April 11, 2025

by AEA in News

Ember: Warming’s 2024 share of global power demand rise was covered with fossil fuels

According to Ember’s new figures, renewable energy sources met almost three quarters of last year’s increase in the world’s electricity demand. Together with nuclear energy, they would have covered almost the entire jump if it wasn’t for the share attributed to the annual increase in temperatures. Looking at it the other way around, the need for additional cooling accounted for the overwhelming part of the rise in fossil fuel use, and at the same time the resulting additional emissions contributed to the acceleration of global warming.

The share of low-carbon sources rose to a historic 40.9% of global output in 2024. Photovoltaics made up 55.2% of renewable electricity production growth. Hungary, Greece and Bulgaria are among the world’s strongest solar power producers while Turkey has one of the highest power demand growth rates.

Taken together, wind and solar power, hydroelectric plants, other renewables and nuclear energy amounted to 40.9% of global electricity generation in 2024. One year earlier, the level was 39.4%. Last year’s share was the highest since the 1940s, when the global electricity system was fifty times smaller, Ember said in its Global Electricity Review 2025.

At the time, there was only hydropower and some biomass on the list. Solar power has been the main factor of change over the past several years, and so has China.

Global electricity demand jumped 4% last year or 1.17 PWh, amplified by heatwaves, and reached an all-time high of 30.9 PWh. Periods of higher temperatures in another hottest year ever drove up demand for cooling. The relative increase in 2023 was 2.6%.

Hydropower remained the largest source of low-carbon electricity (14.3%), followed by nuclear (9%). Wind (8.1%) and photovoltaics (6.9%) are rapidly gaining ground and together they overtook hydro in 2024, while nuclear’s share reached a 45-year low.

Renewables meet 73.2% of growth in world power demand

Renewable power sources accounted for 858 TWh of added output. The previous record of 577 TWh was set two years earlier, as hydropower dropped in 2023, also mostly because of heat.

EVs, heat pumps, data centers and other new drivers of power demand more than doubled their share in annual growth in five years

Renewables met 73.2% of growth in demand and nuclear energy covered 5.9%. Together, they nearly accounted for all growth except the temperature effects, and the rest was from fossil fuels.

Interestingly, looking at it the other way around, the need for additional cooling accounted for the overwhelming part of the rise in fossil fuel use. Of course, the resulting additional emissions contributed to the acceleration of global warming.

Fossil fuel use would have remained almost unchanged if temperatures didn’t grow, the think tank claims. Global power sector emissions rose by 1.6% to a new all-time high of 14.6 billion tonnes of CO2.

But at least the demand for cooling during the day mostly runs in parallel to solar power production. Moreover, the pace of energy storage capacity increase still isn’t keeping up with the growing need to balance photovoltaics and wind power, as they depend on the weather.

However, the update focuses only on one indicator, within the annual growth in power demand. The system is much more complex and fossil fuels weren’t only and directly used for cooling. There is also the matter of distribution across segments from the entire output.

New drivers of demand such as electric vehicles, heat pumps and data centers contributed roughly the same to annual demand growth as the temperature effect, but more than twice as much as they did five years before.

China nearing one third of global electricity demand

China’s electricity demand surged 6.6% or by 623 TWh, which accounted for more than half of the global rise. Its 10.07 PWh in total was 32.6% of the overall figure. Five years before the country was at 28%. Renewables and nuclear energy covered 81% of its demand increase.

China’s per capita electricity use overtook France’s for the first time last year

The United States is number two overall, with 4.4 PWh in 2024 or 14.3% of the global level. China’s per capita electricity use overtook France’s for the first time, and was five times that of India’s.

Turkey’s growth rate, 5.6%, was among the highest on the planet. In absolute terms, demand jumped 18 TWh.

Photovoltaics beat coal power in 2024 in EU

Solar power production spiked by a stunning 29%, which was a six-year high, or by 474 TWh. Photovoltaics were the largest segment of new electricity for the third year in a row and grew the fastest for the 20th straight year. Total output reached 2.13 PWh.

Global solar power capacity reached 1 TW in 2022 after decades of growth, but it surpassed 2 TW only two years later. China amounted to 53% of the increase in PV generation in 2024.

Solar power topped coal power output in the European Union for the first time. As for the share of domestic production, Hungary tops the global list, with 25%. Chile is second at 22%, and Greece is third and best, with 22%, among the countries that Balkan Green Energy News mainly tracks.

Bulgaria is also in the main chart, coming in ninth on a global scale, with 14.4%.

As for solar power production per capita, Australia leads by far with 1.87 MWh, followed by the United Arab Emirates (1.29 MWh) and Greece, also at 1.29 MWh on a rounded basis. Hungary is seventh in the category, at 971 kWh per person.

