RENEWABLES 2024
GLOBAL STATUS REPORT

Renewables in Energy Demand

2024

Market Developments

Energy Demand by Region

In 2023, the G20 countries with the highest shares of renewable energy use in buildings were Iceland (where more than 90% of space heating is from geothermal), Brazil (where hydropower supplies a high share of electricity, and bioenergy is used for heating and cooking) and Canada (which relies heavily on electric heat and hydropower). 74 The lowest shares of renewables in buildings (less than 5% each) in the G20 countries were in Indonesia, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. 75

In Europe, France, Italy and Germany had above-average renewable energy shares in buildings, due largely to the use of biomass for heat. 76 In Germany, biomass (solid, liquid and gaseous) remained the leading energy source for heating and cooling, providing 78% of renewable heat in 2022. 77 In France, solid biomass i supplied 62% of renewable heat and cooling in 2022, while heat pumps accounted for around 27% ii . 78

In Asia, China's large population and energy demand continued to drive renewable heat development in the buildings sector in 2023, including significant deployments of electric heating equipment, solar thermal and geothermal energy. 79

In Africa, South Africa, along with Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria, have been at the forefront of integrating renewables such as solar, wind, and geothermal into their national energy mixes, with several projects aimed specifically at improving energy efficiency and renewable energy use in buildings. 80

In North America, policies such as the US Inflation Reduction Act helped set new records for solar PV deployment in 2023, with a large increase in residential installations. 81

In Latin America and the Caribbean, notable focus was given to geothermal energy in the Caribbean, with countries such as Dominica and Saint Lucia making significant investments to explore and develop geothermal resources, with the aim of achieving energy self-sufficiency. 82

Among developments in Oceania, Australia revised its National Construction Code to include updated efficiency standards for new buildings and major renovations, in a key shift towards energy-efficient buildings. 83 The revision supports the expansion of the home energy rating scheme to include the energy used by appliances, not just the home's thermal shell. 84 Australia's emphasis on improving energy productivity in residential buildings is part of a broader strategy under the National Energy Productivity Plan, which aims for a 40% improvement by 2030 and includes initiatives to increase the efficiency of appliances and building materials through labelling and standards. 85

New Zealand's energy strategy, still under development as of 2023, focuses greatly on leveraging the country's high share of renewable electricity for building applications. This includes increasing electricity use for heating to expand the penetration of renewables for thermal needs and further reduce the carbon footprint of residential and commercial buildings. 86

In the Middle East and North Africa region, countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have embraced net zero emission targets, some of them specific to buildings. 87

Trends by Sector and Technology

Power

In 2023, consumers continued to adopt distributed solar PV systems in response to higher grid electricity prices and favourable policy support. 88 Rooftop solar PV has become mainstream in many countries, driven by innovative business models such as net metering and net billing that combine self-consumption and feed-in tariffs for prosumers iii . 89 Rooftop solar systems accounted for around 45% of solar PV additions in 2023, with up to 446 gigawatts (GW) of capacity being commissioned. 90 Notable growth occurred in Brazil, Italy and Spain. 91 In Germany, the city of Hamburg set a pioneering standard for climate protection in the buildings sector by mandating solar PV systems on all new buildings and advancing similar requirements for existing buildings undergoing roof renovations. 92 (See Snapshot: Hamburg.)

Building-integrated PV (BIPV) and rooftop wind turbines have the potential to complement traditional solar electric panels to power buildings in the urban environment; however, these remain niche uses, and data on these markets are limited. 93

Snapshot.HAMBURG

Hamburg PIONEERING Renewable Energy Legislation with Mandatory Solar Panels on Buildings

Hamburg, a German city and federal state, is pioneering renewable energy legislation in the buildings sector, including by mandating the installation of solar panels on new buildings from 2023 and on roof renovations from 2024. The amendment of Hamburg's Climate Protection Act reinforces the city's commitment to promoting renewable energy and tackling carbon emissions, targeting a 70% reduction by 2030 compared with 1990 levels and climate-neutrality by 2045.

