Global RE installations rose 6% to almost 295GW in 2021: report

China accounted for almost half of the installations.

Renewable energy installations globally rose 6% in 2021, reaching almost 295 gigawatts, with China accounting for the largest share in capacity deployment at 46%, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

In its Renewable Energy Market Update 2022, the IEA said the record increase was posted “despite the persistent pandemic-induced supply chain challenges, construction delays, and record-level raw material and commodity prices.”

A 17% decline was seen in the annual wind capacity additions in 2021 but it was offset by the rise in the installations in the solar PV and hydropower sectors.

The growth of bioenergy and concentrated solar power, as well as geothermal, was stable in 2021 compared to the previous year, the IEA said.

Despite maintaining the largest share in renewable capacity deployment, IEA said new Chinese capacity dipped by 2% year-on-year (YoY) as onshore wind and utility-scale solar PV installations declined 55% and 22% YoY, respectively, as developers rushed to complete their projects before the expiration deadline for subsidy.

On the other hand, its new offshore wind installations rose almost six-fold during the year.

China is followed by the European Union in terms of increased capacity.

Growth of renewable energy in India, meanwhile, recovered and more than doubled in 2021 following a slowdown in 2020 as the pandemic caused delays to the projects.