Between 2000 and 2018, global renewable energy power capacity increased from
842 GW to 2350 GW (IRENA 2019). Renewable electricity generation in China,
Japan, and South Korea has grown more rapidly since the mid-2000s. China
expanded its renewable energy sector with unprecedented speed from 2006, and
there are apparent increases in both Japan and South Korea from the late 2000s
(Fig. 2.17).
0
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
)
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W
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g
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l
E
Coal
Oil
Natural gas
Hydro
Geothermal
Solar PV
Wind
Tidal
Nuclear
Biofuels
Waste
Solar thermal
Fig. 2.14 Electricity generation by source in China in 1990–2018 (GWh). Source: IEA (2019)
Fig. 2.15 Electricity generation by source in Japan in 1990–2018 (GWh). Source: IEA (2019)
48
X. Qian et al.