Radiography of renewable energies: a brake on a decade of investment acceleration

Solar energy continued to be the most attractive sector, with investments of US $ 3 trillion, double that of wind energy. in US markets, equities had weak results, in full fall. While the S & P 500 and Nasdaq indices fell by 5% and 7% respectively, the index NEX, which follows a hundred companies dedicated to clean energy, lost 21%.

Although with a warning. Many companies listed on this list, such as Tesla and BYD, are not directly dedicated to generating renewable and other energies, which simultaneously possess fossil badets, are excluded. In the end, among the top 20 companies, there are only three of the leading wind turbine manufacturers and only one of the photovoltaic modules.

Argentina has resisted

The year 2018 was the fifth consecutive year in which investment in global renewable energy capacity exceeded $ 250,000 million. Although this figure represents a decrease of 12% compared to the previous yearAnalysts say the decline is not yet an alarming sign in a scenario where renewable energy, especially solar PV, is becoming cheaper every day.

In South America, investment has reduced the 13,000 million US dollars. The document highlights the performance of Argentinawith what $ 1.9 billion recorded a 15% increase, largely thanks to the funding of the program's award-winning projects rENOVAR from 2016 and 2017. In our country, the funds were mainly invested in wind projects (1.3 billion USD) and solar projects (518 million USD). Although, now, the economic crisis and political uncertainties cast doubt on the future.

Among the neighbors. Brazil Renewable energy investments fell 44% ($ 3,400 million, the lowest level since 2005) and Chile decreased by 38% ($ 1.3 billion, less than the average of the last five years).

Overall, the big player was once again China, with investments from $ 88.5 billionfollowed by Europe (59.9 billion dollars), the United States (42.8 billion dollars), Japan (17.6 billion dollars) and India (11 billion dollars).

A decade that has tripled compared to the previous

Between 2010 and 2019, global investments in renewable energy (excluding large hydropower plants) amounted to more than US $ 2.6 trillion. more than triple the amount of the previous decadeand production capacity has quadrupled from 414 GW to 1,650 GW. At this point, the plot is multiplying at a staggering rate: compared to 2009, it was multiplied by 26.

With $ 758,000 million engaged, China This will be the main country in terms of amounts invested in this decade. The United States ($ 356 billion) and Japan ($ 202 billion) will follow. Although Europe as a whole is investing $ 698 billion, Germany is leading with some $ 180,000 million.

In this period, the competitiveness of renewable energies has seen a radical improvement: solar photovoltaic energy costs were reduced by 81% and those of 46% by wind, thanks to a combination of large scale manufacturing, fierce competition in the chain of solar energy. supply, the introduction of auctions in many countries and lower financing interests. But we must not lose sight of the important, besides the dollars invested and the gains made: Renewable energies generated 12.9% of global electricity this year and prevented the dispersion of 2,000 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere..

A fact to inject a dose of optimism into a dramatic situation: we must remember that fossil fuels are still there and the document says that pollutant emissions from the global energy sector have probably increased at least 10% in the period.

A secure and sustainable future will require decarbonising the energy, transport and heating sectors over time and limiting global warming to 2 ° or, ideally, 1.5 °. To get it will take even more investment.