ADVANCING THE GLOBAL

RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION

Highlights of the REN21

Renewables 2017
Global Status Report
in perspective

2017
 RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY NETWORK
FOR THE 21st CENTURY
REN21 is the global renewable energy policy multi-stakeholder network that connects a wide range of key
actors. REN21’s goal is to facilitate knowledge exchange, policy development and joint action towards a rapid
global transition to renewable energy.

REN21 brings together governments, non-governmental organisations, research and academic institutions,
international organisations and industry to learn from one another and build on successes that advance
renewable energy. To assist policy decision making, REN21 provides high-quality information, catalyses
discussion and debate, and supports the development of thematic networks.

REN21 facilitates the collection of comprehensive and timely information on renewable energy. This information
reflects diverse viewpoints from both private and public sector actors, serving to dispel myths about renewable
energy and to catalyse policy change. It does this through six product lines:

Global Status Report:

yearly publication since 2005

Indian
Renewable Energy
Chinese Status Report
REN21 First GSR Renewable Energy
publications: published Status Report Renewables
Interactive Map
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

REN21 Renewables BIREC, WIREC, DIREC,

events: 2004, Bonn Beijing Washington Delhi
International International International
Renewable Energy Renewable Energy Renewable Energy
Conference Conference Conference

2
REN21 PRODUCTS
RENEWABLES GLOBAL STATUS REPORT (GSR)
First released in 2005, REN21's Renewables Global Status Report
(GSR) has grown to become a truly collaborative effort, drawing
on an international network of over 800 authors, contributors and
reviewers. Today it is the most frequently referenced report on
renewable energy market, industry and policy trends.
REGIONAL REPORTS
These reports detail the renewable energy developments of a
particular region; their production also supports regional data
collection processes and informed decision making.
GLOBAL FUTURES REPORTS (GFR)
REN21 produces reports that illustrate the credible possibilities
for the future of renewables within particular thematic areas.
RENEWABLES ACADEMY
The REN21 Renewables Academy provides an opportunity
for lively exchange among the growing community of REN21
contributors. It offers a venue to brainstorm on future-orientated
policy solutions and allows participants to actively contribute on
issues central to a renewable energy transition.

INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCES

RENEWABLES INTERACTIVE MAP
The Renewables Interactive Map is a research tool for tracking
the development of renewable energy worldwide. It complements
the perspectives and findings of REN21’s Global and Regional
Status Reports by providing infographics from the reports as well
as offering detailed, exportable data packs.
(IREC)
The International Renewable Energy Conference (IREC) is a
high-level political conference series. Dedicated exclusively to
the renewable energy sector, the biennial IREC is hosted by a
national government and convened by REN21.

Regional Reports www.ren21.net/map Global Futures REN21 Renewables International Renewable

Reports Academy Energy Conferences

Renewables 100%
Global Futures Report
SADC and UNECE UNECE
Global Futures Report Renewable Energy EAC Renewable Energy
ECOWAS and Energy Efficiency Renewable Status Report
Global Status Report MENA Renewable Energy Status Reports Energy and
on Local Renewable Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy
Energy Policies Status Report Status Report Renewables Interactive Status Report Tenders and Community
Map revamp [em]Power[ment]
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

ADIREC, First REN21 SAIREC, First GSR MEXIREC, Mexico

Abu Dhabi Renewables South Africa Microsite International
International Academy, International Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy Bonn Renewable Energy Conference,
Conference Conference 11-13 September 2017

3
 REN21 MEMBERS
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE)
American Council on Renewable Energy
(ACORE)
Association for Renewable Energy of
Lusophone Countries (ALER)
Chinese Renewable Energy Industries
Association (CREIA)
Clean Energy Council (CEC)
European Renewable Energies
Federation (EREF)
Global Off-Grid Lighting Association
(GOGLA)
Global Solar Council (GSC)
Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)
Indian Renewable Energy Federation
(IREF)
International Geothermal Association
(IGA)
International Hydropower Association
(IHA)
Portuguese Renewable Energy
Association (APREN)
Renewable Energy Solutions for the
Mediterranean (RES4MED)
World Bioenergy Association (WBA)
World Wind Energy Association (WWEA)
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre
(APERC)
ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy
and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE)
European Commission (EC)
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
International Energy Agency (IEA)
International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA)
Regional Center for Renewable Energy
and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE)
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP)
UN Environment (UNEP)
United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO)
World Bank (WB)
NGOS
Climate Action Network (CAN)
Council on Energy, Environment
and Water (CEEW)
Fundación Energías Renovables (FER)
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
(GACC)
Global Forum on Sustainable
Energy (GFSE)
Greenpeace International
ICLEI – Local Governments for
Sustainability, South Asia
Institute for Sustainable Energy
Policies (ISEP)
Mali Folkecenter (MFC)
Partnership for Sustainable Low
Carbon Transport (SLoCaT)
Renewable Energy Institute (REI)
World Council for Renewable
Energy (WCRE)
World Future Council (WFC)
World Resources Institute (WRI)
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

MEMBERS AT LARGE NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS SCIENCE AND ACADEMIA

Michael Eckhart Afghanistan Fundación Bariloche (FB)
Brazil International Institute for Applied
Mohamed El-Ashry
Denmark Systems Analysis (IIASA)
David Hales Germany International Solar Energy Society
India (ISES)
Kirsty Hamilton
Norway National Renewable Energy
Peter Rae South Africa Laboratory (NREL)
Spain South African National Energy
United Arab Emirates Development Institute (SANEDI)
United Kingdom The Energy and Resources
United States of America Institute (TERI)

CHAIR EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

Arthouros Zervos Christine Lins
National Technical University of Athens REN21
(NTUA)

4
 REN21 COMMUNITY

REN21 is a multi-stakeholder network that spans the private

and public sectors. Collectively this network of renewable
energy, energy access and energy efficiency experts shares its R Tracking 155 countries
insight and knowledge, helping the REN21 Secretariat produce
its annual Renewables Global Status Report as well as regional
reports. Today the network has over 800 active contributors and
reviewers.
These experts engage in the GSR process, giving their time,
R Covering 96% of global GDP
contributing data and providing comment in the peer review
process. The result of this collaboration is an annual publication

R Representing 96% of global population

that has established itself as the world’s most frequently
referenced report on the global renewable energy market,
industry and policy landscape
 A GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION IS WELL UNDER WAY
Advancing the Global
Renewable Energy Transition:
Highlights of the REN21 Renewables
T he 2017 edition of the REN21 Renewables Global Status
Report (GSR) reveals a global energy transition well under
way, with record new additions of installed renewable energy
2017 Global Status Report capacity, rapidly falling costs, particularly for solar PV and wind
in Perspective power, and the decoupling of economic growth and energy-
related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the third year running.
Innovative and more sustainable ways of meeting our energy
needs – through better-integrated sectoral planning, the adoption
of exciting new business models and the more creative use of
enabling technologies – are accelerating the paradigm shift away
from a world run on fossil fuels.

