Wind and Solar Energy Grew YoY, but Hydro Declined

What we're showing

This graphic visualizes the year over year (YoY) change between H1 2022 and H1 2023 for major sources of electricity, using data from Ember's Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2023.

Key takeaway

The decline in global hydro generation was largely the result of droughts in China, highlighting the country's massive share of overall hydroelectric capacity. On the flipside, solar saw the largest YoY increase, with 50 countries setting new monthly solar generation records in H1 2023.

Context

This data also highlights the risk that extreme weather and climate change can impose on renewable energy, specifically hydro. California has also experienced droughts in recent years, which have negatively affected the state's hydroelectric sources.