Ever since the industrial revolution the world has relied on fossil fuels for energy. Coal, oil and natural gas have been the mainstay of our economies, powering industries, fuelling our transport and heating our homes.
But a new sight is emerging in the western industrial landscape: wind turbines and solar panels. Renewables’ share of the world’s energy mix is increasing and challenging the hegemony of fossil fuels.
The rise of solar has been particularly striking. Ten years ago, installed global photovoltaic capacity was about 2.8GW. By last year, that had grown to 102GW – enough to meet the energy needs of more than 30m European homes. Installed wind capacity has grown from 39GW to 282GW over the same period.