6
HIGHLIGHTS 2017
n Newly installed renewable power capacity set new
records in 2016, with 161 gigawatts (GW) added, increasing
the global total by almost 9% relative to 2015. Solar PV was the
star performer in 2016, accounting for around 47% of the total
additions, followed by wind power at 34% and hydropower
at 15.5%. For the fifth consecutive year, investment in new
renewable power capacity (including all hydropower) was roughly
double the investment in fossil fuel generating capacity, reaching
USD 249.8 billion. The world now adds more renewable power
capacity annually than it adds in net new capacity from all fossil
fuels combined.
n Cost for electricity from solar PV and wind is rapidly
falling. Record-breaking tenders for solar PV occurred in
Argentina, Chile, India, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United
Arab Emirates, with bids in some markets below USD 0.03 per
kilowatt-hour (kWh). Parallel developments in the wind power
sector saw record low bids in several countries, including Chile,
India, Mexico and Morocco. Record lows in offshore wind power
tenders in Denmark and the Netherlands brought Europe’s
industry closer to its goal to produce offshore wind power more
cheaply than coal by 2025.
n 2016 was the third year in a row where global energy-
related CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and industry
remained stable despite a 3% growth in the global economy
and an increased demand for energy. This can be attributed
primarily to the decline in coal consumption, but also to the
growth in renewable energy capacity and to improvements in
energy efficiency. The decoupling of economic growth and CO2
emissions is an important first step towards achieving the steep
decline in emissions necessary for holding global temperature
rise well below 2 degrees Celsius (°C).
n The myth that fossil and nuclear power are needed to
provide “baseload” electricity supply when the sun isn’t
shining or the wind isn’t blowing has been shown to be false.
In 2016, Denmark and Germany successfully managed peaks
of 140% and 86.3%, respectively, of electricity generation from
renewable sources, and in several countries (Portugal, Ireland
and Cyprus, for example), achieving annual shares of 20-30%
electricity from variable renewables without additional storage is
becoming feasible. The key lesson for integrating large shares of
variable renewable generation is to ensure maximum flexibility in
the power system.
n There has been an upsurge in cities, states, countries and
major corporations committing to 100% renewable energy
targets because it makes economic and business sense, quite
apart from climate, environment and public health benefits. In
2016, 34 additional businesses joined RE100, a global initiative
of businesses committed to sourcing their operations with 100%
renewable electricity. Throughout 2016, the number of cities across
the globe committed to transitioning to 100% renewable energy –
in total energy use or in the electricity sector – continued to grow,
and some cities and communities already have succeeded in this
goal (for example, in more than 100 communities in Japan). Under
the Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, more than 7,200
communities with a combined population of 225 million people
are committed to reducing emissions 40% by 2030, by increasing
energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment. And it is
not only corporations and sub-national actors that are looking
to go 100% renewable. At the climate conference in Marrakesh,
Morocco in November 2016, the leaders of 48 developing nations
committed to work towards achieving 100% renewable energy
supply in their respective nations.
7
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017
n A paradigm shift is under way in the developing world,
where billions of people still live without access to electricity
(around 1.2 billion) and/or clean cooking facilities (around
2.7 billion). The cumbersome process of providing electricity
access through grid extension alone is becoming obsolete as
new business models and technologies enable the development
of off-grid markets. Markets for both mini-grids and stand-alone
systems are evolving rapidly. Bangladesh, with 4 million units
installed, has the largest solar home system market using mainly
microcredit schemes. Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) business models,
supported by mobile technology (for example, the use of mobile
phones for bill paying), are exploding. In 2012, investments in
PAYG solar companies amounted to only USD 3 million; by 2016
that figure had risen to USD 223 million (up from USD 158 million
just one year before). This trend started in East Africa and is
quickly spreading to West Africa, as well as to South Asia. The
mini-grid market now exceeds USD 200 billion annually. In 2016,
more than 23 MW of solar PV and wind power based mini-grid
projects were announced.
n The notion that renewable energy is something that only
rich countries can afford is not valid. Most new renewable
energy capacity is being installed in developing countries, mainly
in China, which has been the single largest developer of new
renewable power and heat for the past eight years. With a solar
revolution taking off in India, and with 48 developing countries
now committed to 100% renewable energy goals, the developing
country share of total global renewable energy capacity is likely
to increase further. Moreover, in 2015 developing and emerging
economies overtook industrialised countries in renewable energy
investment for the first time (although industrialised countries
retook the lead in 2016, despite the fact that China remained the
single largest investor). The myth that renewable energy is too
expensive, or that only a handful of rich countries continue to lead
the way, has been discredited. In many cases, renewable power is
now the least-cost option.
n Even in the transport sector, which arguably faces the
greatest challenges in transitioning to a renewable energy
future, major changes are under way. Although policy support
for renewable energy use in the transport sector continues
to focus primarily on biofuel blends, policies to encourage the
purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) are emerging. This is starting
to pay off: global deployment of EVs for road transport, and
particularly passenger vehicles, has grown rapidly in recent
years. In 2016, global passenger EV sales reached an estimated
775,000 vehicles, and more than 2 million of the vehicles were on
the world’s roads by year’s end.
Direct links between renewable energy and EVs, however, remain
limited; many, if not most, EVs are still powered by nuclear and
fossil fuel-generated electricity, with the exception of Norway
where EVs run on hydropower. There are promising signs
nonetheless. Car sharing companies in the United Kingdom and
the Netherlands, for example, have begun offering provisions
to charge vehicles with renewable electricity. And as the share
of renewables in grid power increases, so will the share of
renewables in electrified transport, illustrating that systemic
planning and policy design is needed to link the power and
transport sectors.
8
With regard to rail transport, which accounts for about 2% of the
total energy used in the transport sector, renewables also are
starting to enter the game. A number of railways implemented
new projects in 2016 to generate their own electricity from
renewables (e.g., wind turbines on railway land and solar panels
on railway stations), notably in India and Morocco.
n Despite slow progress in the heating and cooling sector,
there have been some positive developments. The use
of solar process heat continued to increase in the food and
beverage industry as well as in the mining industries, and has
expanded into other industries as well. Solar thermal is being
incorporated into district heating systems at significant scales,
with several large projects in some European countries, with
Denmark currently in the lead. Several European Union (EU)
countries also have expanded use of geothermal district heating
plants, and interest is growing in the use of district heating to
provide flexibility to power systems, by converting renewable
electricity into heat.
n Finally, enabling technologies are facilitating and
advancing the deployment of renewable energy (and
are discussed in the GSR for the first time in 2017 given their
increasingly important role). ICT (information and communication
technology), storage systems, EVs and heat pumps – to name a
few – are facilitating and advancing the deployment of renewable
energy. Even though these technologies were not developed for
this purpose originally, they are showing tremendous capacity to
facilitate greater system integration and more effective demand
response.
Storage, in particular, is starting to receive a lot of attention,
given its potential for providing additional flexibility to the power
system. It is taking off in a limited number of markets, but it is
still small in scale. In 2016, approximately 0.8 GW of new non-
pumped energy storage capacity became operational – mostly
consisting of battery (electrochemical) storage but also some
CSP thermal storage capacity – bringing the year-end total to
an estimated 6.4 GW. This amount complements an estimated
150 GW of pumped storage capacity in operation worldwide.
Most of the growth took place in battery (electro-chemical)
storage, with innovations being driven largely by the EV
industry. Storage systems increasingly are being integrated into
large-scale utility projects, and are being used by homeowners
to store electricity generated by rooftop solar PV systems.
 DRIVERS FOR RENEWABLE
ENERGY DEPLOYMENT
Mitigation of climate change has been the primary
rationale behind calls for a 100% renewable energy
future. But the CO2 reduction benefit of renewables is by
no means the only driver for their deployment.

In many countries, reducing local air pollution – and

the health problems that it causes – is a key driver. China,
for example, announced in early 2017 that it would invest
CNY 2.5 trillion (USD 360 billion) in renewables by 2020,
due largely to the massive air pollution problems in major
Chinese cities caused by coal-fired power plants.

Energy security is another important driver. Senior

officials in the US military, for example, have called for
increased use of renewable power and fuels as a matter
of national security, and for the security of the military’s
own operations. Energy security also is being considered
more widely in the context of increasing energy system
resilience in the face of anticipated climate change
impacts.

Costs of some renewable technologies are coming down

quickly, particularly in the power sector. Innovations in
solar PV manufacturing and installation, improvements
in wind turbine materials and designs, and advances in
thermal energy storage for CSP – to name a few – have
contributed to overall cost reductions. In many countries,
renewables are now cost-competitive with new fossil
fuel and nuclear sources, and even more so if distorting
subsidies are taken into account (renewables receive

“In 2016 investors were

only one-quarter of the subsidies given to fossil fuels).

Finally deployment of renewables creates local value

able to acquire more and jobs. With economies around the world facing low

renewable energy
growth, the renewable energy sector offers a way to
increase income, improve trade balances, contribute to

capacity for less money.“ industrial development and create jobs. Analysis shows
that countries with stable renewable energy policy
frameworks benefit most from the local value that this
sector generates.

9
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

BUT THE TRANSITION IS NOT HAPPENING FAST ENOUGH

Despite these positive trends, the pace of the transition is not on
track to achieve the goals established in the ground-breaking
Paris Agreement adopted in December 2015. The Paris
Agreement commits governments collectively to keep global
temperature rise well below 2°C compared with pre-industrial
levels, with the aim of holding it to a safer limit of 1.5°C. To this
end, during 2016, 117 countries adopted Nationally Determined
Contributions (NDCs), 55 of which featured renewable energy
targets and 107 of which featured energy efficiency targets. Yet
the sum total of national pledges would take us well over the
2°C threshold, with best estimates ranging between 2.3°C and
3.5°C.
The Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) initiative aims at
providing sustainable energy access for all people, doubling the
share of renewables (from 18% in 2010 to 36% by 2030) and
doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by
2030 (over 2010 levels). Put simply, a renewable energy future
will not be achievable in the absence of dramatic improvements
in energy efficiency. Fortunately, energy efficiency measures
implemented over the last 25 years have saved an amount of
energy equivalent to the total current demand of China, India
and Europe combined. From 1990 to 2014, global primary energy
intensity declined at an average annual rate of 1.5%, and by 2015
energy intensity was more than 30% lower than it was in 1990.

With the right policies in place, the power sector could be
emissions-free by mid-century. But the distinction between
“electricity” and “energy” often is confused in the public
discourse; the energy market actually comprises three major
segments: electricity, transport, and heating and cooling. And
progress in the transport and heating and cooling sectors lags well
behind the tremendous growth of renewables in the power sector.
In 2015 – the latest year for which data were available at the time
of GSR publication – global primary energy intensity improved
2.6% over the previous year, bringing the average annual rate
of improvement between 2010 and 2015 to 2.1%. This was an
important achievement, but energy intensity will need to be
improved by 2.6% annually (on average) starting in 2017 if the
SEforALL energy efficiency goal is to be met. For every year we
lag behind this average rate, we will need to compensate with
even higher rates of improvement in future years.

Share of Renewable Energy in Total Final Energy Consumption (TFEC), 2004-2014

Total Final Energy Consumption

Share of TFEC (Exajoules)
20% +2.0% 400 Combined
renewables:
Energy demand (TFEC) growing slightly
faster than
Combined renewables demand
+2.8%
Traditional biomass 15% 300
Modern renewables Average
10 year
growth rates
Modern
All renewables, +1.2% renewables:
10% 200
excluding hydropower growing at more
than twice the
Hydropower rate of
demand
Traditional biomass
Fossil and nuclear energy
+4.7%
5% 100
Traditional
biomass:
growing at only
half the rate
+1.8% of demand
Source: based on IEA World 0% 0
Energy Balances, 2016. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

10
RENEWABLE ENERGY INDICATORS 2016
2015 2016

INVESTMENT
New investment (annual) in renewable power and fuels 1 billion USD 312.2 241.6

POWER
Renewable power capacity (total, not including hydro) GW 785 921

Renewable power capacity (total, including hydro) GW 1,856 2,017

Hydropower capacity 2
GW 1,071 1,096

Bio-power capacity GW 106 112

Bio-power generation (annual) TWh 464 504

Geothermal power capacity GW 13 13.5

Solar PV capacity GW 228 303

Concentrating solar thermal power capacity GW 4.7 4.8

Wind power capacity GW 433 487

HEAT
Solar hot water capacity 3 GWth 435 456

TRANSPORT
Ethanol production (annual) billion litres 98.3 98.6

Biodiesel production (annual) billion litres 30.1 30.8

POLICIES
Countries with policy targets # 173 176

States/provinces/countries with feed-in policies # 110 110

States/provinces/countries with RPS/quota policies # 100 100

Countries with tendering/public competitive bidding 4 # 16 34

Countries with heat obligation/mandate # 21 21

States/provinces/countries with biofuel mandates 5 # 66 68

1
Investment data are from Bloomberg New Energy Finance and include all biomass, geothermal and wind power projects of more than 1 MW; all hydro
projects of between 1 and 50 MW; all solar power projects, with those less than 1 MW estimated separately; all ocean energy projects; and all biofuel projects
with an annual production capacity of 1 million litres or more.
2
The GSR 2016 reported a global total of 1,064 GW of hydropower capacity at end-2015. The value of 1,071 GW shown here reflects the difference between
end-2016 capacity (1,096 GW) and new installations in 2016 (25 GW). Differences are explained in part by uncertainty regarding capacity retirements and
plant repowering each year. Note also that the GSR strives to exclude pure pumped storage capacity from hydropower capacity data.
3
Solar hot water capacity data include water collectors only. The number for 2016 is a preliminary estimate.
4
Data for tendering/public competitive bidding reflect all countries that have held tenders at any time up through the year of focus.
5
Biofuel policies include policies listed both under the biofuels obligation/mandate column in Table 3 (Renewable Energy Support Policies) and in Reference
Table R25 (National and State/Provincial Biofuel Blend Mandates).
Note: All values are rounded to whole numbers except for numbers <15, biofuels and investment, which are rounded to one decimal point.

