Ember, a global energy think tank, reports that 2024 marked a historic shift in electricity generation: for the first time since the 1940s, low-carbon sources—such as renewables and nuclear—accounted for more than 40% of global electricity.
Solar power generation is increasing more rapidly in Central and Eastern Europe than in any other region on the continent, outpacing the growth seen in wealthier and sunnier areas.
Ember estimates that 20% of global electricity generation across midday peaks on the solstice today will come from solar and in the entire month of June.
Last year marked a significant milestone as renewable energy surpassed 30% of the world's electricity generation for the first time.
In the past year, wind energy production in Europe surpassed that of gas-fired power plants for the first time.
Wind and solar energy reached a record high of 12% of global electricity generation in 2022. All renewable energy sources, including nuclear power, comprised 39% of global electricity last year. Meanwhile, EU countries are lagging behind with wind power expansion.
Microsoft has achieved its goal of matching 100% of its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy, reaching the milestone five years ahead of its 2025 target. The achievement supports the company's commitment to become carbon negative by 2030.
The recent weakening of the CSRD may have some real estate developers cheering the compliance rollbacks, but the consequences could be complicated. A new research survey examines how EU real estate firms are navigating changes to the CSRD, and what that could mean for upcoming SFDR revisions.
Waldevar Energy has begun construction on two utility-scale photovoltaic parks for Doral Energy in Tudor Vladimirescu (Brăila County) and Ștefan Vodă (Călărași County), Romania. The projects will deliver 14 MWp of installed capacity using around 25,000 photovoltaic panels.
Lidl Romania has published its eighth sustainability report for the 2024 financial year, announcing accelerated progress in reducing environmental impact. The retailer has achieved its international 2030 target for transitioning to natural refrigerants, with these now used in 100% of logistics centres and 81.7% of stores, compared to the original goal of 100% of logistics centres and 40% of stores. The company has also increased its green energy usage to 80% of total consumption.
The European Union has reached a provisional agreement to reduce the scope and stringency of two major ESG regulatory frameworks: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
