Nuclear’s role in decarbonizing major economies continues to be hindered by aging infrastructure, unrealized plans, and high costs, while solar and wind are expanding rapidly and outpacing nuclear in new capacity and generation, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor. 

Data in the Global Nuclear Energy Tracker show 566 gigawatts (GW), or nearly 40%, of all nuclear capacity ever proposed around the globe has been cancelled, more than what is currently operational (401 GW) or retired (116 GW) combined.

Europe’s nuclear sector has lost 122 GW of planned capacity to cancellations, more than the operating nuclear fleet of any single country. An additional 68 GW has been retired, and 90% of the remaining reactors are more than 35 years old.

At the same time, renewables deployment continues to accelerate. Data in the Global Integrated Power Tracker indicate that over 600 GW of wind and utility-scale solar capacity is in pre-construction or construction stages in Europe.

This is fourteen times the 9.3 GW of new nuclear capacity under construction, most of which is intended to replace retiring units rather than expand total capacity.

Much of this renewables capacity is expected to be operational well before new nuclear projects, due to typical renewable project lead times typically ranging from one to four years compared to a decade or more for nuclear.

This mismatch in timelines poses a critical challenge for climate goals: with only a narrow window remaining to limit warming to 1.5-2°C, nuclear’s protracted development cycles and cancellation risks leave it poorly positioned to contribute meaningfully within the required timeframe.

Joe Bernardi, Project Manager of the Global Nuclear Power Tracker at Global Energy Monitor, said, “Nuclear power lags behind wind and solar on cost, construction time, and market growth. Hinkley Point C in the United Kingdom, still years from completion, illustrates the lengthy build cycles typical of new reactors. Comparable delays in France and Finland reinforce this pattern. Meanwhile, nuclear development is minimal across most of Europe, while wind and solar continue to expand quickly with lower costs and shorter lead times.”

Contact

Joe Bernardi, Project Manager, Global Nuclear Power Tracker

Email: joe.bernardi@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Nuclear Power Tracker

The Global Nuclear Power Tracker (GNPT) is a worldwide dataset of nuclear power facilities. The GNPT catalogs every nuclear power plant unit of any capacity and of any status, including operating, announced, pre-construction, under construction, shelved, cancelled, mothballed, or retired.

The post Nuclear outpaced fourteen to one by wind and solar in Europe appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

While China’s unprecedented clean energy growth in 2025 has led to a drop in coal power output and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, coal power projects continue on the uptick despite the building momentum of the clean energy transition and climate deadlines.

Today, the  Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and Global Energy Monitor have published their H1 2025 coal power review that reveals a boom in commissioned coal projects, while new and revived proposals are the highest in a decade, both upward trends after some signs of cooling in 2024.

In H1 2025,  21 gigawatts (GW) of coal power were commissioned, the highest amount in the first half of the year since 2016, with projections for the full year exceeding 80 GW. This increase in commissions follows on the tail of the 2022-2023 coal power permitting surge that saw two new coal projects permitted per week, on average, totalling more than 100 GW of coal power approved per year. This trend will likely continue into 2026 and 2027, unless policy action is taken.

Although only 25 GW were permitted in H1 2025, new and revived projects came to 75 GW in H1 2025, the highest in a decade, and construction starts and restarts reached 46 GW, equivalent to the entire coal power capacity of South Korea. 

This rush of activity signals possible pressure from the industry to expand coal projects as a last ditch effort before China’s 2030 carbon peaking deadline, right when strategic phase-down should be the priority to meet climate goals and as clean energy is meeting all of new power demand growth.

In June 2025, coal’s share in power generation dropped to a nine-year low of 51%, and only made up 34% of China’s total installed capacity, while renewables accounted for 60%, pointing to the ongoing trend of coal losing steam while an artificial push attempts to expand rather than phase down its historic role.

Although China pledged in 2022 that coal should play a flexible, supporting role while renewables are integrated, this policy has yet to be implemented in any meaningful way. Further reform and incentives are needed to transition into scaling down coal power generation and planning a coal exit strategy: in H1 2025, only 1 GW of coal power was retired. 13 GW need to be retired by the end of 2025 to meet the 14th Five-Year Plan goal of retiring 30 GW by the end of 2025. 

With the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and 15th Five-Year Plan on the horizon, China has a critical opportunity to set binding targets and initiate policy reform that could confirm China’s role as a global leader in the energy transition.  

‘China’s clean energy boom is driving both economic growth and decarbonisation, but continued coal expansion risks holding it back. More coal power plants would not only waste investment, but also crowd out renewables–the real engine of China’s economic future. To ensure energy security and sustained economic growth, the priority now must be to build a more flexible power system, stop adding new coal power, and set a clear path for coal’s decline’, said Qi Qin, lead author of the report and China Analyst at CREA.

‘Coal power development in China in the first half of 2025 shows no sign of easing, leaving emissions on a high plateau and stranding coal in the system for years to come. To ensure meeting its carbon peaking deadline by the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China must immediately commit to a set of strong policies to phase down coal power development and shut down high-emission and low-efficiency coal units’, said Christine Shearer, Research Analyst at Global Energy Monitor.

Contacts

Qi Qin, China Analyst, CREA 

qi@energyandcleanair.org

Christine Shearer, Research Analyst, Global Energy Monitor
christine.shearer@globalenergymonitor.org 

About CREA

The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) is an independent research organisation focused on revealing the trends, causes, and health impacts, as well as the solutions to air pollution. We use scientific data, research and evidence to support the efforts of governments, companies and campaigning organisations worldwide in their efforts to move towards clean energy and clean air.  

www.energyandcleanair.org

About GEM

The Global Energy Monitor (GEM) develops and shares information in support of the worldwide movement for clean energy. By studying the evolving international energy landscape, and creating databases, reports, and interactive tools that enhance understanding, GEM seeks to build an open guide to the world’s energy system.

www.globalenergymonitor.org  

The post China’s coal power continues on the uptick despite clean energy records, climate deadlines appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

Newly-opened coal mine capacity in 2024 hit the lowest level in a decade, but the downturn could be short-lived due to a robust slate of planned projects that would jeopardise global targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor (GEM).

Data in the Global Coal Mine Tracker show production capacity at newly operating mines totalled 105 million tonnes (Mt) in 2024, marking the lowest level since 2014 and a 46% decline from 193 Mt in 2023.

The decline is largely attributed to India and China, where the slowdown was marked by delays in expansion approvals, the inherently lengthy nature of coal mine development phases, and a potential easing of supply pressures following a surge in capacity additions over the previous two years. 

However, coal developers are once again ramping up production plans, pursuing over 850 new mines, expansions, and recommission projects across 30 countries. Thirty-five mine extension projects are also under consideration. 

Nearly 90% of this proposed capacity is located within just a few countries. China leads by a wide margin, accounting for 1,350 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of proposed capacity, with most projects concentrated in the country’s north and northwest. 

