Half of World economies have passed peak fossil-fuel power generation

• 6 months ago (2023-10-20)
• David Flin

Coal 274 Emissions 57 Gas 371

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Research by the energy think tank Ember indicates that around half of the world’s economies have already passed their peak in power generation from fossil fuels.

Ember assumed that if a country’s fossil fuel power generation remains unchanged or falls for at least five years after its initial peak, then it was considered to have passed its peak. According to Ember’s research, emissions from 107 countries representing 38 per cent of global electricity demand have fallen by 20 per cent or more in the past decade.

The analysis highlights that many countries are already well into a phase of reducing fossil fuel use in their power sectors, often alongside an increase in total power demand. The EU, Oceania, and North America have experienced a significant decrease in fossil fuel generation, with the EU leading the way. Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean have seen a plateauing of fossil fuel power use, while Asia and the Middle East are the only regions that have not yet peaked.

Ember’s analysis indicates that economies that are at least one year past their peak in fossil fuel power account for 50 per cent of global demand.