The IEA (International Energy Agency) has announced this dire forecast for next year. The cause? The increased use of fossil fuels, especially coal, which will be used to generate electricity during the post-pandemic economic recovery. Let’s take a look at the causes of this new CO2 record.

Coal-fired power plant

According to IEA estimates, after last year’s 1 % drop in electricity consumption, the economic recovery will lead to a strong upturn of 5 % in 2021 and 4 % in 2022. This will come mainly from the Asia-Pacific region. China alone will account for more than half of the world’s additional consumption in 2022.

However, this will not be enough to meet demand, and in fact will only cover around half of the increase in demand in those two years. Fossil fuels will account for 45% in 2021 and 40% in 2022.

What about renewable energies?

Renewable generation sources, which despite the recessionary dynamics of 2020 then progressed by 7%, will increase the rate to 8% this year and move to 6% in 2022.

This news comes as a surprise considering the roadmap for nations to reverse the causes of pollution and climate change in the coming years. According to the IEA’s director of energy markets, Keisuke Sadamori, “to shift to a sustainable path, we need to massively increase investment in clean energy technologies, especially renewables, and efficiency”.

How does it affect the price of electricity?

In its report, the agency also analyses the behaviour of electricity prices, which in the first half of this year have shot up by 54% compared to those in the same period in 2020, when in the year as a whole they fell by 25%.

The prediction of a new CO2 record in 2022 is frightening. We are proud to be part of the change and contribute to the improvement of the environment. If you also want to be part of the Ecozone, contact us now!