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Hamburg PIONEERING Renewable Energy Legislation with Mandatory Solar Panels on Buildings

Hamburg, a German city and federal state, is pioneering renewable energy legislation in the buildings sector, including by mandating the installation of solar panels on new buildings from 2023 and on roof renovations from 2024. The amendment of Hamburg's Climate Protection Act reinforces the city's commitment to promoting renewable energy and tackling carbon emissions, targeting a 70% reduction by 2030 compared with 1990 levels and climate-neutrality by 2045.

Two-thirds of electricity demand in buildings could be met by solar power and energy storage, with a potential capacity of 9.4 GW. This would require a deployment area of approximately 60 km2 (8% of Hamburg's relatively small territory). While roofs only cover around 10% of Hamburg's land area, at least 80% of the potential solar power supply would come from rooftops, with the remaining 20% deployed in agriculture (agrivoltaics) and on car parks. The largest potential is found in single-family houses, followed by multi-family houses and commercial and industrial buildings. A small-scale solar PV system (up to 10 kW) generally costs between €1,500 and €1,700 per kW, implying a payback period of under 20 years.

At the national level, the German government aims to boost the portion of renewable electricity to 80% of total consumption by 2030, as outlined in the revised Renewable Energy Sources Act of 2023.

The recently implemented Solar Package I, adopted in April 2024, sets a target of 215 GW of solar capacity in Germany by 2030, while new regulations will simplify and expedite the installation of balcony PV systems, increasing accessibility and affordability. The package introduces a ʻshared building supplyʼ model, streamlining the supply of solar power within residential buildings and reducing bureaucratic barriers.

Source: See endnote 92 for this module.

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Heat

Bioenergy continues to be the largest source of renewable heat in buildings globally. 94 However, the fastest growing renewable heat source in the sector in 2023 was renewable electricity. 95

Solar thermal systems are a prominent source of hot water for individual buildings and contributed around 6% of renewable heat in 2022. 96 An estimated 250 million dwellings were using solar thermal technologies for water heating as of 2020. 97 Large-scale solar thermal deployments have also increased. in 2022, an estimated 571 large-scale solar thermal plants were operational (mostly to provide district heating), with a combined capacity of 2.2 gigawatts-thermal. 98 China continued to lead in global solar thermal developments in 2023.

In 2022, China was responsible for nearly 90% of global direct geothermal heat consumption, with the EU accounting for most of the rest. 99 Other leaders in geothermal direct use for heating and cooling were the United States, Sweden, Türkiye and Japan; on a per capita basis, the top countries were Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Norway. 100

As of 2023, most of the world's district heating (around 90%) continued to rely on fossil fuels, particularly in China and the Russian Federation.

District heating systems, which provide heat for residential and commercial buildings from a centralised location, have large potential to meet building heat demands efficiently. 101 They can effectively integrate renewables – such as geothermal, solar thermal and bioenergy – and can incorporate thermal storage to bring flexibility to the entire energy system. 102 As of 2023, most of the world's district heating (around 90%) continued to rely on fossil fuels, particularly in China and the Russian Federation. 103 In the EU, countries such as France, Austria, and Germany still rely on fossil-based cogeneration, while Iceland meets nearly all its heating demand in buildings through geothermal district heating systems. 104

In Germany, nine solar district heating systems were under construction or in advanced planning stages as of early 2024. 105 These included the country's largest solar district heating plant, which is expected to supply 2% of the network's total annual heat requirements (up to 20% in summer) and is slated for commissioning in Leipzig in 2025. 106 In the Netherlands, a large-scale solar thermal plant neared completion in Groningen in 2023 and will connect to the local district heating grid. 107 Three companies – Solarfields, K3 and TVP Solar – came together to found a special purpose vehicle for the project, ultimately reducing the risk for financial institutions associated with the required USD 25 million (EUR 23 million) in capital expenditure. 108 Solar district heating plants in Kosovo and Serbia were also in planning stages. 109