11
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

AND NOT AS FAST AS IS POSSIBLE

Investments Were Down In Japan, there was a push to develop renewable power in
the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. In practice,
Although global investment in new renewable power and fuel
however, utilities showed resistance to this transition, and in the
capacity was roughly double that in fossil fuels, investments in
case of wind power, procedural delays were put into place which
new renewable energy installations (not including hydropower
prevented the market from developing. A shift in policy from a
larger than 50 MW) were down 23% compared to 2015.
generous feed-in tariff to tendering led to a nearly 70% decline
Among developing and emerging countries, renewable energy
in investment in small-scale, renewable power capacity in 2016.
investment fell 30%, to USD 116.6 billion, while that of developed
countries fell 14% to USD 125 billion. The overall lower level of
investment in 2016 was due largely to the slowdowns in the Slow Progress in Heating and Cooling
Chinese and Japanese markets and in other emerging economies, As noted earlier, the heating and cooling sector lags far behind
notably India and South Africa (the latter due mainly to a delay in the power sector in the renewable energy transition. Energy
renewable energy auctions). used for heat (water and space heating, cooking and industrial
processes) accounted for more than one-half of total world final
China is still responsible for the largest level of investment
energy consumption in 2016, of which renewables comprised
(32% of all financing of renewable energy worldwide, excluding
around 25%. But more than two-thirds of the renewable
hydropower projects larger than 50 MW). But following a record
share consists of traditional biomass (used predominantly in
level of investment in 2015, investments in 2016 were diverted in
the developing world for cooking and heating), which often is
part to grid improvements and to reforms in the power market
harvested unsustainably and is highly polluting and damaging
in order to better utilise existing renewable energy resources. In
to health when burned inefficiently. More than 4 million
January 2017 the Chinese government announced that it would
people die prematurely from illness attributable to household
spend USD 360 billion through 2020, reinforcing its position as
air pollution from cooking with solid fuels. Heat supplied by
the world leader in renewable energy investments.
modern renewable energy sources is used largely for industrial
purposes (56%).

Global New Investment in Renewable Power and Fuels, Developed, Emerging and Developing Countries,
2006-2016

World Total
Billion USD World total
350
242 billion USD
Developed countries
312 China
300 281 278 Other developing
countries
255
250
244

234 242
200 181 -23%
159
193

178
150 Growth
165

152

2015-2016
145

113
143
133

167

125
123

100
115
115

135

-30%
117
83

101
104

50
88
78
64
58
44
29

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
-14%

Note: Figure does not include investment in hydropower projects larger than 50 MW.
Investment totals have been rounded to nearest billion. Source: BNEF

12
Space cooling, most of which is supplied by electrical
appliances, accounts for only about 2% of total world final energy
consumption. The demand for thermal renewable energy-based
cooling technologies generally has not kept pace with the rising
demand for cooling.
The deployment of renewable technologies in the heating and
cooling sector remains a challenge in light of the unique and
distributed nature of this market. High up-front investment costs
and competition with low-cost (subsidised) fossil fuels continue
to impede the deployment of renewable heat. Lack of effective
policies and political will contribute to slow renewable energy
uptake.
Progress also is constrained by additional factors which could be
overcome with effective policy support and political will, including
limited awareness of the technologies, and fossil fuel subsidies
which keep fossil fuel prices artificially low. In developing
countries in particular, despite significant potential for the use of
renewables in heating, the lack of installation know-how remains
an important barrier, particularly for industrial-scale heat.
Transport – Especially Aviation and Shipping – Lags
Behind in the Renewable Energy Transition
The scaling-up of renewables in the transport sector is slow.
Despite some progress – in particular rapid development of the
EV market – oil products still account for around 93% of final
energy consumption in transport. The international community
focused increased attention on decarbonisation of the transport
sector following the adoption of the Paris Agreement, but only
22 of the NDCs refer specifically to renewable energy in the
transport sector, and only 2 of these (Niue and New Zealand)
reference the need for EVs to be powered by renewable energy.
Efficiency, optimisation and switching modes of transport
– i.e., from individual cars to mass transit – are key levers
for decarbonising the transport sector. Renewables-based
decarbonisation of the transport sector, however, is not yet
being seriously considered, or seen as a priority.
Barriers to electrification in the road transport sector continue
to include relatively high EV vehicle costs, perceived limits to
range and battery life, and a lack of charging infrastructure. In the
developing world, additional barriers relate to the lack of a robust
electricity supply. Moreover, the focus in developing countries
often is to establish basic transport infrastructure. While this
is clearly a genuine need, renewable energy-based solutions
should be integrated in planning processes (which often is not
the case currently).
13
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017
With regard to rail transport, the renewable electricity share in
the total energy mix of the world’s railways increased from 3.4%
in 1990 to around 9% in 2013, with some countries reaching
much higher penetrations. While urban rail infrastructure and
service are already largely electrified, the electrification of long-
distance rail requires major infrastructure change and related
financing.
Biofuels will be needed increasingly not only for road transport,
but also for shipping and aviation, as these sectors are
difficult to electrify. Fuels need to be adapted for each of
these applications and for different types of engines. Despite
continued strong interest in the development of aviation
biofuels, the quantities produced in 2016 remained relatively
small and mostly for demonstration use. Likewise, biofuel
production for maritime use is in its infancy.
At the international level, the International Civil Aviation
Organization agreed in 2016 to establish a global market-based
measure to reduce CO 2 emissions from aviation, including
specifications for advances in the production and use of
sustainable aviation fuel; however, progress in decarbonising
the aviation sector is moving very slowly. The shipping
sector also has yet to address its emissions. Even with lower
carbon intensity of individual ships, global emissions will keep
increasing with growing global trade and transport services.
14
Nonetheless, a number of significant developments emerged
in 2016. Some governments, mostly in Europe, began looking
at medium- to long-term strategies to decarbonise the
transport sector, often involving long-term structural changes;
many also considered or developed strategies to more closely
link the transport and electricity sectors. Germany’s climate
action plan, developed in 2016, aims to reduce emissions in
transport 40-42% by 2030, with a longer-term objective of fully
decarbonising the sector.
Fossil Fuel Subsidies Continue to Impede Progress
Overall
Finally, a major barrier to the rapid uptake of renewables
more generally is the continued subsidising of fossil fuels (and
nuclear power), despite many international commitments to
phase them out. By the end of 2016 more than 50 countries
had committed to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, and some
reforms have occurred, but not enough. In 2014 the ratio of fossil
fuel subsidies to renewable energy subsidies was 4:1. In other
words, for every USD 1 spent on renewables, governments
spent USD 4 perpetuating our dependence on fossil fuels. This
is distorting the market in very unproductive ways.
TOP FIVE COUNTRIES
Annual Investment / Net Capacity Additions / Production in 2016
 

1 2 3 4 5
Investment in renewable power and fuels
China United States United Kingdom Japan Germany
(not including hydro > 50 MW)
Investment in renewable power
Bolivia Senegal Jordan Honduras Iceland
and fuels per unit GDP1
Geothermal power capacity Indonesia Turkey Kenya Mexico Japan
Hydropower capacity China Brazil Ecuador Ethopia Vietnam
Solar PV capacity China United States Japan India United Kingdom
Concentrating solar thermal power
South Africa China – – –
(CSP) capacity2
Wind power capacity China United States Germany India Brazil
Solar water heating capacity China Turkey Brazil India United States
Biodiesel production United States Brazil Argentina/Germany/Indonesia
Fuel ethanol production United States Brazil China Canada Thailand

Total Capacity or Generation as of End-2016

1 2 3 4 5

POWER
Renewable power (incl. hydro) China United States Brazil Germany Canada
Renewable power (not incl. hydro) China United States Germany Japan India
Renewable power capacity per capita
Iceland Denmark Sweden/Germany Spain/Finland
(not including hydro3)
Bio-power generation United States China Germany Brazil Japan
Geothermal power capacity United States Philippines Indonesia New Zealand Mexico
Hydropower capacity4 China Brazil United States Canada Russian Federat.
Hydropower generation4 China Brazil Canada United States Russian Federat.
CSP capacity Spain United States India South Africa Morocco
Solar PV capacity China Japan Germany United States Italy
Solar PV capacity per capita Germany Japan Italy Belgium Australia/Greece
Wind power capacity China United States Germany India Spain
Wind power capacity per capita Denmark Sweden Germany Ireland Portugal

HEAT
Solar water heating collector capacity5 China United States Turkey Germany Brazil
Solar water heating collector Barbados Austria Cyprus Israel Greece
capacity per capita 5
Geothermal heat capacity 6 China Turkey Japan Iceland India
Geothermal heat capacity per capita 6
Iceland New Zealand Hungary Turkey Japan

1
Countries considered include only those covered by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF); GDP (at purchasers’ prices) data for 2015 from World Bank. BNEF data include the following: all biomass,
geothermal and wind power projects of more than 1 MW; all hydropower projects of between 1 and 50 MW; all solar power projects, with those less than 1 MW (small-scale capacity) estimated separately; all
ocean energy projects; and all biofuel projects with an annual production capacity of 1 million litres or more. Small-scale capacity data used to help calculate investment per unit of GDP cover only those countries
investing USD 200 million or more.
2
Only two countries brought CSP plants online in 2016, which is why no countries are listed in places 3, 4 and 5.
3
Per capita renewable power capacity (not including hydropower) ranking based on data gathered from various sources for more than 70 countries and on 2015 population data from World Bank.
4
Country rankings for hydropower capacity and generation differ because some countries rely on hydropower for baseload supply whereas others use it more to follow the electric load and to match peaks in demand.
5
Solar water heating collector rankings for total capacity and per capita are for year-end 2015 and are based on capacity of water (glazed and unglazed) collectors only. Data from International Energy Agency
Solar Heating and Cooling Programme. Total capacity rankings are estimated to remain unchanged for year-end 2016.
6
Not including heat pumps.
Note: Most rankings are based on absolute amounts of investment, power generation capacity or output, or biofuels production; if done on a basis of per capita, national GDP or other, the rankings would be different for
many categories (as seen with per capita rankings for renewable power not including hydropower, solar PV, wind power, solar water collector and geothermal heat capacity).