In the rest of Southeastern Europe, Turkey sticks out as tenth on the planet in hydropower output, at 75 TWh. Albania has the fourth-highest share of domestic production, 97%.

Notably, Kosovo* tops the list of coal’s share in electricity production, with 92%. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia still seem pretty much stuck with the technology. They are fifth and sixth, respectively, both at 63% on a rounded basis.

Post Views:47

* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

April 8, 2025

by AEA in News

Share of coal power in Finland nearly zero as cogeneration plant shuts down

Helsinki’s municipal energy company Helen closed its last coal facility. Together with the country’s remaining plants that use the solid fossil fuel, Salmisaari accounted for just 0.8% of the electricity mix in 2024. The Government of Finland earlier set May 1, 2029, as the coal exit date.

Two years ago, the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor of 1.6 GW, the strongest in Europe, entered commercial operation. Apparently it helped the energy system of Finland to almost eliminate coal from the board. Helen, controlled by the local authority of the capital Helsinki, closed its Hanasaari B plant in 2023, leaving the Salmisaari combined heat and power (CHP) facility as the only one using coal. This week the company shut it down.

Finland is now using neglectable quantities of coal. Salmisaari has 177 MW in power capacity and 300 MW for heat. Together with the country’s remaining three coal power plants, it accounted for a mere 0.8% of the electricity mix last year, Coal-Free Finland and Beyond Fossil Fuels said.

Moreover, coal amounts to just 30% of fuel in Vaskiluoto 2. The facility mostly uses biomass. The operator of the Martinlaakso coal unit is eliminating fossil fuels from regular operations next year. The third one, Meri-Pori, is in strategic reserve.

Share of coal in Finland is marginal

Finland will retain reserve coal capacity for security of supply purposes, which can be deployed if necessary, Helen said. In addition, some energy companies use small amounts of coal in their energy production for peak, reserve and security of supply reasons, it added. The law forbids using coal in energy production after May 1, 2029.

Wind power output more than doubled in Finland since 2020, reaching a quarter of the total. At the same time, coal-fired generation plummeted 73% while fossil gas is down 82%, according to the report. “Finland has shown what’s possible when clear political signals are matched with rapid investments in renewable power,” said Deputy Campaign Director at Beyond Fossil Fuels Cyrille Cormier. The group called on the authorities to double down on renewables and clean flexibility.

Finnish energy experts can pull off impossible tasks

Helen delayed the closure of Salmisaari by a year. Coal still accounted for 64% of the company’s district heating supply in 2022!

The utility managed to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80% since 1990. It aims to reach 95% by the end of the decade.

“Helen giving up coal and, at the same time, foreign imported energy with regard to it, will remain a significant part of our country’s industrial history and shows that Finnish energy expertise enables actions that initially seemed impossible,” Chief Executive Officer Olli Sirkka said.

Helen transitioning to clean solutions

Helen is shifting to clean solutions. It enables operating more profitably with lower prices, the CEO pointed out. A range of facilities are under construction.

Heat production is mainly moving to heat pumps – utilizing waste and environmental heat – electric boilers, energy storage and sustainable biofuels. Helen will lean on wind, nuclear energy, hydropower and photovoltaics for electricity.

The new units in Salmisaari will be two electric boilers of a combined 100 MW, in combination with a heat pump of 33 MW in external capacity, as well as a 153 MW plant burning wood pellets. Helen is planning a 200 MW electric boiler facility of four units in Hanasaari, able to store 1 GWh of heat. It would currently be the biggest in Europe.

Helsinki has the ambition to reach climate neutrality by 2030, though including external offsets. It would eliminate them within the following ten years, which means only the city’s carbon sinks are included in the equation. The next step is turning carbon negative.

Market forces are decimating the remaining coal power capacity in Europe as it is expensive because of emissions rights and strict environmental regulations, as well as inflexible. Germany, Poland, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo* and Turkey have the largest shares of coal in power production in the European Union and Southeastern Europe. Their phaseout deadlines are all after 2030, but the situation is changing fast.

Post Views:88

* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

April 3, 2025

by AEA in News

Energy efficiency, renewables in rural communities in Serbia’s Zlatibor region

Author: Stevan Vujasinović

The population in rural areas in the municipalities of Priboj, Čajetina and Arilje in Serbia have been heavily affected for years with frequent and prolonged interruptions in electricity supply. The interruptions not only disturb everyday life but they also substantially hinder the development of family businesses, especially in tourism and agriculture. However, solutions do exist.

Regional Development Agency Zlatibor almost simultaneously marked World Energy Efficiency Day (March 5) and International Women’s Day (March 8) last week. On the occasion, it organized “energy discussions” with members of women’s associations in rural areas of these municipalities, and the main topics were energy efficiency and renewable energy sources for rural households.

