REN21’s Renewables 2020 Global Status Report (GSR) highlights the impressive growth in renewables over the past five years but points out that governments need to take further action now to ensure a clean-energy future.

REN21’s annual report, to which IHA contributes data and analysis on the hydropower sector, is a comprehensive overview of the state of renewable energy. More than 200 GW of new renewable power generating capacity was installed in 2019, the largest increase ever, raising the total globally to 2,588 GW. Of this, hydropower capacity is 1,308 GW.

Renewables accounted for 75 per cent of the global power generating capacity additions. Solar PV appears at the top of the list with 57 per cent, followed by wind (30 per cent) and hydropower (8 per cent). The rapid growth in the installed capacity and penetration of variable renewable electricity (VRE) sources highlights the need for hydropower’s storage and flexibility services.

Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) is the most developed energy storage technology in the world. According to the report, the global energy storage market reached 183 GW in 2019, with PSH accounting for 158 GW.