15
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017
HOW TO SPEED THE TRANSITION
1) Fossil fuels must be left in the ground if the world is
serious about meeting its climate commitments.
China announced in January 2017 that it was cancelling more
than 100 coal-fired power plants currently in development, and
then announced in May that it was suspending the construction
of new coal plants in 29 out of 32 provinces. These measures
demonstrate how quickly change can happen when there is the
political will to do so. Phasing out coal in favour of renewables
(combined with increasing energy efficiency) would be the single
most cost-effective way to reduce CO2 emissions, with added
benefits for health.
As governments get serious about addressing climate change,
the risk that coal and other fossil fuel investments could become
stranded assets is increasing.
16
2) Rather than investing in fossil or nuclear “baseload”
power, efforts should focus on developing dispatchable
renewable energy and mobilising flexibility options to
manage higher shares of variable renewables.
How to do this varies depending on local circumstances: whether
demand for power is stable and the grid is well-developed (and
inter-connected); whether demand is increasing and supply is
being augmented with greater shares of wind and solar power;
whether there is already a surplus of supply so that on cloudy
or windless days the system can continue to operate normally;
whether demand is increasing rapidly (as in many developing
countries) but the basic system is not yet well developed; and
so forth.
In developing countries, with effective planning, a package
of complementary measures can be designed for maximum
flexibility at the outset. For existing systems, flexibility measures
can include: managing shorter trading times; matching demand
more carefully with supply; establishing grid interconnections;
investing in storage solutions; utilising automation technologies;
and planning for sectoral integration (for example, by charging
EVs during the day to take advantage of power produced from
solar PV and wind power plants that exceeds electricity demand).
In general, policies should be developed that support and
integrate coupling among the power, transport, and heating and
cooling sectors. This requires that planning be conducted across
sectors and across government departments and ministries.
Policy design should be done in close dialogue with the public
and private sectors, and policies at different levels of government
should be complementary and mutually reinforcing.

3) As efforts intensify to provide modern energy
services to the billions of people who lack access,
it is crucial that renewable energy and enabling
technologies aimed at maximum system flexibility
are prioritised, and that the most energy-efficient
technologies are utilised.
There should be increased support for distributed renewable
energy technologies as well as more attention to developing
national policies that serve to strengthen local capacity,
particularly in the heating and cooling sector given its large
reliance on local resources. In 2015, financing for energy
access and distributed renewable energy programmes
accounted for less than 16% of all energy investments
(USD 3.1 billion out of USD 17.4 billion of total investment).
Given the urgency of achieving energy access for all,
investment in these areas should be increased dramatically.
Moreover, governments should create an enabling
environment that allows businesses to seize opportunities,
particularly in serving people who otherwise might not gain
access. It is essential that governments eliminate a range of
barriers that hinder further development, including (among
other things): policy and energy planning uncertainty; lack
of access to finance for both companies and consumers;
subsidies for kerosene and diesel, which disadvantage
renewable alternatives; fiscal and import barriers, which
serve to increase prices (for example, import tariffs and
value-added tax); scarcity of information and assurance for
investors; and the lack of product standards to ensure the
quality and reliability of products.
KEY PLAYERS DRIVING THE
RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION
While many renewable energy pioneers – including the United
States and several countries in Europe – continue to play an
important role in the renewable energy transition, new key
players have emerged:
Emerging economies: China is the world’s renewable
energy heavyweight champion, having been the single largest
developer of renewable power and heat for the past eight
years. In 2016, an ever-growing number of developing countries
continued to expand their renewable energy capacities, and
some are rapidly becoming important markets. Emerging
economies are quickly transforming their energy industries
by benefiting from lower-cost, more efficient renewable
technologies and more reliable resource forecasting, making
countries such as Argentina, Chile, China, India and Mexico
attractive markets for investment.
Corporations: A growing number of corporations is
committing to powering their operations with 100%
renewable electricity. The significance of the commitment of
companies such as Google and Facebook, which use massive
quantities of electricity to power their data centres, should
not be underestimated. By negotiating advance purchase
agreements and direct investments, their renewable energy
commitments have spurred billions of dollars in investments
in new renewable power projects.
Cities: Cities are playing an increasingly important role in
driving the renewable energy transition, whether they are
doing it to meet climate change mitigation goals or to reduce
local sources of air pollution or to create jobs. In 2014, cities
accounted for 65% of global energy demand, and each city
is faced with its own unique challenges and opportunities.
Some cities consume much of their energy in the buildings
and transport sectors, while in others, large industrial sectors
account for the majority of energy use. Municipal policy makers
can use purchasing and regulatory authority to, for example,
transition public transportation fleets to renewable fuel or
renewably powered EVs, install solar panels on municipal
buildings, set local building codes, mandate the use of solar
water heaters and enact energy efficiency standards.
17
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017
MARKET AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
Biomass energy
Global production of biodiesel recovered after a decline in 2015.
There was continuing growth in bio-power production, notably
in the EU and in Asia, particularly in the Republic of Korea.
Use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and biomethane in
transport grew over the course of 2016. Both global bio-power
capacity and generation increased by an estimated 6% in
2016, while growth in the use of modern bioenergy for heating
has slowed in recent years, to around 1% per year.
Geothermal
Globally, geothermal power produced an estimated
78 terawatt-hours over the course of 2016. However, the
industry continues to be burdened by the inherent high
risk of exploration and project development as well as the
associated lack of risk mitigation. The year ended with
Indonesia and Turkey adding the bulk of new geothermal
power capacity, and several countries in Europe completed
new or expanded geothermal district heat systems.
Hydropower
Improved hydrological conditions in the Americas and Asia
improved hydropower production. New capacity was added
in a number of countries, including China, Brazil, Ecuador,
Ethiopia, and Vietnam. Although China’s domestic market
continued to contract, it added far more capacity in 2016
than did any other country. Climate risk continues to remain
a pressing concern.
Ocean energy
While more companies around the world advanced ocean
energy technologies and deployed new and improved
devices, the industry continues to face perennial challenges.
Chief among these is financing due to relatively high risk
and high upfront costs and the need for improved planning,
consenting and licensing procedures.
18
Solar photovoltaics (PV)
Solar PV was the world’s leading source of net additions to
power generating capacity in 2016, with the equivalent of
more than 31,000 solar panels installed hourly. At least 17
countries had enough solar PV capacity by year’s end to meet
2% or more of their electricity demand, and several countries
saw far higher shares. The year also saw unprecedented
price reductions, particularly for modules.
Concentrating solar thermal power (CSP)
All three new CSP facilities that came online in 2016
incorporated thermal energy storage (TES), which allows
them to provide dispatchable power, meaning that they can
provide power at periods of peak demand. While CSP saw
the lowest annual growth rate in total global capacity in 10
years, the sector is on a strong growth trajectory with as
much as 900 MW expected to enter operation in 2017. CSP
also is receiving increased policy support in countries with
limited oil and gas reserves, constrained power networks, a
need for energy storage, or strong industrialisation and job
creation agendas.
Solar thermal heating and cooling
Deployment of solar thermal heating and cooling
technologies continued its global expansion in 2016, with
sales picking up in several new emerging markets, including
Argentina, the Middle East, and parts of Eastern and Central
Africa. For larger, established markets, however, 2016 was
challenging for several reasons, most notably low oil and gas
prices. China kept its lead, accounting for approximately 75%
of global additions.
Wind power
Top turbine manufacturers had a good year in 2016, and
technology innovation continued in the face of competition
from low-cost natural gas and, increasingly, from solar PV.
New markets continued to open around the world. By year’s
end, more than 90 countries were active in developing wind
power projects. Offshore wind saw the first commercial
projects come online in the Republic of Korea and the
United States, and substantial new capacity was added in
Germany, the Netherlands and China. At least 24 countries
met 5% or more of their annual electricity demand with
wind power in 2016, and at least 13 met more than 10%.
4) Policy matters: A system approach is needed across all
sectors.
Policy support for renewables in 2016, as in past years, focused
mostly on power generation, whereas policies for the heating and
cooling and transport sectors has remained virtually stagnant.
This has to change: strong policy support for all three pillars of
the sustainable energy transition is needed if we are to achieve
the goals set out in the Paris Agreement. Policy support can take
many forms, at both the national and sub-national levels: targets;
feed-in policies; auctions (also called competitive bidding or
tenders); regulatory mandates; changes in building codes; fuel
efficiency standards; and grants, loans and subsidies. Regardless
of the chosen policy framework, transparency and stability are
essential.
Several specific policy recommendations should be emphasised:
n A systemic approach: First and foremost, as the share of
renewable energy grows to significant levels in a country or
region, a systemic approach will be needed. Conversations about
how to integrate high shares of variable renewable energy into
the power system clearly benefit from looking beyond the narrow
confines of a single grid, a single country, a single city or a single
sector – as many have begun to do. In a systemic approach, what
constitutes a renewables-based energy system moves beyond
the traditional, narrow construct of renewable energy sources
(wind, solar, hydropower, etc.) to a broader definition which
includes supporting infrastructure such as transmission and
distribution networks; supply and demand balancing measures,
including through efficiency measures and sector coupling (for
example the integration of power and transport networks); and
a wide range of enabling technologies. The systemic approach
should become the norm in energy and infrastructure planning,
financing and policy development.
n Power: Many countries are shifting away from feed-in policies
and replacing them with auctions aimed at deploying large-scale
renewable energy projects. This approach has greatly reduced
prices of renewable power, although in some cases, due to
scheduling delays, it has had negative consequences, such as
reducing market continuity and increasing market insecurity.
The continuously delayed energy auctions in South Africa, for
example, caused serious problems for the national renewables
industry. It is crucial to link energy planning, policy design/
formulation and industry development if such consequences are
to be avoided. By taking a more strategic approach to energy
planning, and ensuring the long-term predictability of auction
schedules, continuous market opportunities can be created. This
will help in developing a strong renewable power industry around
which skills can be built and local value can be created. It also is
important to support the deployment of distributed and locally
owned renewable energy projects.
n Transport: Policy support for improving the sustainability of
transport traditionally has focused on increasing energy efficiency
and expanding the use of biofuels (including advanced biofuels
for aviation and maritime transport). Governments should set
clear policies to: facilitate research and market opportunities for
advancing the development of sustainable biofuels; ensure that
19
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