The Zlatibor mountain is one of Serbia’s main tourist and skiing resorts. It partly spans the territories of Priboj, Čajetina and Arilje.

Energy needs and challenges in rural households

“We are without power for several hours at a time in the winter. It is not only discomfort, but a serious problem for heating and preserving food, and especially for us who have guests in rural tourism”, said one of the participants at a discussion in Čajetina. The event gathered the members of the Čajetina Rural Women’s Association and Zlata association.

It became clear from the discussions that there is great interest in installing solar panels, among private households as well as hospitality facilities. However, the access to these technologies is often difficult because of high initial costs and complex procedures for obtaining subsidies, which despite growth in the available volume for the purpose still don’t meet all the existing demand.

High initial expenses and complex procedures for obtaining subsidies make the availability of solar panel installations more difficult

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many houses in the villages were built illegally, making it more difficult to access energy efficiency subsidies. Besides, the calls are too often only accessible for the beneficiaries that already have initial capital to invest, while the village population often doesn’t know about them.

The Municipality of Čajetina acknowledges the significance of energy efficiency. Last year it issued a public call for cofunding energy efficiency measures in family houses and apartments. However, targeted support for users with the vulnerable energy buyer statuses still hasn’t been provided. Assistance could additionally improve the availability of these measures to the wider population, and in fact the very people who need help the most.

Photo: Members of the Čajetina Rural Women’s Association and Zlata association (Miloš Radojević)

Possibilities for using renewable energy sources

One of the key conclusions of the discussion was that solar panels and heat pumps can significantly improve the situation. Aleksandar Macura from RES Foundation pointed out that the law already enables households to produce their own energy and exchange it with state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS). “There are sufficient examples of good practice – around 2,500 households in Serbia already use rooftop power plants and work as buyers-producers,” Macura stated.

Buyers-producers are Serbia’s legal category for prosumers.

Nevertheless, solar panels still require initial investments of several thousand euros, which is an insurmountable obstacle for many. The participants in the discussion proposed solutions such as subsidized loans with delayed payment, in installments, to make the technology more accessible both to retirees and socially disadvantaged persons.

Assembling and energy communities

Another important aspect of the discussion was the possibility of establishing energy communities. In line with European regulations, Serbia is opening the space for joint production and use of solar energy within local communities.

It means any village council could install a solar power plant and distribute the energy among households. It would be especially useful for women running family businesses in agriculture and tourism, as it would provide them with a stable energy source without leaning on an unpredictable power distribution network.

Wood is traditional but inefficient energy source

Wood biomass usage still dominates in many rural households. Some said in Arilje: “Wood is irreplaceable” and “we believe in wood!” However, for people in villages, wood is almost never, even though it is the most accessible, never the most efficient solution for heating. It is partly because of moisture in the solid fuel, and mostly because of inefficient devices.

There are fewer and fewer people in the countryside, so it is getting more difficult and more expensive to timely obtain the wood felling and preparation service, even in one’s own forest. “We have been using wood for decades, but who today can afford quality dried wood? We often heat ourselves using wet wood, which only increases consumption and air pollution,” said one of the participants in an event in Arilje, describing her experience. It was attended by women from two associations: Sibirka and Ariljka.

Photo: Members of associations Sibirka and Ariljke (Miloš Radojević)

How to proceed?

It is clear that rural communities mustn’t be left behind in the energy transition process. Solar panels, energy communities and subsidies for more efficient heating are solutions that can bring concrete changes. However, the key to success lies in a greater accessibility of these solutions for all citizens, regardless of their financial situation or the place of residence.

Energy sustainability in rural communities is not just a matter of comfort but also of the survival and development of local communities. If we want villages to be vital and economically stable, it is necessary to facilitate a stable, sustainable and affordable energy source for them. Through smart investments, better subsidy organization and the development of energy communities it is possible to significantly improve the quality of life in these areas. In addition, additional training in the usage and maintenance of energy-efficient systems can contribute to a greater deployment of the technologies.

The energy discussions with the women of the Zlatibor county was organized within the project Improving the Use of Sustainable Energy in the Zlatibor region, financed by the German Organization for International Cooperation (GIZ) by order of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – BMZ).

Post Views:152

April 3, 2025

by AEA in News

Bring clean heating and cooling to buildings: a circular energy economy in urban environments

Author: Thomas Nowak, EUSEW’s digital ambassador

Efficient heating and cooling is essential, yet much thermal energy goes to waste. What if we could avoid this thermal pollution and instead establish a circular energy economy in urban areas by recovering and recycling waste heat? Thermal networks as heat collectors and transport means, heat pumps as energy lifts, storage, and clean renewable energy sources can turn this dream into reality today.