India follows with 329 Mtpa, nearly half of which is being developed by state-owned Coal India. Australia ranks third with 165 Mtpa, while Russia and South Africa also host significant developments, at approximately 98 Mtpa and 73 Mtpa, respectively.

In total, 2,270 Mtpa of coal mine capacity is under development worldwide, posing a significant risk of increased methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas with over 80 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. 

The report estimates 15.7 Mt of methane could be released annually if all proposed coal mining projects are developed, surpassing the total annual greenhouse gas emissions of Japan, one of the world’s top ten emitters.

Without abatement measures, methane emissions from proposed coal mines would add to the already substantial emissions from existing operations—currently estimated by GEM at 58.9 Mt annually—bringing total emissions to a level comparable to the annual greenhouse gas output of the United States, the world’s second-largest emitter.

This rise in proposed coal mine capacity also contradicts scenarios from international bodies to cut mine output in order to align with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change. 

The International Energy Agency and United Nations have both proposed cuts to production at coal mines ranging from 39% to 75% by 2030, compared to 2020 production levels of roughly 7,607 Mt. The current pipeline of coal mines in development would only widen this gap.

Dorothy Mei, Project Manager of the Global Coal Mine Tracker at Global Energy Monitor, said, “The canary is literally and figuratively in the coal mine. Without drastically scaling back plans for new mine capacity, the world could see a massive rise in potent methane emissions that would make it all but impossible to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.”

Contact

Dorothy Mei, Project Manager, Global Coal Mine Tracker

Email: dorothy.mei@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Coal Mine Tracker

The Global Coal Mine Tracker is a worldwide dataset of coal mines and proposed projects. The tracker provides asset-level details on ownership structure, development stage and status, coal type, capacity, production, workforce size, reserves and resources, methane emissions, geolocation, and over 30 other categories. 

The most recent release of this data in July 2025 includes operating mines producing 1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) or more, with smaller mines included at discretion. The tracker also includes proposed coal mines and mine expansions with various designed capacities.

The post Ten-year low for new coal mines masks climate risk of planned projects appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

Justin is a globally recognized leader in energy and climate policy whose work has been cited by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and featured in major media outlets including Reuters, The Hill, Forbes and CBS’ 60 Minutes. 

He brings over twenty years of global climate leadership and non-profit management — including experience in organizational growth, international strategy, and fundraising. Most recently, he served as Managing Director for RMI’s Global South Program.

During his time at RMI, Justin incubated and established the organization’s Caribbean, Pacific Island, Southeast Asia, workforce development, and climate finance access programs under the auspices of the Global South Program. Under his tenure, the program expanded tenfold. He also expanded RMI’s revenue base by establishing its multilateral and bilateral partnership strategy and drove cutting-edge initiatives to advance clean energy in low and middle income countries.  

Following his appointment, Justin said, “In a complex and rapidly evolving world, GEM’s role as the gold standard for open-source, high-quality global energy infrastructure data is more vital than ever. 

“By providing trusted, freely accessible information, GEM empowers informed decisions and meaningful discourse to shape the future of our energy systems. I am honored to lead GEM’s talented team at this pivotal moment and to work with our global network of funders, partners, and communities to advance our mission.” 

GEM’s Board of Directors President Ashish Fernandes, said, “We look forward to the leadership Justin will bring to GEM. His demonstrated success in expanding RMI’s global impact, diversifying funding, and forging strategic partnerships makes him the ideal leader for GEM’s next chapter. We’re also deeply grateful to Ted for nearly two decades of dedicated service. The organization is in a stable and secure place from which to begin the next chapter of its journey.”

Under Nace’s tenure, GEM emerged as a key provider of open-source information on energy infrastructure, resources, ownership, and uses, documenting over 130,000 assets on its wiki platform. GEM now tracks more than two dozen aspects of the energy value chain, including power plants, heavy industry, oil and gas extraction, fossil fuel transportation, and energy ownership. Its data sets are used internationally by thousands of governments, academic institutions, businesses, media groups, and non-governmental organizations.

“Working alongside GEM’s talented team and dedicated supporters has been the highlight of my career. I couldn’t be prouder of our staff, and I’m happy to welcome Justin Locke into this key role,” said Nace. “With his background building and nurturing international teams and partnerships, Justin has the values and skills to take GEM to new heights. I’m thrilled by the depth of experience that he brings to the job.” 

Contact 

David Hoffman, Communications Director, Global Energy Monitor

Email: david.hoffman@globalenergymonitor.org

The post New executive director takes the helm at Global Energy Monitor appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

China continues to add solar and wind power at record pace, while the emergence of offshore wind presents an opportunity to cut fossil fuel emissions along its populous and industrial coastline, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor (GEM).

Data in the Global Solar and Wind Power Trackers show that China is currently building 510 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar and wind capacity, an increase of 57% over the previous year and an impressive three-quarters of all such capacity under construction globally. 

In total, China has 1.3 terawatts of utility-scale solar and wind capacity in development, which could generate more electricity than neighbouring Japan consumed in all of 2023.

The country has also solidified its undisputed leadership in the offshore wind sector. Though offshore wind represents only a fraction of China’s total wind power capacity at 9%, it is gaining traction as coastal provinces pursue ambitious decarbonization targets.

China’s coast hosts many of its major megacities and industrial hubs, and while they contribute roughly a quarter and a third of the nation’s solar and wind capacity, respectively, they consume about half of the country’s electricity.

In 2024, China added 4.4 GW of offshore wind capacity, accounting for over half of all additions globally that year.  As of February 2025, China had 67 GW of offshore wind projects in the development pipeline, of which 28 GW is under construction — a stark comparison to the global average outside of China at just 2% under construction. 

If China continues to grow its offshore wind capacity, the technology could help displace coal and cut carbon emissions. Guangdong province’s 11.4 GW offshore wind fleet has the potential to avoid roughly 23 million tonnes of CO₂ each year if fully operational — equivalent to burning 8.7 million tonnes of standard coal. 

Guangdong is not the only coastal province with offshore wind development running in parallel with its fossil fuel capacity. While offshore wind’s capacity to deliver stable electricity makes it particularly well-suited for decarbonizing China’s heavy industries — such as steel and petrochemical manufacturing concentrated along the east coast Bohai Rim, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta — it continues to face challenges as coal and gas are still on the rise across China.

Mengqi Zhang, researcher at Global Energy Monitor, said, “China has long been head and shoulders above the rest in building wind and solar, so it’s not surprising to see the uptick in offshore capacity. What is really impressive is just how much potential there is to displace emissions from fossil fuels and drive a clean energy transition along the coast’s industrial heartland.”