the rapid expansion of the EV fleet is powered by renewable n Energy access:

sources of electricity (including by integrating EVs into the suite
of flexible options for incorporating higher shares of variable
renewable energy into the grid); expand mandates and financial
support for sustainable biofuels; and incorporate the use of
advanced biofuels for aviation, rail and maritime transport
in broader strategies to advance the use of bioenergy in the
transport sector.
n Heating and cooling: In 2016, policy makers continued to
focus on financial incentives in the form of grants, loans or tax
incentives as well as mandates and building codes to increase
deployment of renewable heating and cooling technologies. Some
countries enacted policies designed to advance technological
development. In addition, some governments have used FITs
and tendering mechanisms, mainly focused on the buildings
sector and in many cases including links to energy efficiency.
Despite positive developments in a number of countries, the
renewable heating and cooling sector faced a great deal of policy
uncertainty. The single most important thing that governments
can do for this sector is to establish long-term policy certainty to
facilitate increased investment.
As in the power sec-
tor, an integrated process
that links energy planning, policy
formulation and industrial develop-
ment is essential for ensuring that a range
of needs can be met in the most efficient and
sustainable way. Developments around distributed
renewable energy show that the old paradigm of energy
access through grid extension alone is becoming obsolete. To
accelerate energy access, it is important that policy makers look
to the future so that a stable, off-grid, decentralised market can
form and the industry can develop.
A variety of policies can be used to accelerate the paradigm
shift: establishing specific distributed renewable energy targets
alongside electrification and renewable energy targets to be
implemented within a certain time frame; integrating stand-alone
solutions, in particular mini-grids, into national electrification
plans; establishing a clear policy framework for accessing finance
that reflects this newer approach; and measures for upholding
quality standards.

Number of Renewable Energy Regulatory Incentives and Mandates, by Type, 2014-2016

Number of countries
130
Power Policies
126 Countries
120 with Power Feed-in tariff/premium
117 118 Regulations payment
110 Tendering
Net metering
100 Renewable portfolio
standard (RPS)
90
Heating and
80 Cooling Policies
Countries
with Solar heat obligation
70
66 68 Transport Technology-neutral
64 Regulations heat obligation
60

50 Countries with Transport

Heating and Policies
Cooling (H&C) Biodiesel obligation/
40
Regulations mandate
30 Ethanol obligation/
mandate
20 21 21 21 Non-blend mandate

10
29 countries
0 had other
Power H&C Transport Power H&C Transport Power H&C Transport heating &
cooling
2014 2015 2016 policies

Note: Figure does not show all policy types in use. In many cases countries have enacted additional fiscal incentives or public finance mechanisms to support
renewable energy. Heating and cooling policies do not include renewable heat FITs (i.e., in the United Kingdom). Countries are considered to have policies
when at least one national or state/provincial-level policy is in place. A country is counted a single time if it has one or more national and/or state/provincial-
level policies. Some transport policies include both biodiesel and ethanol; in this case, the policy is counted once in each category (biodiesel and ethanol).
Tendering policies are presented in a given year if a jurisdiction has held at least one tender during that year.
Source: REN21 Policy Database

20
POLICY DEVELOPMENT IN 2016
Nearly all countries adopted or had existing policies in 2016
to support the development and deployment of renewable
energy technology. These included energy efficiency
and renewable energy targets, direct (financial) support
policies, and policies to facilitate the integration of variable
renewable generation into national energy systems.
Power: Renewable energy auctions were held in
34 countries in 2016 – more than double the year
before – with Malawi and Zambia holding their first auctions.
Auctions are the most rapidly expanding form of support for
renewable energy project deployment and are becoming
the preferred policy tool for supporting deployment of large-
scale projects.
PERSISTENT CHALLENGES
Policy remains focused primarily on the power sector. At
the national/sub-national level, regulatory policies in the
power sector exist in nearly twice as many countries as in
the transport sector, and in six times as many countries as in
the heating and cooling sector.
Transport: The number of countries with biofuel blending
mandates has remained basically flat, with the total number
of countries implementing this policy having increased by
only two since 2015. Additionally, comprehensive transport
policies linking renewables and EVs are not progressing
rapidly.

Transport: As of the end of 2016, biofuel blend
mandates existed in 68 countries at the national/
sub-national level, with Argentina, India, Malaysia, Panama
and Zimbabwe having added or revised mandates, and
Denmark adopting an advanced biofuels mandate.
Heating and cooling: Several countries enacted
new financial support mechanisms for renewable
heating and cooling or revised existing ones, including
Bulgaria, Chile, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Romania, the Slovak Republic and the United States.
Heating and cooling: The number of countries with
renewable heating obligations remains at 21, making 2016
the third year in a row that not a single new country adopted
this policy.
Energy efficiency: Although many countries have adopted
energy efficiency targets, several still lack policies to achieve
them, particularly in developing countries. Furthermore,
policies that support energy efficiency and renewables are
not sufficiently integrated globally.

Energy efficiency: By the end of 2016, at least 137 countries

had enacted some kind of energy efficiency policy, including
48 countries that adopted new or revised policies during the
year. New or revised energy efficiency targets also have been
adopted in all regions of the globe: 149 countries have one or
more energy efficiency targets in place; 56 of these countries
adopted new targets since 2015.

Jobs: In some major markets, job losses followed policy

changes, a decrease in investment and rising automation.
Even so, global employment numbers rose due to record
deployment of renewables (particularly solar PV) in 2016. The
global total number of jobs in renewable energy – including
large-scale hydropower – has now reached 9.8 million. Jobs
in renewables excluding large-scale hydropower increased
by 2.8% in 2016.

21
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

POLICY LANDSCAPE 2016

Countries with Renewable Energy Power Policies, by Type, 2016

Countries with
policies at start-2016
Countries with policies
at start-2016 and that added
a policy/policies in 2016
Countries without policies
at start-2016 and that added
a policy/policies in 2016
State/provincial
(not national) policies
Countries that held renewable Source: REN21 Policy Database
energy-only tenders in 2016
Note: Figure shows countries with Renewable Portfolio Standards, feed-in tariffs/premium payments
Countries with and net metering policies. Countries are considered to have policies when at least one national-level
no policy or no data policy is in place; these countries may have state/provincial-level policies in place as well. Diagonal
lines indicate that countries have no policies in place at the national level but have at least one policy
at the state/provincial level.

Countries with Renewable Energy Heating and Cooling Policies, 2016

Countries with solar obligation

Countries with solar obligation

and other policy/policies
Countries with technology-
neutral obligation
Countries with technology-
neutral obligation and
other policy/policies
Countries with other
direct support policies* * Indicates countries with other policies that directly support renewable heating and cooling technologies,
including rebates, tax credits, FITs, tenders, etc.
State/provincial (not national)
policy/policies Note: Figure shows countries with direct support regulatory policies and financial incentives for
renewable heating and cooling technologies. Countries are considered to have policies when at least
Countries with no policy or no data one national-level policy is in place; these countries may have state/provincial-level policies in place as
well. Diagonal lines indicate that countries have no policies in place at the national level but have at least
one policy at the state/provincial level.

Source: REN21 Policy Database

22
Countries with Biofuels Obligations for Transport, 2016

Countries with obligations

in place by 2012
Countries that added obligations
during 2013-2015
Countries that increased existing
obligations in 2016
Countries that added obligations
in 2016
Countries with
no policy or no data Source: REN21 Policy Database

Note: Figure shows countries with biofuels obligations in the transport sector. Countries are considered to have policies when at least one national-level policy
is in place; these countries may have state/provincial-level policies in place as well. Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, the State of Palestine and Zambia added
obligations during 2010-2012 but removed them during 2013-2015.

JOBS 2016
Jobs in Renewable Energy

Bioenergy
biomass, biofuels,
biogas

Geothermal

Solar energy
solar PV, CSP, solar
heating/cooling

Wind power

Hydropower
(small-scale)

Hydropower
(large-scale)

= 50,000 jobs
8.3 million + 1.5 million
Source: IRENA
World
Total: 9.8 million jobs
23
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

GSR 2017 KEY FIGURES

Estimated Renewable Energy Share of Total Final Energy Consumption, 2015

Fossil fuels

78.4%
Biomass/ Hydropower
Modern renewables geothermal/
solar heat 3.6%
10.2%
All renewables
4.2%
19.3% Traditional biomass Wind/solar/biomass/ Biofuels
geothermal power for transport
9.1% 1.6% 0.8%

Nuclear power

2.3%

Estimated Renewable Energy Share of Global Electricity Production, End-2016

Non-renewable electricity
Wind power
75.5% Hydropower
4.0%
16.6%
Bio-power

Renewable
2.0%
electricity
Solar PV
24.5% 1.5%
Ocean, CSP and geothermal power

0.4%

Renewable Power Capacities* in World, BRICS, EU-28 and Top 6 Countries, 2016
Gigawatts
1000
921 Gigawatts
900 300

800 258
Ocean, CSP and
250
geothermal power
700
Bio-power
Solar PV
600 200
Wind power
500
150
145
400 * Not including hydropower.
Distinction is made because
333 98
300
300 hydropower remains the
100 largest single component
by far of renewable power
200 capacity, and thus can
51 46 mask developments in
50 other renewable energy
100 33 technologies if included.
The five BRICS countries
0 0 are Brazil, the Russian
World BRICS EU-28 China United Germany Japan India Italy Federation, India, China and
Total States South Africa.