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Cooling

Renewables are increasingly being used to cool buildings. Renewable energy, heat pumps, novel air conditioning technologies and passive building designs are increasingly being used to efficiently cool buildings and reduce energy consumption. Nascent solar thermal cooling systems can use natural refrigerants such as water and ammonia, offering a way to meet rapidly growing demand for air conditioners. 110

In Southeast Asia, as incomes rise and populations grow, the demand for air conditioning has boomed, and the region has set ambitious milestones for upgrading cooling technologies. 111 Cambodia – where heat stress leads to an annual loss in the gross domestic product (GDP) of at least USD 1.12 billion – has increased its attention to cooling needs; in 2023, it launched a new National Cooling Action Plan focused on five areas: building space cooling, the food and healthcare cold chains, mobile air conditioning and process cooling. 112 South Africa launched its National Cooling Action Plan in early 2023, showing a pro-active approach to enhancing energy efficiency and reducing emissions from space cooling. 113

District cooling can provide substantial energy savings by reducing reliance on air conditioners or fans. Although markets for district cooling are growing in many regions, data are not systematically collected on investments that incorporate renewables into such systems. 114 In the health-care sector, renewables are enhancing health services in hospitals in rural Africa by providing sustainable cooling, heating, and clean water solutions through solar-powered technologies, greatly improving health outcomes and advancing sustainable development goals. 115 (See Snapshot: Africa.)

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Snapshot.AFRICA

Transforming Agriculture and Mitigating Climate Change: The Nasho Solar-Powered Irrigation Project

Rural communities in Africa often lack access to health care, clean water and infrastructure, exacerbating ruralurban health disparities across the continent. Unreliable electricity and water supply makes it challenging to maintain proper cooling and heating, essential for adequate storage of medicine and blood plasma. Demand for cooling and refrigeration in Africa is expected to grow significantly until 2030 owing to population growth, rising living standards and increasing temperatures. Access to cooling is key to achieving various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, including those concerning health and well-being (SDG3) and poverty (SDG1).

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Transforming Agriculture and Mitigating Climate Change: The Nasho Solar-Powered Irrigation Project

Rural communities in Africa often lack access to health care, clean water and infrastructure, exacerbating ruralurban health disparities across the continent. Unreliable electricity and water supply makes it challenging to maintain proper cooling and heating, essential for adequate storage of medicine and blood plasma. Demand for cooling and refrigeration in Africa is expected to grow significantly until 2030 owing to population growth, rising living standards and increasing temperatures. Access to cooling is key to achieving various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, including those concerning health and well-being (SDG3) and poverty (SDG1).

The Sustainable Off-grid Solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa (SophiA) project, funded by the European Commission, aims to improve cooling and heating systems in remote hospitals in African countries. This four-year initiative (2020-2024) brings together 13 African and European partners to develop cooling facilities and technologies for water processing and electricity generation, thereby elevating working conditions and treatment standards in remote hospitals. The first facility was installed at the Léo Hospital in Burkina Faso in May 2024, with three more planned in Uganda, Cameroon and Malawi.

The cooling systems are built into a 40-foot container and powered by integrated solar panels (24-27 kW capacity). Two containers have been developed: the Solar Cooling Container addresses cooling requirements across three different temperature ranges and the Solar Water Container produces clean and cooled drinking water, sterilized water and hot steam for the autoclaves and sustainable cooking.

The cooling container uses natural refrigerants i (ethane, CO2, and propane) to provide storage at three temperature levels: -30°C for blood plasma, -70°C for vaccines and sensitive drugs, and +5°C for medicines and food. Each container has a dedicated water-ice thermal energy storage based on refrigerant condensation that can store up to 1,500 kg of ice – enough to provide two full days of refrigeration. During the day, electricity generated by the PV panels feeds into this thermal storage system, while surplus electricity is used to power devices outside the container, such as washing machines, autoclaves and clean cooking facilities. Around 90% of the containers' electricity demand is met by solar PV, and the system also includes a 70-kW battery and a diesel generator to ensure uninterrupted supply and provide flexibility. At night, the energy-intensive propane processor is switched off to reduce reliance on batteries.