Clean heating and cooling in cities is not happening

As the climate crisis worsens and urban populations grow, cities face increasing pressure to improve infrastructure and services. Cities need to be made more resilient against extreme weather incidents and heat waves. The use of fossil energy must be replaced by clean alternatives. This is not only a response to climate change, but also an obligation codified in EU law, notably the EU Energy performance of buildings and the Renewable Energy Directives.

The symbiosis of heat pumps, low temperature energy grids and the use of renewable electricity/heat provides a solution.

Low temperature thermal networks to unlock “the energy chest” of cities

Traditional district heating and cooling distributes high temperature thermal energy generated in central plants to its clients. Even using insulated pipes, some energy is lost in the distribution. Changing from central to decentralised networks and reducing operating temperature avoids this disadvantage. Low temperature, multi-input-output networks connect all types of buildings requiring heating and cooling. They collect waste heat from many different sources (e.g. industrial processes, offices, data centres, or public infrastructure) and distribute it where it is needed. Heat pumps raise the temperature to the required level at the point of demand.

Photo: The symbiosis of heat pumps, thermal energy grids and multiple energy sources for clean heating and cooling of apartments and buildings in cities. Source: Qvantum Industries
© Qvantum Industries AB

Heat pumps for clean thermal energy

Heat pumps extract heat from a source (air, water, ground or a thermal network), lifting it to a higher temperature level to provide heating. At the same time the source is slightly cooled. Heat pumps always provide useful heating and cooling and it depends on the system design which of these services can be used.

Connecting the many energy users and (waste) heat providers in a city through a thermal network and adding heat pumps of different types and capacities in apartments and buildings (see circles) enables the collection of waste heat and highest heating and cooling efficiency. One user’s waste heat becomes another users heat source (see figure 1).

Multiple benefits for cities

The benefits for cities of transforming their heating and cooling infrastructure are plentiful.

Replacing fossil fuels with clean energy reduces CO₂ emissions and air pollution, leading to better air quality.
Collecting waste heat from cooling limits the heat island effect in cities. Buildings equipped with cooling help citizens withstand heat waves. Cities and citizens are more resilient to already observable climate change.
Storage tanks and the energy grid itself operate as thermal battery, balancing the electric grid.
Local energy sources, used by European technology solutions and designed and installed by a European workforce, help Europe become largely independent of fossil energy.

Breaking barriers to adoption

Implementing heat pump technology and thermal networks faces challenges. Upfront investment costs, regulatory hurdles, and limited public awareness can slow progress. Cities and policymakers should incentivise modern heat pump-based heating and cooling by making deployment easy and economically attractive. Cities should make thermal networks part of their public waste heat collection infrastructure.

Convincing humans is also key. Campaigns explaining policy, highlighting the benefits of clean heating and cooling and explaining how end users will be supported in their decision making will create trust and accelerate adoption by decision makers.

A path to sustainable cities

Urban heating can become decarbonised, efficient and sustainable while creating cleaner, more affordable, and more resilient communities. The technology exists, its potential is enormous. Let’s make use of it. Clean heating and cooling is not just a choice – it is the cornerstone of Europe’s energy and climate policy.

This opinion editorial is produced in co-operation with the European Sustainable Energy Week 2025. See ec.europa.eu/eusew for open calls.

Post Views:157

May 6, 2011

by AEA in News

Heat pumps

These are devices that can extract and amplify heat obtained from a source of thermal energy.

There are several types of heat pump. All use the same basic principle of extracting heat from a source and concentrating it to obtain a higher temperature, usually then applied to water for domestic heating and hot water.The device which does this can be thought of as a refrigerator operating in reverse. It is powered by electricity, but the amount of heat energy delivered is several times more than the electrical energy consumed. The ratio of the output to the input energy is called the Coefficient of Performance (COP).As heat pumps transfer rather than produce heat they are more efficient than traditional heating systems.

Ground source heat pumps

Obtain their heat energy from the ground. The temperature of the soil even just a meter down is very stable throughout the year in the UK.The ground heat is captured using water passed through pipes buried in the ground. These can be either coils buried in the topsoil, or one or more boreholes sunk deeper into the subsoil.

Air source heat pumps

Obtain their heat from the ambient air, using a fan unit located outside the building. The pump converts heat from the air into more useful energy through a heat exchanger.Air source heat pumps can save more than 2 tons of carbon a year, emitting 50% less than gas boilers and 70% less than electric systems.As well as being used to heat in winter their cycle can be reversed to cool in the summer, when the unit takes heat out of the indoor air and releases it outside.

Water source heat pumps

These are rather rarer, using heat from a pond, lake, river stream or other body of water, to provide heating for nearby homes.The water is drawn in to the pump’s heat exchanger, where the heat is extracted and the water is returned to the source.