24
 BIOMASS ENERGY
Shares of Biomass in Total Final Energy Consumption and in Final Energy
Traditional Modern Non-
Consumption, by End-use Sector, 2015 biomass biomass biomass
100%
Electricity Transport Modern 2.6 2.4
heat: 7.3
Non-biomass
0.4% 0.8% industry 20.5
85.9% 2.5% 2.8 75%

50%
Traditional
biomass
Biomass
9.1%
14.1% 25%

0%
Modern heat: buildings

1.2% Heating Heating Transport Electricity

buildings industry

Global Bio-Power Generation, by Region, 2006-2016

Terrawatt-hours per year
600
World Total

504 Terawatt-hours Middle East

500
Oceania
Africa
400 Europe (non EU-28)
China
300 South America
Asia
North America
200 EU-28

100

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Global Trends in Ethanol, Biodiesel and HVO Production, 2006-2016

Billion litres
World Total
150
135 Billion Litres
Hydrotreated
120 vegetable oil (HVO)
Biodiesel (FAME)
Fuel ethanol
90

60

30

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

25
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

GEOTHERMAL POWER
Cost (USD per person per day)

Geothermal Power Capacity Additions, Share by Country, 2016

Indonesia

46%
Kenya

6%
Turkey
Mexico
44% 3% 0.1%
Japan

Geothermal Power Capacity and Additions, Top 10 Countries, 2016

Megawatts
4,000

3,500
Added in 2016
3,000 2015 Total

2,500

2,000
+205
1,500

+16
1,000
+197
+29 +1
500

0
United Philippines Indonesia New Mexico Italy Turkey Iceland Kenya Japan Rest of
States Zealand World

INDONESIA and TURKEY led the way for

NEW GEOTHERMAL POWER
installations, and EUR O PE
remained an active market for
GEOTHERMAL HEAT.
26
 HYDROPOWER
Hydropower GlobalCostCapacity,
(USD per person per day)
Shares of Top 6 Countries and Rest of World, 2016

United States
9%
China

28%
Canada
9%
Russian
Brazil India Federation

9% Gigawatts
4% 4%
350

+8.9%
300
Added in 2
Rest of World

40%
250 2015 Total

200

150

+5.3%
100
At least 25 GW of HYDROPOWER CAPACITY
50
was commissioned, and
+2.0% +1.5% +1.1% +1.0%
+0.8% PUMPED STORAGE
+0.7% +0.6%
0
China Brazil
grew by more than
Ecuador Ethiopia Vietnam 6 GW.
Peru Turkey Lao PDR Malaysia

Hydropower Capacity and Additions, Top 9 Countries for Capacity Added, 2016

Gigawatts
350

+8.9
300

+5.3
250 100

200 Added in 2016

2015 Total
150
50
100
+0.8
50 +1.1
+2.0 +1.5 +1.0 +0.7 +0.6
0 0
China Brazil Ecuador Ethiopia Vietnam Peru Turkey Lao PDR Malaysia

27
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

SOLAR PV
Solar PV Global Capacity and Annual Additions, 2006-2016

Gigawatts
350
World Total
303 Gigawatts
300
+75 Annual
additions
250
228
+51
200
177
+40
150 137 Previous
+38
year's
99 capacity
Total 100
+29
global 70
capacity +30
50 23 40
6 8 16 +8 +17
+2.5 +6.6
+1.4
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Source: IEA PVPS.

During 2016, at least 75 GW of solar

PV capacity was added worldwide –
equivalent to the installation of more than
31,000 SOLAR PANELS EVERY HOUR.

Solar PV Global Capacity, by Country and Region, 2006-2016

Gigawatts
350
World Total
303 Gigawatts Rest of World
300
Italy
United States
250
228 Japan
Germany
200
177 China

150 137
99
Total 100
global 70
capacity
50 40
16 23
6 8
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

28
 Solar PV Capacity and Additions, Top 10 Countries, 2016

China accounted for

46%
Gigawatts
80 +34.5

Added in 70
2016
60

50
of new capacity.
+8.6 +1.5 +14.8
2015 40
total
30

20 +0.4
+2 +4.1
10 +0.6 +0.9 +0.1

0
China Japan Germany United Italy United India France Australia Spain
States Kingdom

Solar PV Global Capacity China Japan

Additions, Shares of Top
10 Countries and Rest of 46% 11.5%
World, 2016
India
5.5%
Next six United Kingdom 2.7%
countries
Germany 2.0%

United States
9% Republic of Korea 1.1%
Australia 1.1%
Rest of world
20% Philippines 1.0%
8% Chile 1.0%

Solar PV Global Additions, Shares of Grid-Connected and Off-Grid Installations, 2006-2016

Share % of Installations
100 Grid-
connected
90 decentralised
Off-grid
80

70

60 Grid-
connected
50 centralised

40

30

20

10

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Source: IEA PVPS.

29
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER (CSP)

Concentrating Solar Thermal Power Global Capacity, by Country and Region, 2006-2016

World Total
Gigawatts
5 4.8 Gigawatts
Rest of
world

3 Spain

United
States 1

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

All new facilities that came

online incorporated thermal
ENERGY STORAGE.
CSP Thermal Energy Storage Global Capacity and Annual Additions, 2007-2016

World Total
Gigawatt-hours
12
11.9 Gigawatt-hours
11.2 +0.7
Annual
+1.4
additions
10 9.8 9.8
+3.3 0.0

8
Previous
6.5 year's
6 +2.0 capacity

4.5
4 +2.6

Total
global 1.9
capacity 2
+1.1
0.8
0.04 0.4 +0.4
+0.4
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

30
 SOLAR THERMAL HEATING AND COOLING
Solar Water Heating Collectors Global Capacity, 2006-2016
Gigawatts-hours
Gigawatts-thermal World Total
500
456 Gigawatts-thermal
435
409 Glazed
400
374 collectors
330
300 285
242
203
200
170
145
Total 124
global 100
capacity
Unglazed
collectors
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Source: IEA SHC.

Solar district heating capacity DOUBLED in Denmark (in 2016).

Solar Water Heating Collector Additions, Top 20 Countries for Capacity Added, 2016

Gigawatts-
thermal
30.0
Gigawatts-
thermal Unglazed collectors

1.5 Glazed (evacuated tube collectors)

25.0 Glazed (flat plate collectors)
% growth 2015/2016

1.2
20.0

1.0
0.9
15.0

0.6
10.0

0.3
5.0

1.0
0 0

-9 0 -7 +6 -3 -8 -7 + 84 + 6 -16 0 -12 -12 0 -58 -19 -13 -14 -15 -35

a

il

es

lia

ce

ly

ca

nd

ria

na

nd

an

ce
ae
az

an
ke

ar
in

di

ic

ai

Ita
ra
at

an
ri
e

st

hi

p
la

la
Isr
ex
Ch

In

Sp
m
Br
r

re

Af

Ja
St

st
Tu

Au
Po

,C

er

Fr
en

M
er

G
Au

it z
h
d

ei
G

ut
te

Sw
ip
So
i

Ta
Un

Note: Additions represent gross capacity added.

31
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

WIND POWER
Wind Power Global Capacity and Annual Additions, 2006-2016

Gigawatts World Total

487 Gigawatts Annual
500
+55
additions
433
+64
400
370
+52
319
300 283 +36
Previous
238 +45 year's
capacity
200
198 +41
159 +39
121 +38
94 +27
100
74 +20
+15

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

By the end of 2016, OVER 90 COUNTRIES

had seen commercial wind activity, and
29 COUNTRIES had more than 1 GW in operation.

Wind Power Capacity and Additions, Top 10 Countries, 2016

Gigawatts
200

Added +23.4
in 2016
150

100

2015
+8.2
total

50
+5
+3.6 ~0
+0.7 +1.6 +0.7 +2 +0.3
Note: Germany's additions
are net of decommissioning 0
and repowering. "~0"
denotes capacity additions China United Germany India Spain United France Canada Brazil Italy
of less than 50 MW. States Kingdom

32
Wind Power Offshore Global Capacity, by Region, 2006-2016

Gigawatts
16
14.4
14 North America
Asia 12.2
12
Europe
10
8.1
8
7.9
6 5.4
4.1
4 3.2
2.2
2
1.1 1.5
0.8
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Share of Electricity Demand Met by Wind Power, Selected Countries Over 10% and EU28, 2016
%
100

W I N D
90

80

70

60 has become the

50
LEAST-COST
40
option for new power
30
generating capacity
20
in an increasing
10
number of markets.
0
ng e d
m
nd

ay

ia

en

ca

ria
k

ga

an
ru
ar

ni
ai

-2
an

do
gu

K i ni t

Ri
ed

st
la

ua
r tu

Sp
m

yp

EU
m

m
I re

Au
ru

a
Sw
en

th
er
C
Po

Ro

st
U

Li
G
D

Co

Cost (USD per person per day)

Market Shares of Top 10 Wind Turbine Manufacturers, 2016

Vestas GE Wind Goldwind

(Denmark) (United States) (China)

16% 12% 12%

Gamesa (Spain) United Envision Mingyang

Power (China) (China)
8% (China)
4% 4% 4%
Enercon (Germany)
7%
Siemens (Germany)
6% Others

Nordex Acciona (Germany)

5%
25% Source: FTI Consulting.

33
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

DISTRIBUTED RENEWABLE ENERGY

Sales of Off-Grid Solar Systems in Top 5 Countries, 2015-2016
Million units
World Total 2016

Total > 8.1 million*

(World) 5.7

India 3.1
2.6

Kenya 1.2
0.8

Ethiopia 0.5
0.6 2016

2015
Uganda 0.4
0.2 Source: GOGLA/IFC.
*Data reported for global sales
Tanzania 0.4 represent approximately 50%
of all sales of off-grid products.
0.6
See endnote 25 for this chapter.