The systems are manufactured in South Africa and local companies are involved in installation. Skills are being developed with local universities and communities based on a train-the-trainer model.

The cooling systems developed by SophiA could be deployed to serve a range of functions in decentralised systems and remote areas, including providing relief in first aid situations, preserving food and supporting natural disaster response. These technologies can also be used to clean water and cooling to households.

Overall, the SophiA project signifies a major step in advancing healthcare infrastructure and renewable energy in remote areas in Africa, while fostering sustainable development pathways through low-carbon and climate-resilient trajectories, leapfrogging fossil fuels and high global warming potential refrigerant technologies.

Source: See endnote 115 for this module.

i Natural refrigerants, used in refrigerant systems, are substances that occur directly in nature, such as carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons like propane, and have a low global warming potential while being cost-effective.

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Footnotes

i Of this solid biomass, 63% comes from domestic wood consumption. This category also includes “renewable municipal waste”.

ii Note that not all heat pump output is powered by renewable electricity, as the French grid is only partially renewable (28%).

iii A prosumer is an individual, household or small business that not only consumes energy but also produces it. Prosumers may play an active role in energy storage and demand-side management.

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  105. Werner Weiss and Monika Spörk-Dür, “Solar Heat Worldwide Edition 2023”, International Energy Agency Solar Heating and Cooling Programme, 2023, https://www.iea-shc.org/Data/Sites/1/publications/Solar-Heat-Worldwide-2023.pdf. 105
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  108. Bärbel Epp, “37 MW Solar District Heating Plant in the Netherlands with Outstanding Features”, Solar Thermal World, 11 November 2022, https://solarthermalworld.org/news/37-mw-solar-district-heating-plant-in-the-netherlands-with-outstanding-features. 108
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  111. Meticulous Market Research Pvt Ltd, “Southeast Asia Air Conditioners Market to Be Worth $8.66 Billion by 2030”, GlobeNewswire News Room, 28 August 2023, https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/08/28/2732630/0/en/Southeast-Asia-Air-Conditioners-Market-to-be-Worth-8-66-Billion-by-2030-Exclusive-Report-by-Meticulous-Research.html. 111
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  115. Snapshot: Africa from the following sources: Ayat Soliman and Saroj Kumar Jha, “Closing the Access Gap for Water and Sanitation in Eastern and Southern Africa: Raising the Ambition”, World Bank, 27 March 2023, https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/water/closing-access-gap-water-and-sanitation-eastern-and-southern-africa-raising-ambition; World Health Organization, “Electricity in Health-Care Facilities”, 31 August 2023, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/electricity-in-health-care-facilities; Sustainable Energy for All, “1 in 7 People Globally Currently at High Risk Due to Lack of Access to Cooling”, 17 May 2022, https://www.seforall.org/press-releases/1-in-7-people-globally-currently-at-high-risk-due-to-lack-of-access-to-cooling; International Energy Agency, “Africa Energy Outlook 2022”, 2022, https://www.iea.org/reports/africa-energy-outlook-2022; SophiA, “Sustainable Off-Grid Solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa”, 21 March 2024, https://sophia4africa.eu; SophiA, “SophiA Solar Cooling Container”, accessed May 2024, https://sophia4africa.eu/sophia-solar-cooling; SophiA, “SophiA Solar Water Container”, accessed May 2024, https://sophia4africa.eu/sophia-solar-water-container; GEA, “What Are Natural Refrigerants?” accessed May 2024, https://www.gea.com/en/campaigns/natural-refrigerants/natural-refrigerants-climate-neutral; Institute for Energy Research, “Environmental Impacts of Lithium-Ion Batteries”, Institute for Energy Research, 11 May 2023, https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/renewable/environmental-impacts-of-lithium-ion-batteries; Oliver Schmid, Hochschule Karlsruhe, personal communication with REN21, 16 April 2024; SophiA, “Solar Technologies”, accessed April 2024, https://sophia4africa.eu/solar-technologies.115