Contact

Mengqi Zhang, Researcher

Email: mengqi.zhang@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Solar And Wind Trackers

The Global Solar Power Tracker is a worldwide dataset of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal facilities. It covers all operating solar farm phases with capacities of 1 megawatt (MW) or more and all announced, pre-construction, construction, and shelved projects with capacities greater than 20 MW. The Global Wind Power Tracker is a worldwide dataset of utility-scale, on- and offshore wind facilities. It includes wind farm phases with capacities of 10 megawatts (MW) or more.

The post China’s renewables reach new heights, as offshore wind takes off appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

Air pollution from select private equity-backed fossil fuel infrastructure causes the equivalent of US$11-15 billion in health damages per year to local communities in the United States, according to a new study from the Private Equity Climate Risks project.

The report examines the public health impacts caused by emissions of non-greenhouse gas pollutants (non-GHGs)  — including sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) — from private equity-backed coal-fired power plants, liquified natural gas export terminals, and oil and gas extraction facilities. 

This research builds on the 2024 Private Equity Climate Risks Scorecard and Report that examined the greenhouse gas footprint of 21 private equity firms with investments in energy. 
Using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s CO-Benefits Risk Assessment Health Impacts Screening and Mapping Tool (COBRA) — which estimates how these particular pollutants translate into specific health harms like asthma, emergency room visits, and premature deaths — the report finds:

• Private equity-backed facilities included in the study are responsible for nearly 1,500 emergency room visits and nearly 1,000 premature deaths every year, among other impacts, totalling $11-15 billion annually.

• A small group of firms, including ArcLight, Energy Capital Partners, and Quantum Capital, are responsible for roughly 20% of these impacts. 

• Just eight facilities owned by five firms make up $5.1 of the $5.6 billion in annual health impacts in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. 

• Texas, with a large population and close proximity to private equity-backed Permian oil and gas basin operations, is one of the most heavily impacted states across all health categories. 

• The single most harmful facility in this study is the General J.M. Gavin coal plant. Located in southeastern Ohio, this plant is estimated to cause $1.7 billion in human health impacts per year, or about 19% of all health impacts in this study.

Alex Hurley, Project Manager, Global Energy Monitor, said, “Private equity plays an outsized yet obscured role in the fossil fuel economy. These findings shine a light on how people’s health is directly impacted by these investments and reinforce the critical need to transition away from fossil fuels. 

“Through their continued investment in fossil fuels, private equity commits serious harm against communities across the country, endangering the health and futures of children and adults alike through dirty emissions,” said Dustin Duong, research associate at Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund. “The tools in this report complement the consortium’s previous greenhouse gas emissions analyses and make it possible for people to see the harmful impacts of private equity’s shadowy energy holdings in a new light.

“This report demonstrates the direct health impacts of private equity’s ongoing fossil fuel investments, including the deadly Gavin coal plant—a private equity-owned asset that Sierra Club has estimated kills hundreds of people annually while it remains operational,” said Ryan Leitner, Senior Research and Campaign Coordinator at Private Equity Stakeholder Project. “As Gavin continues harming communities across multiple states, private equity firms treat it like a deadly hot potato to be passed around for profit, with Energy Capital Partners currently purchasing the plant from Blackstone, while neither firm accepts responsibility for the damage the plant inflicts.”

Contact

Alex Hurley, Project Manager, Global Energy Monitor

Email: alex.hurley@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Private Equity Climate Risks project

The Private Equity Climate Risks project investigates the role of the private equity industry in the climate crisis. The Private Equity Climate Risks consortium includes:

Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund

Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund (AFREF) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition of more than 200 civil rights, community-based, consumer, labor, business, investor, faith-based and civic groups, along with individual experts. AFREF fights to eliminate inequity and systemic racism in the financial system in service of a just and sustainable economy. Follow AFREF at ourfinancialsecurity.org and on Twitter @RealBankReform.

Global Energy Monitor

Global Energy Monitor (GEM) develops and shares information in support of the worldwide movement for clean energy. By studying the evolving international energy landscape, creating databases, reports, and interactive tools that enhance understanding, GEM seeks to build an open guide to the world’s energy system. Users of GEM’s data and reports include the International Energy Agency, United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank, and the Bloomberg Global Coal Countdown. Follow GEM at globalenergymonitor.org and on Twitter @GlobalEnergyMon.

Private Equity Stakeholder Project

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to identify, engage, and connect stakeholders affected by private equity with the goal of engaging investors and empowering communities, working families, and others impacted by private equity investments. Follow PESP at pestakeholder.org and on Twitter @PEstakeholder.

The post Health bill hits $15 billion each year from private equity-backed fossil fuels in the U.S. appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

Coal mines that have been abandoned or will close by the end of this decade hold enough potential photovoltaic (PV) solar capacity to power a country the size of Germany for a year, finds a new report from Global Energy Monitor (GEM).

The first-of-its-kind analysis draws on data in the Global Coal Mine Tracker to identify 312 surface coal mines that have been idled and degraded since 2020. These abandoned mines sprawl over 2,089 square kilometres (km²), an area nearly the size of Luxembourg. With repurposing, these coal-to-solar projects could site 103 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity on derelict lands. 

The analysis further identifies 3,731 km² of mine land that may be abandoned by operators before the end of 2030, owing to the depletion of reserves and the reported life of the mine. If those operations close, they could site an additional 185 GW of solar power capacity. 

In total, an estimated 446 coal mines and 5,820 km² of abandoned mine lands could be suitable for solar repurposing. With development, those projects could harbor nearly 300 GW of photovoltaic solar potential, equivalent to 15% of the globally installed solar capacity.

The new data on coal-to-solar projects shows that China has 90 operational coal mine-to-solar conversions, with a capacity of 14 GW, and 46 more projects, with 9 GW, in planning, while the next four major coal producers — Australia, the U.S., Indonesia and India— have nearly three quarters of the global potential for coal to solar transitions.

Not only would this conversion help the world towards the global goal of tripling renewables capacity by the end of the decade, it would also provide an economic incentive for reclamation and cleaning up the mess left after mining, which is not standard routine in much of the world. 

The report estimates 259,700 permanent jobs could be created at coal-to-solar transition sites, and another 317,500 temporary and construction jobs, more than the number of workers that the coal industry is expected to shed globally by 2035.

The greatest potential for solar redevelopment on mine lands is found in some of the world’s largest coal-producing countries — Australia, Indonesia, the United States, and India.

Cheng Cheng Wu, Project Manager for the Energy Transition Tracker at Global Energy Monitor, said, “The legacy of coal is written into the land, but that legacy does not have to define the future. The coal mine to solar transition is underway, and this potential is ready to be unlocked in major coal producers like Australia, the U.S., Indonesia and India. 

Repurposing mines for solar development offers a rare chance to bring together land restoration, local job creation, and clean energy deployment in a single strategy. With the right choices, the same ground that powered the industrial era can help power the climate solutions we now urgently need.”