The renewable energy MINI-GRIDS market

accelerated in 2016 and exceeded
USD 200 BILLION
annually by year's end.
Investment in Pay-As-You-Go Solar Companies, 2012-2016

Million USD Top 5 PAYG solar companies (for investment) in 2016:

250
223 90 million
Lumos Global
200

158 30 m
d.light
150
21 m
Sunfunder

100 20 m 20 m
BBOXX Mobisol
66
50
19
3
0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

34
Number of Domestic Biogas Plants Installed in Top 5 Countries, Total and Annual Additions, 2014-2016

Million installations

China
42.6
India 4.7
Installations

Nepal 366,065
Vietnam 247,902
Bangladesh 45,610 Total end-2016

Added in 2016
Cambodia 25,164
Added in 2015
Kenya 17,554 Total end-2014

0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000

Number of Clean Cook Stoves Added in Top 5 Countries, 2014 and 2015
Million units

10.6
China
5.7

3.2
India
2.2

1.5
Ethiopia
1.8
Heat

0.7
Nigeria
0.8 2015

2014 Fuel
0.7 Air
Bangladesh
0.5
0 2,000,000 4,000,000 6,000,000 8,000,000 10,000,000

Investment in Clean Cook Stoves, 2011-2015

Million USD

20
18.2 18.4
16

12 11.5
9.0
8

4
1.8
0
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

35
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

GLOBAL INVESTMENT 2016

Global New Investment in Renewable Energy by Technology, Developed and Developing Countries, 2016

Billion USD Change relative to 2015

56.2
Solar power
17.6 39.9 57.5
- 34%
60.6
Wind power
16.9 35.0 51.9 - 9%
5.2
Bio-power
1.6
0%
Small-scale 0.2
hydropower 3.4 0%
1.8
Biofuels
0.5
- 37%
Developed countries
Geothermal 0.8
power
2.0
China + 17%
Other developing countries
0.2
Ocean energy
0.011
- 7%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Source: BNEF

Global New Investment in Renewable Power and Fuels, by Country and Region, 2006-2016

United States
Billion USD
60
51.4
49.6

46.4
40.6

38.4
39.3

35.8

35.3

33.8

40
29.3

23.9

20 United States

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Americas (excl. United States & Brazil) Americas

Billion USD (excl. United States & Brazil)
13.1
14.0

20
12.3
12.4

10.4
9.5

6.1
5.9

10
5.5
4.8
3.7

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Brazil
Brazil
Billion USD
20
11.5

10.3
9.8

7.8

8.2
8.1

7.1
7.4

6.8

10
4.4
5.1

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Africa & Middle East

Africa & Middle East India

Billion USD Billion USD
20 20
13.7
11.4
10.2

9.2

9.0

9.6

9.7
8.4
8.0
8.4

7.7

6.8

6.6
5.7

10 10
5.4

4.2
4.2

3.2
2.3
1.9

1.7
1.2

0 0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

36
Global Investment in Power Capacity, by Type (Renewable, Fossil Fuel and Nuclear Power), 2012-2016

Billion USD

350
Fossil and nuclear
Fossil fuel
300
Nuclear
power
250

Modern renewables
200
Solar PV
Wind power
150
Large-scale
hydropower
100
Bio-power
Other*
50

0
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Source: BNEF.
* CSP, geothermal, small-scale hydropower and ocean energy

Source:
Europe BNEF.

123.8
Note: Data
Europe include
Billion USD
113.9
120 government
and
corporate
R&D.
100
88.9
82.5
81.3

80
67.4

63.0
59.4

59.8
58.1
60
46.8

China 40

20
Asia &
Oceania
(excl. China
0
& India) 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
115.4

China
Billion USD
India
100
87.3

78.3

Asia & Oceania (excl. China & India) 80

63.3

Billion USD
58.3

60 60
50.5

46.1

46.0
45.3

41.4
38.1

40 40
30.9

26.8
25.1

25.3
20.0

16.6
13.6

14.5

20 20
12.8

11.1
10.1

0 0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

37
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES
Global Grid-Connected Stationary Battery Storage Capacity, by Country, 2006-2016

Megawatts

1,800
1,719
Rest of World
1,600
Chile
1,400 Italy
Germany
1,200 Japan 1,147
Republic of Korea
1,000
United States
Grid-connected
786
800
BATTERY
600
503
620 STORAGE
grew by

+ 50%
417
400
312 345
245 246 290
200
in 2016.
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES
such as information and communication
technologies, storage and EVs facilitate
GREATER USE OF RENEWABLES.
Global Passenger Electric Vehicle Market (Including PHEVs), 2012-2016

Vehicles sold
in thousands Market growth (%)
800
775 80%

700 70%
Rest of World
600 60%
Japan 548
Norway
500 50% Global
EU market
China growth
400 40%
United States
319
300 30%
By the end of 2016,
213 2 MILLION
Global 200 20% PASSENGER EVs
vehicle 129 were on the world's
sales roads. EVs
100 10% accounted for around
1% OF GLOBAL
PASSENGER CAR
0 0 SALES.
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

38
 ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Global Primary Energy Intensity and Total Primary Energy Supply, 2010-2015
Mtoe koe/USD2005
Mtoe 15,000
Mtoe koe/USDkoe/USD
2005 2005
15,000 15,000 13,778
12,900 13,778
13,778 0.20
12,900
12,500 12,900 0.20 0.20
Compound average
12,500 12,500 annual change
+1.3% CompoundCompound
average
annual change
average
annual change
+1.3%
+1.3% 10,000 0.166 0.15
0.166 0.166 0.149
10,000 10,000 0.15 0.15
-2.1%
Compound average 0.149 0.149 -2.1%
-2.1%
Compoundannual
Compound change
average average 7,500
annual change
annual change
7,500 7,500 0.10
0.10 0.10
5,000
ENERGY INTENSITY
5,000 5,000 is the ratio between
0.05 the gross inland
Global primary 2,500
energy 0.05 0.05 consumption of
Global intensity
Global primary primary
2,500 2,500 energy and GDP
energy intensity
energyprimary
Global intensity calculated for
energy supply 0
a calendar year.
Global primary
Global primary 0
energy supply
energy supply 0 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 20150 0
Note: Dollars are at constant purchasing 2010 parities.
2010 power 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015

Countries with Energy Efficiency Targets, 2016

EE target previously existing,

no new target in 2015/2016

No EE target previously existing,

new target in 2015/2016
EE target previously existing,
new target in 2015/2016
Source: REN21 Policy Database

Countries with Energy Efficiency Policies, 2016

EE policy previously existing,

no new policy in 2016

No EE policy previously existing,

new policy in 2016*
EE policy previously existing,
new policy in 2016

* Djibouti is the only country known

to be in this category. Source: REN21 Policy Database

39
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

FEATURE 2017: DECONSTRUCTING BASELOAD

Conceptual Progression from the Baseload Paradigm to a New Paradigm of 100% Renewable Electricity

A) The Baseload Paradigm

Power
Power
generation
generation

Peak
Peak

Power
Power
generation
generation
Intermediate
Intermediate
andPeak
and
Peak dispatchable
dispatchable
Power
Power
generation
generation

Peak
Peak
Intermediate
Intermediate
andBaseload
and
dispatchable
Baseloaddispatchable
Intermediate
Intermediate
andand
dispatchable
dispatchable
0:000:00 4:004:00 8:008:00 12:0012:00 16:0016:00 20:00
20:00 24:00
24:00
Baseload
Baseload

Baseload
In the early stages of progression to larger shares of variableBaseload
renewable generation, power systems make some
0:000:00 4:004:00 8:008:00 12:00
adjustments in 12:00 16:00
their grid 16:00 20:00
operations,20:00 24:00
develop 24:00
forecasting systems for renewable energy production,
and introduce improved control technology and operating procedures for efficient Power
Power
generation
generation
scheduling and dispatch.
0:000:00 Demand
4:004:00
shiftshift8:008:00
Demand 12:00
12:00 16:00
16:00 20:00
20:00 24:00
24:00
Demand
Demand
shift
shift R toRearly
to early
morning
morning
lowslows
B) The Early Transition
Peak
Peak Power
Power
generation
generation
Demand shiftshift
Demand
Intermediate
Intermediate
Demand
Demand shift
shift R toRearly
to early
morning
morning
lowslows
andand dispatchable Power
dispatchable Power
generation
generation
Demand shiftshift
Demand Peak
Peak
Demand
Demand shift
shift R toRearly
to early
morning
morning
lowslows
Baseload
Baseload
Intermediate
Intermediate
Peak
andPeak
and
dispatchable
dispatchable
Variable
Variable
Intermediate
Intermediate
renewable
renewable
andBaseload
and energy
energy
dispatchable
dispatchable
Baseload
0:000:00 4:004:00 8:008:00 12:0012:00 16:0016:00 20:00
20:00 24:00
24:00

Variable
Variable
Baseload
Baseload
renewable
renewable
energy
energy
0:000:00 4:004:00 8:008:00 12:00
12:00 16:00
16:00 20:00
20:00 24:00
24:00 Variable
Variable
renewable
renewable
energy
energy
0:000:00 4:004:00 8:008:00 12:00
12:00 16:00
16:00 20:00
20:00 24:00
24:00
In the late stages of progression towards fully renewable power systems, variable renewable power will be integrated
Power
Power
generation
generation
through advanced resource forecasting, grid reinforcements and strengthened interconnections, improved information
and control technologies for grid operations, widespread deployment of storage technologies, greaterRefficiency
Over-production
Over-production forRstorage and
for storage
Over-production
Over-production or trade
or trade
(for storage/ scope of demand response, and coupling of electricity, heating and cooling, and transport sectors.
(for storage/
export)
export) Storage
Storage
or or Power
Power
generation
generation fromfrom
solarsolar
and and
import/trade
import/trade windwind
peakspeaks
C) A New Paradigm
Over-production
Over-production Over-production
Over-production R forRstorage
for storage
or trade
or trade
(for storage/
(for storage/
Power
Power
generation
generation
* *
export)
export) Dispatchable
Dispatchable
Storage
Storage
or or fromfrom
solar
solar
Rand
R for for and
storage
storage
Over-production
Over-production Over-production
Over-production
import/trade
import/trade windwind
peaks
orpeaks
trade
or trade
(for (for
storage/
storage/
export)
export) Storage
Storage
or or fromfrom
solarsolar
and and
import/trade
import/trade
Variable
Variable windwind
peakspeaks * *
Dispatchable
Dispatchable
renewable
renewable
energy
energy
* *
Dispatchable
Dispatchable
0:000:00 4:004:00 8:008:00 12:0012:00 16:0016:00 20:00
20:00 24:00
24:00
Variable
Variable * CSP
* CSP
withwith
thermal
thermal
energy
energy
storage
storage
renewable
renewable
energy
energy
Variable
Variable
0:000:00 4:004:00 8:008:00 12:00
12:00 16:00
16:00 20:00
20:00 24:00
24:00 renewable
renewable
energy
energy * CSP
* CSP
withwith
thermal
thermal
energy
energy
storage
storage

