Renewable energy sources increasing – but not in Malta

Renewable energy sources added more generation capacity than all other technologies combined in 2015, with significant investment coming from developing countries in particular, a new UN report has found.

The findings contrast with Malta’s own slow progress on renewables ahead of the 2020 target agreed with the European Commission, by when 10 per cent of Malta’s energy is expected to come from renewable sources, a goal currently considered unlikely.

The UN Environment Programme’s annual ‘Global trends in renewable energy investment’ report found a record total of €361 billion were invested in renewables across the globe last year.

In terms of generation capacity, 134GW of renewable power was added worldwide in the period under review, compared to 106GW in 2014 and 87GW in 2013. For the first time, renewables represented more than half the capacity of all technologies installed in 2015.

Last year was also notable as the first in which investment in renewables in developing countries outweighed that in developed economies.

The developing world, including China, India and Brazil, committed a total of €140 billion, up 19 per cent on 2014, while developed countries invested €116...