Hailey Deres, Researcher at Global Energy Monitor, said “Acquiring land for global renewable energy targets has been rife with conflicts among stakeholders and decision-makers, so repurposing degraded lands could provide salient new benefits to former coal communities across the planet.”

Ryan Driskell Tate, Associate Director at Global Energy Monitor, said “We’ve seen what happens in coal communities when companies go bankrupt, axe the workers, and leave a mess behind. But mined-out coalfields harbor huge potential for powering a clean energy future. It’s already happening. We just need the right mix of incentives to put people to work building the next generation of solar in coal country.”

Contact

Cheng Cheng Wu, Project Manager, Global Energy Transition Tracker

Email: chengcheng.wu@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Coal Mine Tracker

The Global Coal Mine Tracker is a worldwide dataset of coal mines and proposed projects. The tracker provides asset-level details on ownership structure, development stage and status, coal type, capacity, production, workforce size, reserves and resources, methane emissions, geolocation, and over 30 other categories. 

The most recent release of this data in April 2024 includes operating mines producing 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) or more, with smaller mines included at discretion. The tracker also includes proposed coal mines and mine expansions with various designed capacities.

About the Global Solar Power Tracker

The Global Solar Power Tracker is a worldwide dataset of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal facilities. It covers all operating solar farm phases with capacities of 1 megawatt (MW) or more and all announced, pre-construction, construction, and shelved projects with capacities greater than 20 MW.

The most recent release of this data was in February 2025.

The post Converting closed coal mines to solar can add 15% to global capacity appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

Some of Europe’s largest oil majors are developing new extraction operations, and the resulting methane emissions could be far greater than currently reported, according to a new analysis from Global Energy Monitor. 

The report finds that 63 oil and gas fields in development globally could emit 2,300 kilotonnes of methane annually from their production activities before 2030, equivalent to all methane emissions from current fossil fuel production in Europe. 

2030 is an important yardstick for efforts to reign in methane emissions, including the Global Methane Pledge, where signatories commit to reduce methane emissions by 30% by the end of the decade.

Total, Shell, and Equinor are just a few of the companies with new fields in development where potential methane emissions from those operations could dwarf company-wide emissions being reported to the United Nations Oil and Gas Methane Program 2.0, a voluntary industry reporting body.

This highlights how the lack of mandatory, industry-wide transparency standards is problematic for global efforts to mitigate methane, an extremely potent though short-lived greenhouse gas. How methane is managed today could either buy crucial time for or irreversibly undermine long-term climate goals.

While the European Union’s new methane regulations will require all oil and gas importers to abide by new intensity standards, there is no room left in the global carbon budget to swap improvements in methane abatement for increases in oil and gas production.

Improvements made through mitigation — increasingly necessary under EU regulations and imperiled by the Trump administration — are also undermined by new oil and gas extraction.

Sarah Lerman-Sinkoff, Project Manager for the Global Methane Emitters Tracker at Global Energy Monitor, said, “Mitigating methane is a stitch in time that saves precious resources to address decarbonization in other sectors. Any new oil and gas fields are an unnecessary step in the wrong direction.”

Contact

Sarah Lerman-Sinkoff, Project Manager, Global Methane Emitters Tracker

Email: sarah.lerman.sinkoff@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Methane Emitters Tracker

The Global Methane Emitters Tracker (GMET) provides estimates of fossil fuel emissions at oil, gas, and coal extraction sites; natural gas transmission pipelines; proposed projects and reserves; and attribution of remotely-sensed methane plumes.

As of the September 2024 data update, the tracker includes methane emissions estimates for coal extraction and gas pipelines and attributions of remotely-sensed methane plume observations worldwide. GMET also associates assets from GEM’s Oil & Gas Extraction Tracker to the methane emissions estimates developed by Climate TRACE.

The post As oil majors ramp up extraction plans, spike in methane emissions far greater than reported appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

With the shelving of two coal plant proposals in Honduras and Brazil in 2025, Latin America no longer has any new coal plants under active consideration – a collapse of the 18 plants totaling 7.3 gigawatts (GW) of capacity proposed in 2015, according to new data from Global Energy Monitor (GEM).

On Wednesday, Honduras announced that it was joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), a coalition of governments and others committed to transitioning away from coal, which implies that its last coal plant proposal, the 0.1 GW Puente Alto Energy power station, will be cancelled.

GEM also now counts Brazil’s last active coal plant proposal – the 0.6 GW Pedra Altas power station – as shelved as there has been no movement on the plant’s licensing since 2023.

These developments put Latin America squarely in the realm of the UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres’s 2019 call for “no new coal,” defined as the cancelling of all unabated coal proposals not already under construction.

Brazil could help cement this status by becoming a member of the PPCA and making clear it has no intention of building new coal plants. As GEM notes in its annual Boom and Bust 2025 coal report, coal power in Brazil is heavily subsidized, with just two coal plants receiving over R$5 billion from 2020 to 2024 – costs that are passed on to all Brazilian ratepayers.

Christine Shearer, Project Manager at Global Energy Monitor, said “Honduras is signaling a decisive shift away from coal. The country is an example for others in Latin America that a coal-free future is possible. The baton is now being passed to Brazil. Brazil is in a prime position to lead the charge in the global coal-to-clean energy transition – and help keep the Paris Climate Agreement on track.”

Juliano Bueno de Araujo, PhD, Presiding Director at ARAYARA.org, said, “It is crucial for Brazil to formally join the PPCA, especially amid intense pressure from Congress advocating for coal and gas subsidies to be extended until 2050. As this year’s COP host, we cannot miss the opportunity to officially commit to no new coal.”

Contact

Christine Shearer, Project Manager, Global Coal Plant Tracker

Email: christine.shearer@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Coal Plant Tracker

The Global Coal Plant Tracker provides information on coal-fired power units from around the world generating 30 megawatts and above. It catalogs every operating coal-fired generating unit, every new unit proposed since 2010, and every unit retired since 2000. The map and underlying data is updated bi-annually, around January and July. Around April and October, partial supplemental releases also cover updates to proposed coal units outside of China.

The post Latin America shelves last plans for new coal appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

Key points

• The steel sector is set to reach just shy of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) target that 37% of global capacity relies on lower-emissions electric arc furnaces (EAF) by 2030. 
• Reaching this milestone will depend on India, which has the largest development pipeline of steelmaking capacity globally but which overwhelmingly will rely on higher-emissions, coal-based production methods unless its plans change.
• Australia and Brazil are in the driver’s seat to lead green ironmaking due to large iron ore reserves and renewable energy potential.

A key indicator of greening one of the world’s most polluting industries is within reach but will depend on whether India pursues cleaner production methods, finds Global Energy Monitor’s annual report on the global iron and steel fleet. 

Since 2021, GEM has published one of the most comprehensive reviews of iron and steelmaking capacity globally, with the aim of documenting each operating asset as well as capacity in development — projects that have been announced or are under construction.

