Fossil Fuels Supply 57 Percent of Global Electricity as Wind and Solar Reach 17 Percent

Wind and solar reached 17 percent of global electricity generation last year, more than tripling their share from less than 5 percent a decade earlier, as hydrocarbons supplied 57 percent down from 65 percent in 2000 and nuclear fell to 9 percent, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Ember data.

The European Union drew 48 percent of its electricity from non-hydrocarbon sources and 29 percent from gas and coal. China remained the world's largest market for wind and solar capacity while also the largest consumer of coal.

OilPrice.com reported that the findings align with the Energy Institute's earlier Statistical Review of World Energy, which showed hydrocarbons continuing to dominate the electricity mix even as renewables expand. The report noted that overall energy demand is rising faster than new capacity additions, sustaining the role of coal and gas for on-demand supply.