40% of global electricity is generated from Low Carbon

Low-carbon energy is a term used to denote a range of energy sources that produce minimal emissions of greenhouse gases when compared to traditional fossil fuel sources. These sources, namely wind, nuclear, and solar, offer a clean, sustainable and green means to generate electricity and counter the impacts of burning fossil fuel sources such as coal, gas, and oil. With the threat of climate change and air pollution looming broader than ever, the transition to low-carbon energy has become increasingly imperative globally.

Generating electricity from low-carbon sources predominantly involves harnessing wind, solar, or nuclear energy. Wind turbines convert kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical power, which a generator then transforms into electricity. Solar energy capitalizes on capturing the sun's energy using photovoltaic cells to convert the sunlight directly into electricity. Nuclear energy utilizes the heat produced during nuclear fission in the nuclear power reactors to generate steam which spins the turbines to generate electricity.

One significant advantage of low-carbon energy is its impressive carbon intensity, which refers to the emissions of CO2 equivalent per unit of electricity generated. For example, per the IPCC data, the carbon intensity for wind energy is just 11 gCO2eq/kWh, for nuclear energy it's 12 gCO2eq/kWh, and for solar energy it's 45 gCO2eq/kWh. On the other hand, traditional sources like coal and gas have a much higher carbon intensity, 820 gCO2eq/kWh and 490 gCO2eq/kWh respectively. This stark difference underscores the low emissions advantage of wind, solar, and nuclear energy over fossil fuels.

The considerable contribution of low carbon energy to global electricity generation also speaks volumes about its advantages. As of now, low-carbon energy is responsible for 39.64% of all electricity consumed globally. In particular, certain countries have taken significant strides towards harnessing low-carbon energy. For instance, in Iceland, 100% of electricity is generated from low-carbon sources. Similarly, in Norway, it accounts for 99% of electricity generation, in Sweden, it's 95%, in Canada, it's 82%, and in Finland, it's 90%. Such figures highlight the widespread adoption and dependence on low-carbon energy sources across various nations.