New data in the Global Iron and Steel Tracker show that by 2030, the proportion of global steelmaking capacity relying on lower-emissions EAF is expected to reach 36%, or 868 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), just shy of the IEA’s 37% target. While the proportion of steelmaking capacity using EAF has gradually increased from the beginning of the decade, coal-based steelmaking continues to dominate.  

This trend is most visible in India, which plans on doubling its steelmaking capacity by 2030. India is now responsible for over two-fifths of global steelmaking capacity in development (352 mtpa) compared to just 140 mtpa in China.

India also accounts for over half of coal-based steelmaking capacity in development (200 mpta). India’s steel industry remains the most carbon-intensive, emitting about one-fifth to a quarter more CO₂ per tonne than China. 

While India is rapidly announcing development plans, much of this capacity has yet to break ground. Capacity in development increased by over a third — from 258 mpta in 2024 to 352 mpta in 2025 — but construction has started on only 28 mpta, or just 8%, indicating that its ambitious growth plans are more talk than action thus far.

This year’s report also incorporates for the first time data from the Global Iron Ore Mine Tracker, which documents the fundamental raw material for primary steel production. Around 98% of all iron ore mined goes into steel production, and iron ore can be directed toward green ironmaking projects in order to strategically propel the net-zero transition.

The report shows that global iron ore production hit 2,059 million tonnes last year, with Australia and Brazil accounting for 43% and 21% worldwide production, respectively. This concentration will allow the two countries to have an opportunity to influence green steel development. 
With ever growing renewable energy resources, both Australia and Brazil are well positioned to produce green hydrogen and become leaders in green ironmaking. Additionally Australia and Brazil may develop strong trade ties with booming steel industries like India in order to meet the need for green steel materials in countries with excess ore demands. 

Astrid Grigsby-Schulte, Project Manager of the Global Iron and Steel Tracker, said, “India is now the bellwether of global steel decarbonisation. If the country does not increase its plans for green steel production, the entire sector will miss an important milestone. So goes India, so goes the world.”

Contact

Astrid Grigsby-Schulte, Project Manager, Global Iron and Steel Tracker

Email: astrid.grigsby-schulte@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Iron and Steel Tracker

The Global Iron and Steel Tracker (GIST) provides information on global crude iron and steel production plants and includes every plant currently operating at a capacity of 0.5 million tonnes per year (mtpa) or more of crude iron or steel. The GIST also includes all plants meeting the 0.5 mtpa threshold that have been proposed or are under construction since 2017, or retired or mothballed since 2020. The GIST is a rebranded version of the former Global Steel Plant Tracker (GSPT) and Global Blast Furnace Tracker (GBFT) as of 2025, and now includes unit-level data on main iron and steel production units at each plant.

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2025 could mark a pivotal year for upstream gas development in Southeast Asia, with more than a dozen extraction projects slated for final investment decision (FID), the highest number in over a decade, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor. 

Data in the Global Oil and Gas Extraction Tracker and Asia Gas Tracker show one project already approved and thirteen other gas projects potentially reaching FID in 2025: five projects in Indonesia, two in Malaysia, four in Vietnam, one in Brunei, and one in Myanmar. 

If all projects reach FID, the region would eventually tap more than 20 billion cubic meters of gas production annually, an 18% increase over current output, signaling a pivot for the region’s energy transition. 

Reaching FID is a key part of a field’s development, when the decision is taken to sanction a project, essentially stating that it is deemed a worthwhile investment and the necessary permits and capital have been obtained. 

But many of these projects have faced a history of delays, and significant uncertainty exists around the likely progress of these projects. 

The projects are also located in ecologically-sensitive areas like the Coral Triangle and the Mekong Delta and could have significant negative impacts on the rich biodiversity found there. 

Warda Ajaz, Project Manager for the Asia Gas Tracker, said, “New and expanded gas production in Southeast Asia threatens the region’s biodiversity and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on it. New investment in gas will only entrench the industry and present a barrier to the development of renewables. 

As the energy transition gains momentum, the viability of these stalled developments should be re-assessed. Rather than pursuing high-risk fossil fuel ventures, Southeast Asian governments have a critical opportunity to redirect investment toward clean, scalable energy systems that support economic resilience and align with global climate commitments.”

Contact

Warda Ajaz, Project Manager, Asia Gas Tracker

Email: warda.ajaz@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Integrated Power Tracker

The Global Integrated Power Tracker (GIPT) is a free-to-use Creative Commons database of over 116,000 power units globally, that draws from GEM trackers for coal, gas, oil, hydropower, utility-scale solar, wind, nuclear, bioenergy, and geothermal, as well as energy ownership. Footnoted wiki pages accompany all power facilities included in the GIPT, updated biannually. For more information on the data collection process that underpins GEM’s power sector trackers, please refer to the Global Integrated Power Tracker methodology page.

About the Global Oil and Gas Extraction Tracker (GOGET)

GOGET is an information resource on gas oil extraction projects. The internal GOGET database is updated continuously throughout the year, and the annual release is published and distributed with a data download, summary tables, and field-level wiki pages. The data are released under a creative commons license. Commercial datasets exist but are prohibitively expensive for many would-be users. Global Energy Monitor developed GOGET so that high-quality data on these projects is available to all.

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Founding BRICS members Brazil, India, and China continue to lead the global clean energy transition, but countries that have recently joined them in the bloc are mostly pursuing fossil fuels, finds a new report from Global Energy Monitor.

Brazil, India, and China have some of the largest wind and solar fleets in the world, all ranking among the top five and seven countries globally in terms of operating wind and utility-scale solar capacity, respectively. 

In addition, the bloc has more than twice as much wind and utility-scale solar capacity as fossil fuels in development — projects that have been announced or are in the pre-construction and construction phases.  

But data in the Global Integrated Power Tracker also show 25 gigawatts (GW) of coal, oil, and gas capacity under construction in the newest BRICS countries — Indonesia, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Nigeria — versus just 2.3 GW of wind and utility-scale solar under construction.

Much of the power sector capacity in the new BRICS countries is being built by China, signaling an opportunity to provide its leadership for others in the bloc. The new analysis shows that 62% of total power capacity under construction involves Chinese state-owned enterprises, either as providers of engineering, procurement, and construction services or as financiers. 

Chinese involvement is greatest in hydropower and coal power projects, at 93% and 88% of capacity under construction, respectively. Chinese firms are backing 7.7 GW of new coal, virtually all found in Indonesia, despite President Xi’s pledge to end support for overseas coal projects. 

At the same time, China outpaces all other countries in its support for wind and solar in the new BRICS member geographies, where it is building over half the solar capacity (947 megawatts (MW)) and nearly 90% of wind capacity (601 MW).

In spite of the general dominance of fossil fuels among the new BRICS countries, most members have signaled a willingness to transition away from fossil fuel energy sources, highlighting a mismatch between their pledges and planned projects. 