0:000:00 4:004:00 8:008:00 12:00

12:00 16:00
16:00 20:00
20:00 24:00
24:00
* CSP
* CSP
withwith
thermal
thermal
energy
energy
storage
storage

Coal- Oil- Diesel Nuclear Natural Hydro- Bio- Solar PV Geothermal Wind power
fired fired generator gas-fired power power and CSP power

40
Overview of Approximate Impacts and Responses to Rising Shares of Variable Renewable Energy

Share of generation by variable resources

over 50%

Impacts No noticeable Small increase in Growing supply Elevated supply Structural surplus
impacts. supply variability ­variability and variability and of VRE generation
and uncertainty is ­uncertainty has uncertainty has and seasonal
noticeable at the significant impacts major impacts energy imbalances.
system operations at the system ­ at the system
level. operations level. operations level.
Limited impact Noticeable impact Noticeable impact
on operations of on operations of on operations of
individual power some power plants. virtually all power
plants. plants.

Response No additional Some adjust- Significant changes to Major changes to Additional steps to
Requirements measures. ments in system system operations. system operations. manage supply and
operations and demand imbalances.
grid infrastructure. Greater flexibility of Significant additional
supply and demand. flexibility of supply
and demand.
Some grid reinforce-
ment for voltage Significant grid
and frequency stability. reinforcement for
voltage and
frequency stability.

Resource
forecasting n nn nnn nnn
Grid operations n nn nnn nnn
RESPONSES

Storage n nn nnn
Demand
management n nn nnn
Grid
reinforcement n nn nnn
Sector coupling n nnn
Examples of Gathering Establishing a Managing variability Improving signifi- Sector coupling
Technological and information renewable energy through advanced cantly the efficiency – electrification
about grid production fore- resource forecasting, and scope of of heating, cooling
Operational conditions cast system. improved transmission demand response and transport as
Responses and planning, infrastructure and with better informa- a daily, weekly and
including Introducing a significantly more tion and control even seasonal buffer
technical improved control dynamic operation of technology. for VRE generation.
standards, for technology and a growing number of
future growth operating proce- dispatchable system Deploying signif­icant Converting electricity
in VRE. dures for efficient resources. additional advanced into chemical forms
scheduling and storage on the grid that can be stored
dispatch of system Co-ordination across and behind the meter (e.g., hydrogen).
resources. control areas with for energy balancing
the aid of improved and for voltage and
information and frequency support.
control technology,
and strengthened
transmission
interconnections.

Countries with Indonesia, Australia, Austria, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Ireland

This Range of Mexico, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Spain,
South Africa Chile, China, India, the United Kingdom,
VRE Penetration the Netherlands, Uruguay
New Zealand,
Sweden

Note: This table represents generalisations. Various impacts and priorities for technological and operational responses will vary by system and will not be confined
to a single path.

41
 HIGHLIGHTS 2017

INVESTMENT TRENDS 2016

Figure H1. Hydropower Global Capacity, Shares of Top Six Countries and Rest of World, 2016

MAKING THE CONNECTIONS

Good decisions require up-to-date information. The Renewables
Global Status Report (GSR) tracks the annual development of
renewables, using the most up-to-date information and data
available. Its neutral, fact-based approach documents in detail
the annual developments in market, industry and policy. The
report is a collaborative effort, drawing on an international
network of more than 800 authors, contributors, and reviewers
from over 155 countries. Now in its twelfth year the GSR is the
most frequently referenced report on renewable energy market,
industry, and policy trends.
Advancing the Global Renewable Energy Transition:
Highlights of the REN21’s Renewables 2017 Global Status
Report in Perspective is a complementary publication to help
decision makers understand the evolution of the renewable
energy sector in the context of the overall energy transition.
It looks at positive developments that occurred over the
past year, notes areas where progress is lagging and offers
recommendations for how to speed up the energy transition
with renewables.
While the Renewables Global Status Report series provides a
real-time snapshot of what is happening, REN21’s Renewables
Global Futures Report series presents thinking about how
a renewable energy future will evolve. This series presents a
range of credible possibilities for the future of renewable energy.
It does not present just one vision of the future, but rather a
full and objective range of visions, based on the collective and
contemporary thinking of many.
Collectively these reports illustrate the distance between where
we are now and what needs to happen if an energy transition
with renewables is to be achieved.
The Renewables Global Futures Report: Great debates
towards 100% renewable energy was released in
April 2017. The report documents global views about the
feasibility of achieving a 100% renewable energy future
by mid-century. While there may be agreement that we
need to decarbonise our energy system, there is no one
way to achieve this; what works in one country does not
necessarily work in another. The report analyses the views
of over 110 renowned energy experts from around the world
who were interviewed over the course of 2016. It does not
predict the future. The report is meant to spur debate about
the opportunities and challenges of a 100% renewable
energy future and, in turn, to support good decision making.

Access to the reports:

www.ren21.net/GSR and www.ren21.net/GFR

42
The REN21 Secretariat has produced this document to highlight the important trends that have occurred in 2016 and put them
in perspective of the global energy transition. It draws on elements from its Renewables 2017 Global Status Report.
Authoring support: Kelly Rigg (The Varda Group)
GSR 2017 PRODUCTION & AUTHORING TEAM
RESEARCH DIRECTION AND
LEAD AUTHORSHIP
Janet L. Sawin (Sunna Research)
Kristin Seyboth
(KMS Research and Consulting)
Freyr Sverrisson (Sunna Research)
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
AND GSR COMMUNITY
MANAGEMENT
(REN21 SECRETARIAT)
Rana Adib
Hannah E. Murdock
REN21 is committed to
mobilising global action
to meet SEforALL objectives.
PHOTO CREDITS
page 6-7 jasonblackeye.com/
unsplash.com
page 9 © Alex Wong, killerfvith.
com / unsplash.com
page 10-11 Nellis Air Force Base /
© Sunpower
page 13 www.alvaroarroyo.com /
istockphoto
page 14 Staumauer Muttsee,
Switzerland / © Fotowerder
page 16-17 asharkyu / shutterstock.
com
page 18 Englebright Dam on the
Yuba River / © Gary Saxe
page 19 Khi Solar One, South Africa
/ © planet.com
CHAPTER AUTHORS SPECIAL ADVISOR
Fabiani Appavou (Ministry of Environment Adam Brown
and Sustainable Development, Mauritius)
Adam Brown
Ilya Chernyakhovskiy (NREL and RESEARCH AND PROJECT SUPPORT
21st Century Power Partnership) (REN21 SECRETARIAT)
Bärbel Epp (solrico)
Isobel Edwards, Martin Hullin,
Lon Huber (Strategen Consulting) Linh H. Nguyen, Satrio S. Prillianto,
Christine Lins (REN21 Secretariat) Katharina Satzinger
Jeffrey Logan (NREL and 21st Century
Power Partnership)
Lorcan Lyons (Lorcan Lyons Consulting)
COMMUNICATION SUPPORT
Michael Milligan (National Renewable Laura E. Williamson, Lewis Ashworth
Energy Laboratory (NREL) and 21st
Century Power Partnership)
EDITING, DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Evan Musolino
Thomas Nowak (European Heat Pump Lisa Mastny, Editor
Association) weeks.de Werbeagentur GmbH, Design
Pia Otte (Centre for Rural Research)
Janet L. Sawin (Sunna Research) PRODUCTION
Kristin Seyboth (KMS Research and
Consulting) REN21 Secretariat, Paris, France
Jonathan Skeen (SOLA Future Energy)
Benjamin Sovacool (Aarhus University /
University of Sussex)
Freyr Sverrisson (Sunna Research)
Bert Witkamp (AVERE, The European
Association for Electromobility)
Owen Zinaman (NREL and 21st Century
Power Partnership)
DISCLAIMER:
REN21 releases issue papers and reports to emphasise the importance of renewable energy
and to generate discussion on issues central to the promotion of renewable energy. While
REN21 papers and reports have benefited from the considerations and input from the REN21
community, they do not necessarily represent a consensus among network participants on
any given point. Although the information given in this report is the best available to the authors
at the time, REN21 and its participants cannot be held liable for its accuracy and correctness.
page 21 Stockr / shutterstock.com page 30 NREL / © Warren Gretz
page 23 © Dennis Schroeder / page 32-33 shutterstock.com
NREL
Production line /
page 26 Heizwerk Freiham, © Nordex
Munich, Germany /
© Marcus Schlaf page 34 © Simpa Networks, India
page 35 © Global Alliance for
Dieng geothermal
wells / © Noor Patria Clean Cookstoves
Budhiekusuma
page 38 Roenkhausen, Germany
page 27 Johnson76 / shutterstock. © Hans Blossey
com
page 42-43 Energy Storage /
Lake Kwiecko, Zydowo, © Stornetic
Poland / © Lukasz
Siekierski
page 28-29 shutterstock.com
43
HIGHLIGHTS

2017

Printed on 100 % recycled paper

RENEWABLES 2017
GLOBAL STATUS REPORT
For further details and access to the report
and references, visit www.ren21.net/GSR

REN21 Secretariat
c/o UN Environment
1 Rue Miollis
Building VII
75015 Paris
France

www.ren21.net ISBN
ISBN978-3-9818107-7-6
978-3-9815934-7-1
ADVANCING THE GLOBAL
RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION

Highlights of the REN21

Renewables 2017
Global Status Report
in perspective

2017