind capacity.

China's wind and solar generation reached a record share of 18 percent, or 1,826 TWh, last year, surpassing the global average of 15 percent and the US for the first time. However, coal still accounted for 58 percent of China's electricity generation, much higher than the global average of 34 percent.

Growth in clean energy generation, including wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, and bioenergy, met 81 percent of China's increase in electricity demand in 2024, a substantial increase from the average of 52 percent over the previous five years. Clean power would have nearly covered all new demand if not for weather-related factors, according to the report.

"Through consistent policy support, China has dominated both domestic and global production and deployment of clean energies," said Yang Muyi, Ember's senior energy analyst. "China's experience demonstrates that transforming a vision into reality requires patience and perseverance in technology investment, which is essential for achieving a sustainable future."

Looking ahead, Ember expects that clean electricity growth will continue to outpace demand growth in the coming years, gradually reducing reliance on fossil fuel generation.

Editor: Futura Costaglione