Currently, eight out of the ten new members have declared some form of net-zero emissions target by 2050 or 2070, and all five of the new members that use coal for power have announced a date by which they aim to phase out coal from their energy mixes.

Founded in 2009 by its namesake countries Brazil, Russia, India, and China, the BRICS group of major-emerging economies expanded to include South Africa in 2010. Its membership in early 2024 expanded again to include Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ethiopia, and Egypt. 

As hosts of the bloc’s rotating presidency this year, Brazil announced Indonesia’s accession to full membership along with nine additional countries obtaining partner status: Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Nigeria.

The bloc now produces more than a third of global GDP and is home to roughly half of the world’s population and CO₂ emissions.

James Norman, Project Manager for the Global Integrated Power Tracker, said, “Stalwart BRICS members have an opportunity to show leadership and model their experience with the clean energy transition for new members. Instead, there’s a real risk of sending these countries down the wrong path by investing in coal, gas, and oil.”

Contact

James Norman, Project Manager, Global Integrated Power Tracker

Email: james.norman@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Integrated Power Tracker

The Global Integrated Power Tracker (GIPT) is a free-to-use Creative Commons database of over 116,000 power units globally, that draws from GEM trackers for coal, gas, oil, hydropower, utility-scale solar, wind, nuclear, bioenergy, and geothermal, as well as energy ownership. Footnoted wiki pages accompany all power facilities included in the GIPT, updated biannually. For more information on the data collection process that underpins GEM’s power sector trackers, please refer to the Global Integrated Power Tracker methodology page.

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The world added the lowest amount of coal power in 20 years, as 44 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity came online in 2024, a strong signal for the continued decline of the most polluting fossil fuel, according to Global Energy Monitor’s definitive annual survey of the global coal fleet. 

Now in its tenth year, the “Boom and Bust Coal” report strives to track nearly every coal plant and proposal in the world through the Global Coal Plant Tracker. Data in the tracker show that the coal fleet inched up less than 1% in 2024, for a net increase of 18.8 GW, as 25.2 GW of retired capacity cut into the record low additions — driven by a quadrupling of retirements in the European Union. 

The trickle of new operating capacity was mirrored in most of the world by a drying up of the pipeline of under development coal capacity — projects that have been announced or are in the pre-permit, permitting and construction phases. 

Just eight countries proposed new coal plants in 2024, down from twelve countries in 2023. In the wealthier 38 countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), coal plant proposals are down from 142 in 2015 to five today. 

New coal proposals have also dwindled in Southeast Asia, due to coal phaseout pledges in Indonesia and Malaysia, a moratorium on coal plant permitting in the Philippines, and the development of just transition planning in Vietnam. Indonesia was the only country to propose new coal plants in Southeast Asia in 2024, all captive coal plants.

Latin America is nearing zero coal proposals, with only Brazil and Honduras proposing new coal plants that have lingered for years. In 2024, Panama committed to phasing out coal power in two years, by 2026. 

Progress towards phasing out coal from the global power mix continues to be undermined by developments in China and India. Record high construction starts for coal plants in China followed on the heels of the country’s 2022 to 2023 permitting resurgence. If not curtailed, the wave of new coal plants could undo President Xi’s pledge to strictly limit the growth in coal consumption through 2025. 

India also proposed a record number of new coal plant proposals in 2024, as the government renewed the country’s support for coal power after a multi-year slowdown. The Indian government has committed to “phase down” the use of coal, but has not set a formal timeline for when such a phasedown in generation or capacity will begin.

Christine Shearer, Project Manager of Global Energy Monitor’s Global Coal Plant Tracker, said “Coal power set records last year but not the ones industry would like to see. Last year was a harbinger of things to come for coal as the clean energy transition moves full speed ahead. But work is still needed to ensure coal power is phased out in line with the Paris climate agreement, particularly in the world’s wealthiest nations.”

Key developments of 2024

• At 44 gigawatts (GW), 2024 marked the lowest level for newly operating coal power in 20 years, since 2004. The capacity commissioned was nearly 30 GW below the annual average for 2004 to 2024 (72 GW). 
• Still, the 44 GW of new coal power capacity added was higher than the 25.2 GW retired, leading to a net increase in the global coal fleet of 18.8 GW. Outside of China, coal power capacity decreased by 9.2 GW, as retirements (22.8 GW) exceeded additions (13.5 GW). 
• Retirements in the EU27 increased fourfold over 2023, from 2.7 GW to 11 GW, led by Germany (6.7 GW). Elsewhere in Europe, the UK shut down its last coal plant and became the sixth country to phase out coal power since the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
• Retirements in the U.S. fell to 4.7 GW in 2024, the lowest level since 2014. While nearly half of the remaining U.S. coal power capacity is planned to retire by 2035, utilities including PacifiCorp, Duke Energy, and Georgia Power are delaying or withdrawing planned retirements.
• Coal power capacity under development outside of China and India decreased for the tenth year in a row, falling over 80% from 445 GW in 2015 to 80 GW in 2024. Ten countries now account for 96% of coal power capacity development.
• Although OECD countries are moving away from new coal plants, retirements in the region need to more than triple — from 19 GW in 2024 to 70 GW annually through 2030 — in order to meet the international Paris climate agreement. Over 200 GW of that capacity is already over 40 years of age, beyond the average global retirement age of 37 years. 
• In Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia are seeing increases in proposed coal power capacity, much of it sponsored by Chinese companies, despite the government’s 2021 pledge to stop building new coal plants abroad.
• At 94 GW, China had the highest year for construction starts since 2015, stemming from its 2022 to 2023 permitting boom. If not curtailed, the wave of new coal plants could undo President Xi’s pledge to strictly limit the growth in coal consumption through 2025.
• The year 2024 was also a record year of new coal plant proposals in India (38 GW), with India and China alone accounting for 92% of all newly proposed coal power capacity across the globe in 2024 (107 of 116 GW).

In addition to Global Energy Monitor, the report’s co-authors are the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, E3G, Reclaim Finance, Sierra Club, Solutions for Our Climate, Kiko Network, CAN Europe, Waterkeepers Bangladesh, DHORA, Trend Asia, Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED), Chile Sustentable, POLEN Transiciones Justas, CEE Bankwatch Network, The Institute of Lawyers for the Protection of the Environment (INSAPROMA), Africa Just Transition Network (AJTN), and ARAYARA.

Contact

Christine Shearer, Project Manager for the Global Coal Plant Tracker, Global Energy Monitor

Email: christine.shearer@globalenergymonitor.org

About the Global Coal Plant Tracker

The Global Coal Plant Tracker provides information on coal-fired power units from around the world generating 30 megawatts and above. It catalogs every operating coal-fired generating unit, every new unit proposed since 2010, and every unit retired since 2000. The map and underlying data is updated bi-annually, around January and July. Around April and October, partial supplemental releases also cover updates to proposed coal units outside of China.

