Seven countries now generate near 100% of their electricity from renewable energy sources                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

According to new data released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), seven countries now generate nearly 100% of their electricity from renewable energy sources, reportedly marking a monumental ‘tipping point’ in the phasing out of fossil fuels.

These new figures show that Albania, Bhutan, Nepal, Paraguay, Iceland, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo produced more than 99.7% of their electricity from geothermal, hydro, solar or wind power.

Beyond this, 40 countries reportedly generate approximately 50% of their electricity from renewable energy in 2021 and ‘22, including 11 in Europe.

Disappointly, however, the UK is not included within the exclusive 40 generating 50% as the IEA stated back in January that 41.5% of the UK’s electricity in 2022 came from renewables.

That being said, all is not lost as Scotland actually managed to generate 113% of the country’s overall electricity consumption from renewables in the same year, and 41.5% was actually a 10.5% increase on the year before; meaning that, although the UK as a whole may be trailing somewhat behind, electricity consumption from renewable energy sources is increasing significantly year upon year and, most notably, Scotland is very much leading the renewable way.

Notably, though, wind and solar are again leading these findings, with many professionals confirming that wind power has led renewable energy consumption in Scotland to date, whilst predicting that - in the coming years - solar power will follow quickly behind.

This confidence in solar power comes from pronounced improvements to solar cell efficiency in recent years, transforming efficiency rates from 26% to nearly 40%; leading scientists at the University of Exeter and University College London to claim solar power has reached an ‘irreversible tipping point’ become the world’s main source of energy by 2050.

This is a really interesting and positive take on the ever improving efficiency and increasing reliance on renewables seen in recent years.

However, to add to this, anaerobic digestion plants - yet another arm of renewable energy production - are already arguably as efficient as these new solar panels, typically ranging from between 30 and 42% efficiency in electricity production.

Add a CHP system (combined heat and power) to this equation where heat can also be used and efficiency jumps up to around 80%.  

Within this, anaerobic digestion plants are not season or weather dependent and, in fact, once an AD plant is operational, it will not and should not be ‘turned off’. In other words, AD plants will produce heat and electricity all year round, not just on sunny or windy days!

And, although we’re not negating the positive impact of wind and solar on surging renewable energy consumption, it’s important to include the impact of anaerobic digestion, EfW and other renewable energy sources in the conversation; recognising that the future of energy security doesn’t rest solely on the shoulders of sun and wind, but also on utilising energy from the 222.2 million tonnes of waste the UK produces on an annual basis - there is so much potential here that simply isn’t as widely discussed or highlighted.