The Progress on Global Energy Access Section in the 2024 Energy Progress Report covers the current scenario of electricity access and reductions in clean energy. Where momentum on electricity access has been strong, the number of people without electricity has only decreased by about 300 million, largely due to the lack of substantial progress in many underdeveloped regions.
Electricity Access
In 2021, about 91 percent of the global population used electricity, higher than the number of users in 2010 (83 percent). Despite swift recent progress, 13 percent of the world’s population, or 733 million people, remains without electricity, with the bulk of this population located in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The delay in infrastructure projects and resource diversion due to COVID-19 has further jeopardized the chances of bridging these gaps. Even amid such challenges, notable progress has been made in reaching universal electricity access in India via government programs and investments in rural electrification.
Clean Cooking Solutions
The transition to clean cooking solutions has not gained the speed it should have. This means, paraphrasing an old spell, that 2.4 billion cooks still count on dirty cooking types because of cost issues, habit or cultural reasons, and supply chain conflicts. The report underscores that bold, integrated policies are needed to address both sides of the supply and demand equation, including government policies to support these solutions, along with public awareness and entrepreneurship programs.
Renewables
Prices fell, and policies continued to work in favor of renewable energy. In 2021, the global proportion of renewables in total final energy consumption increased to 19.3 percent, up from 16.3 percent in 2010 as of today, among which solar and wind power took the lead. China, the United States, and the European Union are the biggest renewable investors, and they drive the expansion of renewables. Strong international, public, and private financing will be necessary, particularly in low-income countries, to maintain this momentum.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency measures account for much of the drop in energy use but will only get us partway to the target. Consequently, the global rate of improvements in energy intensity, measured as the percentage decline in primary energy use per unit of GDP, slowed to an annual rate of 1.9 percent over this period. Although still far from the 2.6 percent annual improvement needed to reach Target 7.3 by 2030, significant progress has been made in energy efficiency. This progress has been underscored by the commitment of other countries like Germany and Japan that have set good examples through sustained policy and capacity-building measures. Energy efficiency efforts include (but are not limited to) establishing energy performance standards for appliances, buildings, and roads, as well as providing financial and awareness incentives. By and large, these have worked better for appliances.
Financial Flows for Green Energy
Financial flows directed to green energy in developing countries are vital to allow the developing country partner to meet SDG 7. In 2021, these flows reached USD 23 billion, up by 10 percent from the previous year, with multilateral development banks and bilateral donors at the forefront. Such stakeholders have been instrumental in financing clean energy projects (including renewable energy installations, energy efficiency measures, and necessary technical assistance). However, we still face major challenges that can only be overcome by a scaling-up of financial commitments to meet the energy needs of developing countries and align them with their transition to sustainable energy pathways.
Summary
The progress in the 2024 Energy Progress Report signals the serious work that needs to be done for universal energy access and the scale required to promote clean energy solutions. Even with the progress and highlights we’ve achieved during this process; the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 7 is still in the works. It is necessary to strengthen international cooperation for the continuation of existing efforts, increase resources devoted to the policies in place, and continue to implement more robust frameworks to address the challenges of enabling energy access and promoting efficient end-use. Addressing both the supply and demand sides of energy access and efficiency requires targeted efforts and focused investment to effectively provide energy and help curb greenhouse gas emissions, leading to a more sustainable and equitable energy future.