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The vast majority of new oil and gas extraction projects discovered, approved, and started up in 2024 were located offshore, exacerbating risks to oceans as well as running afoul of the scientific consensus that any new field is incompatible with limiting warming to 1.5°C, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor.

Data in the Global Oil and Gas Extraction Tracker show that, on and offshore globally, at least 9 billion barrels of oil equivalent (bboe) of resources were announced in new discoveries, nearly 4 bboe of reserves were approved for development, and about 6.5 bboe began to be tapped as projects started up.

Most of these developments are concentrated in the oceans. Eighty-five percent of new discoveries by volume were located in ten offshore fields. At least twelve projects reached a positive Final Investment Decision in 2024, all of which were offshore. Nineteen offshore projects produced first oil or gas in 2024 — 71% of the total volume of field startups.

Discoveries, project approvals, and startups all have marginal increases in offshore volume percentages compared to 2023.

Historically, onshore oil and gas projects account for the majority of production. However, exploration and extraction companies are focusing offshore, with increased attention on unlocking new frontier areas via high-risk, higher-cost, further offshore development. 

GOGET data show that offshore discoveries have been growing in share of global discoveries per year, accounting for about 60% in the 2010s and around 73% so far in the 2020s.
The risks from offshore drilling exist throughout the lifecycle of a project. A United Nations report recently called for, among other things, the halting of new offshore oil and gas projects until a series of safeguards and assessments is made.

Scott Zimmerman, Project Manager for the Global Oil and Gas Extraction Tracker at Global Energy Monitor, said, “’Out of sight, out of mind’ does not work in high-risk scenarios like offshore oil and gas extraction. Expansions into uncharted waters are risky bets – financially, for ecosystems, and for the climate.”

Contact

Scott Zimmerman

Project Manager, Global Oil and Gas Extraction Tracker, Global Energy Monitor

scott.zimmerman@globalenergymonitor.org

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The United States now has the second-largest pipeline of gas-fired power plants in development globally, driven in part by speculation about future energy demand to fuel a burgeoning AI industry. https://globalenergymonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GEM-briefing-US-gas-plants-AI-Energy-Demand-Feb-2025.pdf

But this glut of new projects, many of which currently languish in the earliest phases, could lead to US$85 billion in stranded assets [1] if the gas demand bubble pops, according to a new analysis from Global Energy Monitor.

Data in the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker show that over the last year, the U.S. more than doubled its oil- and gas-fired capacity in development — projects in the announced, pre-construction, and construction phases — totalling over 85 gigawatts (GW). This increase has propelled the country to second in the world, behind China, for oil- and gas-fired projects in development.

If all in-development plants are built, the U.S.’ existing oil and gas fleet would grow by 15%, at an estimated cost of over US$85 billion in capital costs. If future AI power demand does not materialize, any new gas plants built risk becoming stranded assets and either being decommissioned before the end of their economic life or experiencing significant underutilization.

Roughly two thirds of in-development plants are located in states serviced by just three grid operators: the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Midcontinent ISO (MISO) and PJM Interconnection (PJM). ERCOT covers most of Texas, MISO covers parts of 15 states, and PJM covers parts of 13 states and Washington DC.

With the gas power plant buildout facing longer construction timelines, supply constraints, and rising costs, renewables combined with battery storage are better positioned to meet an immediate rise in power demand. The levelized cost of electricity for solar and onshore wind is cheaper than any other source, including gas, in the U.S.

Jenny Martos, Project Manager for the Global Oil and Gas Plants Tracker at Global Energy Monitor, said, “With all the uncertainty around future AI energy demand, a bet this big on gas power is a risky one. Not only are construction costs and lead times for securing gas turbines increasing, but renewables and battery storage are ready now, fast to deploy and cheaper than building new gas power.”

Contact

Jenny Martos

Project Manager, Global Oil and Gas Plants Tracker, Global Energy Monitor

jenny.martos@globalenergymonitor.org

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India is on the cusp of hitting its ambitious 2030 energy targets, if the country can continue to add renewables at the same record-setting growth seen in the last year, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor. 

In 2024, renewables accounted for nearly three-quarters of the record 35 gigawatts (GW) of power capacity brought online, with the vast majority of this capacity coming from new solar photovoltaics. Data in the Global Integrated Power Tracker show that if India replicates last year’s annual wind and solar deployment until the end of the decade, the country’s renewables fleet would expand around 80% to 378 gigawatts (GW). 

With an additional 24 GW of hydropower capacity slated to come online by 2030, India would be about 100 GW short of its 500 GW target of non-fossil power capacity by 2030. Closing this gap with wind and solar would require annual capacity additions to grow year-on-year at about 15%. 

Post-pandemic wind and solar growth rates have tracked slightly above this level, suggesting that renewables expansion in line with the 500 GW target is attainable if the recent pace of growth can be maintained. Such growth would see annual wind and solar additions more than double the record levels in 2024 by 2030.

The new GEM report also shows that the combined capacity of wind, utility-scale solar, and hydropower in development — projects that have been announced or are in the pre-construction and construction phases — is on track to overtake operating coal capacity within the next two years. Utility-scale solar projects comprise nearly half of all renewables in development, with more capacity in the construction phase than for coal projects.

Still, despite the strong year, renewables only made up around one-fifth of the total increase in power generation in 2024, with fossil power contributing more than two-thirds. A significant uptick in renewables deployment is required to eat into coal’s dominance. This is because renewables tend to generate less readily than fossil sources, particularly wind and solar, which average a utilization rate of 17–22% across the year, compared to coal’s 70%.

James Norman, Project Manager for the Global Integrated Power Tracker at Global Energy Monitor, said, “The impressive growth of renewables in the last year, especially solar, shows how serious India is taking its climate targets. The clean energy transition is well underway, but without continued and sustained growth of wind and solar coal will continue to reign supreme.”

Contact

James Norman

Project Manager, Global Integrated Power Tracker, Global Energy Monitor

james.norman@globalenergymonitor.org

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Key points

• Prospective utility-scale solar and wind capacity grew by over 20% in 2024 from 3.6 terawatts (TW) to 4.4 TW, roughly equivalent to adding electricity from 400 large coal plants.
• Yet just 10% of these projects are being built by the Group of 7 (G7), despite these rich countries owning nearly half the world’s wealth.

The pipeline of prospective utility-scale solar and wind capacity grew by a fifth last year, but the world’s richest countries account for only a fraction of new construction, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor (GEM).  

The Global Solar Power Tracker and Global Wind Power Tracker include all projects that have been announced, entered pre-construction, or are currently under construction for solar capacity over 1 megawatt (MW) and utility-scale wind capacity over 10 MW. 

