A new survey highlights shifting priorities in the energy sector with an increasing impetus towards a lower carbon future. Disruptive technologies including renewable energies and energy efficiency are impacting top action priorities for energy leaders globally in 2017.
Renewables ranked high in impact within every region identified in a survey of more than 1,200 energy leaders in 95 countries. Solar has seen immense growth in installed capacity reaching 227GW by the end of 2015, while global wind power generation capacity increased at a rate of 17.2% in 2015.
The UK’s commitment to decarbonisation, aided by one of the best wind resource and tidal potential in Europe, has led to a substantial growth in renewable energy. In 2015 the UK’s GHG emissions fell below 500 million tonnes for the first time as renewables hit a record 25% of electricity generation due to increased renewable capacity.
In its eighth year, World Energy Issues Monitor 2017: ‘Exposing the New Energy Realities’ published by the World Energy Council, provides a snapshot of the current priorities, facing global energy leaders.