BRICS Now Home To 3 Of World's Top 5 Solar Nations: EMBER

Renewable energy drove record clean electricity growth in 2024, with solar and wind accounting for most of the gains, think tank Ember said in its latest Global Electricity Review.

Renewable power sources added adding 858 TWh in 2024, 49% more than the previous high in 2022, as per the report.  The study showed, "Solar was the largest contributor for the third year running, adding 474 TWh to reach a share of 6.9%. It was the fastest-growing power source (+29%) for the 20th year in a row. Solar electricity has doubled in just three years, providing more than 2,000 TWh of electricity in 2024. Wind generation also grew to 8.1% of global electricity, while hydro’s share remained steady at 14% – the single largest renewable source."

Global Renewable energy Growth

China & India See Smaller-Than-Average Rise In Fossil Generation

The EMBER reports a smaller-than-average increase in fossil generation in China and India, while the US rebounds from a fall in 2023. The world’s three largest power consumers – China, India, and the US – saw an increase in fossil generation in 2024, while the world’s fourth largest, the EU, saw a decline.

The study shows, "As this growth continues to spread, new solar superpowers are emerging. In 2022, India overtook Japan to become the third-largest solar generator in the world. In 2024, Brazil overtook Germany to become the fifth-largest. Alongside China, this means that BRICS members now represent three of the world’s top five solar-generating countries." 

The report evaluates growth in China and India and finds that "These countries are breaking the long-standing link between electricity demand growth and fossil fuel expansion in the power sector. In 2024, China’s clean electricity additions met 81% of demand growth, driven by record installations of wind and solar capacity. India’s solar capacity additions in 2024 doubled compared to 2023. The two largest emerging economies are on a path of clean electricity expansion that is set to reverse their power sector fossil growth trends, tipping the global balance on fossil generation."

Rapid Renewable Energy Growth in India

The study showed a rapid solar growth is helping the world meet growing electricity demand and avoiding the use of more expensive fossil fuels. The report mentioned, "Global solar generation is now large enough to power all of India. Without the 2,131 TWh that solar power provides, global fossil generation would be 12% higher than it is today. In 2024, generation from solar avoided an estimated 1,658 million tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2) of emissions - equivalent to the United States’ power sector emissions."

Solar Energy Growth Rise

The EMBER report indicated a trend that showed no signs of slowing, with solar generation in China growing by 250 TWh in 2024, compared to the 142 TWh increase seen in OECD countries. Solar capacity installations in China were 30% higher than in 2023, while in India, in 2024 installations doubled from the previous year. 

The report also found, "There are currently 143 GW of wind and solar capacity under construction in India, consisting of 82 GW of solar, 25 GW of wind and 36 GW of hybrid capacity (wind and solar), according to government reporting. These projects all have an expected completion date before the end of 2028." 

Asia’s Electricity Demand Grew Fourfold

The study showed that among the top ten electricity consumers, the difference in per capita consumption remained vast. It explained that Canada had the highest per capita demand for electricity at 15.5 megawatt hours (MWh). This was more than 10 times higher than India, which places last among this group at 1.4 MW

Asia’s electricity demand has grown fourfold since the turn of the century from 4,199 TWh in 2000 to 16,153 TWh in 2024 (+285%), driven by demand increases in China, and increasingly India, Indonesia, Viet Nam and other fast-growing economies. This trend was not replicated elsewhere. Demand outside Asia grew by just 3,624 TWh (+33%) over the same period, from 11,079 TWh to 14,703 TWh.

electricity demand growth

Ember Key Findings

“Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition,” said Phil MacDonald, Ember’s managing director. “Paired with battery storage, solar is set to be an unstoppable force. As the fastest-growing and largest source of new electricity, it is critical in meeting the world’s ever-increasing demand for electricity.”

“Amid the noise, it’s essential to focus on the real signal,” continued MacDonald. “Hotter weather drove the fossil generation increase in 2024, but we’re very unlikely to see a similar jump in 2025.”

Aside from weather effects, the increasing use of electricity for AI, data centers, electric vehicles and heat pumps is already contributing to global demand growth. Combined, growing use of these technologies accounted for a 0.7% increase in global electricity demand in 2024, double what they contributed five years ago.