Please note!

This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.

Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

FACT BRIEF

Have solar and wind power increased significantly in recent years?

Monday, April 4, 2022

By Lisa Freedland

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YES

Solar and wind power generated a record 10% of global electricity in 2021, according to Ember, a nonprofit research group. This follows significant growth in solar and wind in the past few years, which have doubled as a share of global electricity since 2015. Sustainable energy as a whole, which includes other sources such as hydropower, biofuels and nuclear, accounted for 38% of global electricity production in 2021.

Many countries are responsible for this increase, with 50 receiving more than a tenth of their electricity from wind and solar.

In the U.S., renewable sources generated a 20% of electricity, according to the Energy Information Administration. In March, the EIA estimated that renewables will account for 44% of U.S. electricity supply by 2050.

As renewable sources grow, fossil fuel sources are projected to shrink. By 2050, the EIA estimates coal will drop from 23% to 10% and natural gas from 37% to 34% of the U.S. electricity supply.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Ember Global Electricity Review 2022

US Energy Information Administration Short-Term Energy Outlook: Electricity

US Energy Information Administration EIA projects that renewable generation will supply 44% of U.S. electricity by 2050

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

Gigafact

Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

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About fact briefs published on Gigafact

Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.