Currently, fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil) rule Asia and coal is the biggest source accounting for 52% in the electricity mix, followed by natural gas and hydropower. No Asian country currently relies on modern renewable energy – solar and wind – or nuclear as the main source of electricity. However, these clean energy sources have doubled over the last decade and are accelerating.
Asia was the major contributor to the all-time high power generation related emissions in 2022 but with its energy transition ambitions will drive the emissions to fall after 2025.
Why?
Because Asia’s demand for electricity is expected to make half of global electricity by 2025! And most or major part of electricity generation will come from clean energy sources.
It means doubling of Asian electricity consumption since 2000 when Asia accounted for a quarter of the world’s electricity demand.
China is the biggest factor – up from 10% of world’s electricity consumption in 2000 to 33% or 1/3rd in 2025.
This is driven by the population growth and rising standard of living (and hence higher consumption per capita).
More than 70% of global electricity demand growth is expected to come from China, India and Southeast Asia.
China will also be the biggest contributor to #renewableenergy as it will account for about half of renewables growth in the next 3 years when clean energy (renewables and nuclear) will meet more than 90% of additional demand. Renewables share (mainly solar, wind and hydropower) in the global electricity mix will rise from current 29% to 35% in next 3 years. More than half of the growth in nuclear energy is expected to be dominated by just 4 countries in Asia: China, India, Japan and Korea. Natural gas and coal based electricity generation is expected to remain flat. These trends will accelerate energy transition and decarbonization helping emissions from power generation to plateau through 2025.
