Renewable Energy Could Beat Coal Power for the First Time Ever – If We Play It Right

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has revealed that renewable energy capacity is expected to rise by at least 50% within five years, and in an “accelerated case”, renewables may even match coal as the world’s equally largest source of electricity.

“Renewables are already the world’s second largest source of electricity, but their deployment still needs to accelerate if we are to achieve long-term climate, air quality and energy access goals,” says IEA executive director Dr Birol.

In order for the “accelerated case” – where renewables grow more quickly than expected – to be achieved, the IEA highlights three challenges that need to be addressed: policy and regulatory uncertainty, high investment risks in developing countries and system integration of wind and solar in some countries.