Thirteenth Inventory - Edition 2011

Worldwide electricity production from renewable energy sources
Stats and figures series

             
             
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  Preface
Introduction
Organisation of the study
Methodology elements
Summary
Chapter 1
Energy production in the world: general forecasts (.pdf)
Chapter 2
Survey of regional dynamics by sector (.pdf)
Chapter 3
Electricity production from renewable sources: details per region and per country (.pdf)
Chapter 4
DRE monitoring in nine countries(.pdf)
Conclusion
 
Editor

 

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Elements of method

Several clarifications about data collection are called for, which cover electricity production from renewable sources, the availability and reliability of statistics and the choice of regions and individual countries from each region.

  • Number rounding rules.

    The unit used in the tables of this inventory is the terawatt hour (TWh). In certain countries and for certain sectors, this unit is too big to grasp the dynamic situation of the sector. The rule we have used is that if the number of the series is lower than 1 TWh, then we use three decimals instead of one to facilitate reading in gigawatt hours (GWh). Example: production of 0.153 TWh corresponds to production of 153 GWh. Reminder: 1 TWh equals 1,000 GWh, 1,000,000 MWh and 1 000 000 000 kWh.

  • Renewable origin electricity production

    Six major sectors are dealt with in this inventory: hydraulic power, geothermal energy, solar energy, wind power, biomass and marine energies. This last sector is only presented for those countries that are developing this energy source for generating electricity. Biomass has been handled specifically as we distinguish between each biomass category: i.e. solid biomass, biogas, renewable household waste and liquid biomass (biofuels). The last category is only inventoried for those countries converting this deposit into electricity. The hydraulic sector refers indiscriminately to both large and small-size hydroelectricity, while distinguishing pumped-storage hydraulic installations. The solar sector is reputed as coming only from photovoltaic power plants (on- or off- grid). In cases when the solar electricity is generated by both photovoltaic power plants and solar thermal (concentrating solar) power plants, the tables distinguish between them.

  • Conventional origin electricity production

    Three sectors have been dealt with in this inventory: fossil fuels, nuclear energy and non-renewable waste. Non-renewable waste has been handled specifically by distinguishing between non-renewable household waste and industrial waste.

  • Statistical sources

    The numbers and figures for wind power, solar and geothermal electricity have been collected and checked by Observ’ER. All figures on nuclear, fossil, hydraulic and biomass electricity come from the database of Enerdata, a company that specialises in worldwide energy data. Some of the data on the OECD countries has been consolidated using recent publications published by the IEA (International Energy Agency).

  • Data reliability

    • for the purpose of estimating photovoltaic solar electricity production we used the consolidated data published by national statistics offices or power grid managers, or alternatively estimates obtained from installed capacities, and have also resorted to load factors in the range 8-17% depending on the country (from 800 hours in Norway to 1,500 hours in Senegal). These load factors are the same as those used by experts, primarily those of the IEA.

    • in the case of wind power, the production data either corresponds to the consolidated data published by national statistics agencies or by power grid managers, or to estimates obtained from installed capacities, and also from the load factors observed during previous years.

  • Choice of regions

    Our description of electricity production at regional level is based on the geographic divisions that are generally accepted in international statistical yearbooks.

  • Choice of countries

    The countries covered in this study were selected because of their importance for regional electricity production and renewable electricity production. The rule we applied thus prompted us to cover more than 85% of the total regional production and most of the renewable electricity production. The table below describes the composition of the different regions and countries covered by this inventory.

  • The Renewable Energy directive target for 2020

    The new European Renewable Energy directive (2009/28/CE) dated 23 April 2009 has defined a binding renewable energy target (all applications: electricity, heating and transport) for each European Union country by 2020. These objectives imply the obligation to include a minimum share of renewable energies in final energy consumption (not electricity). This is defined as the energy products supplied for energy purposes to industry, transport, households, services including public services, agriculture, forestry and fishing, including the electricity and heat used by the energy sector for producing electricity and heat and electricity and heat production and transport network losses. Each European Union member country page has a header box stating its new target that is partially covered by renewably-sourced electricity production.