During 2024, prospective utility-scale solar and wind capacity grew to 4.4 TW. Utility-scale solar and wind are largely equal in their prospective development, with 2 TW and 2.5 TW, respectively. 

China has the largest prospective capacity for both utility-scale solar and wind, with over 1.3 TW — over a quarter of all prospective capacity globally — followed by Brazil (417 gigawatts (GW)), Australia (372 GW), the U.S. (218 GW), and Spain (144 GW). 

India targets adding nearly 130 GW of prospective utility-scale solar and wind capacity in the upcoming years, and 35 GW of these additions will be connected to the grid by March 2025. In the past year, India’s prospective utility-scale solar and wind capacity grew by 50%, signaling a shift in renewables planning. 

But G7 countries, who own a 45% share of global gross domestic product, are currently building just 59 GW of utility-scale solar and wind capacity. This amount is dwarfed by China, which is responsible for more than 70% of current construction on utility-scale solar and wind globally, or over 416 GW.

Meanwhile, outside of China the amount of utility-scale solar and wind capacity under construction remains low, with just 7% of prospective capacity (226 GW) currently being built. Failing to bring renewable projects online could jeopardize the pace and scale necessary for meeting the goal of tripling renewables capacity by 2030 set at COP28.

GEM data included 185 GW of solar and wind farms that were under construction as of December 2023 and designated to become operational before the end of 2024. Globally, only 59% of these projects started producing electricity on time.

Despite their lower share of total capacity, G7 countries are more likely than China and the rest of the world to finish projects on time. About 76% of solar and wind projects in G7 countries became operational within the originally planned time frame. This figure declines to 55% in China and further drops to 52% in other non-G7 countries.

Diren Kocakuşak, Research Analyst for Global Energy Monitor, said, “The growth of wind and solar in the last year is promising, but the world needs to pick up the pace and bring these projects online much faster. Addressing barriers like limitations on the physical grid, permitting bottlenecks, and lack of financing can help bring us closer to tripling renewables capacity and limiting the worst impacts of a changing climate.”

Contact

Diren Kocakuşak

Research Analyst, Global Energy Monitor

diren.kocakusak@globalenergymonitor.org

The post Global wind and solar pipeline grows, but rich nations fail to build equal share appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

Key points

• Europe is pinning its hopes on hydrogen to reduce the emissions produced by its gas infrastructure.
• But only a fraction of projects have demonstrated progress after being proposed, and scant details are known about key metrics like start dates and contracts for fuel supplies.
• Germany has among the most hydrogen projects in planning across all types of gas infrastructure tracked by GEM.

Nearly all the European projects to introduce hydrogen into gas-fired power plants, LNG terminals, and gas transmission pipelines in an effort to decarbonize the energy system have yet to move beyond the announcement phase, finds a new report from Global Energy Monitor. 

Offering one of the most comprehensive looks to date at Europe’s hydrogen infrastructure plans, and how they overlay the region’s gas network, the Europe Gas Tracker documents 96 gas-fired power plants with 44.6 gigawatts (GW) of capacity to burn hydrogen — roughly the size of Italy’s gas-fired power fleet — as well as twelve projects to expand or convert LNG terminals to import hydrogen derivatives, and 323 pipelines to transport hydrogen over 50,000 kilometers — a 40% increase in the length of hydrogen pipelines in development last year.

Hydrogen produced from renewable energy could be an important decarbonization tool in certain applications, such as industrial processes where fossil-based hydrogen is used today. However, Europe’s hydrogen plans appear, at best, out of touch with the science and economics of the fuel, and at worst, like an attempt by the oil and gas industry to extend the lifetime of Europe’s dependency on gas.

The majority of these proposed projects are still in early stages and have not advanced beyond the drafting board. Among hydrogen-burning proposals at power plants, several pilot projects have begun operating with small amounts of hydrogen, but almost three-quarters of all capacity is still in the earliest phases of only having been announced. 

More than half of these hydrogen power projects do not have a start year specified, and only a small fraction have secured memoranda of understanding, contracts, or financing for hydrogen supplies.

Among hydrogen pipeline projects, plans are split evenly between using new pipelines, retrofitting existing gas pipelines, and using a mix of new and retrofitted pipelines. However, retrofitting pipelines for hydrogen would largely entail replacing them.

The European Commission’s most recent Projects of Common Interest list offers funding and streamlined permitting to hydrogen-capable pipeline projects totaling 22,394 km. Some hydrogen pipelines on the list appear nearly identical to older gas pipeline proposals, suggesting that gas companies could be using hydrogen branding to garner support.

No hydrogen derivative import projects at LNG facilities have begun construction or taken final investment decisions indicating they will move forward, and just one pipeline to transport hydrogen gas is currently being built.

The International Energy Agency has warned that planning is far behind on projects to produce hydrogen from renewable energy sources that would supply this sprawling network. 

Meanwhile, the buildout of LNG infrastructure appears to be slowing. Several major projects came online last year, but the pace of new proposals has nearly ground to a halt, with just one new import project mooted in 2024. Five projects totalling 28.7 billion cubic meters per year in new LNG import capacity came online, two-thirds of the capacity that was added in 2023. 

As European gas demand begins to fall, these projects are unnecessary and risk wasting public and private investment.

Robert Rozansky, Project Manager for the Europe Gas Tracker, said, “A hydrogen network of this scale, with power production as a major end use, is impractical and unrealistic as a decarbonization strategy. Rather than risk locking in gas, EU policy makers should require project developers to make clear how they will source green hydrogen. This will hold regulators to account and allow for better project planning.”

Contact

Robert Rozansky

Project Manager, Global LNG Analyst, Global Energy Monitor

rob.rozansky@globalenergymonitor.org

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Data in the Global Coal Plant Tracker updated in the third quarter of 2024 show that the licenses for two coal plants — Karaburun and Kirazlıdere — were canceled due to irregularities in the environmental permitting process. Another plant, Malkara, was shelved due to a lack of activity. 

The developments have left Türkiye with just one coal plant proposal — an expansion of the sizable Afşin-Elbistan power station complex in the city of Kahramanmaraş — a remarkable development after being among the top ten countries with proposed coal-powered capacity for nearly a decade.

Since 2015 over 70 gigawatts (GW) of planned coal plant capacity in Türkiye has been called off, one of the highest rates in the world. In comparison, less than 6 GW of coal power capacity was brought online over the same timeframe.

Still, Türkiye is the only OECD member that is actively pursuing new coal plants without plans to lessen, or “abate,” the plant’s emissions through the use of carbon capture and storage technology (CCS). Of the thirteen OECD countries with coal plant proposals since 2015, all but Türkiye have pledged to stop building new, unabated coal plants. 

Proposed coal-fired capacity in the OECD has fallen from 142 proposals totaling 111 GW to five proposals totaling 3 GW since 2015, and none of the five proposals have the necessary permits for construction. All but Türkiye’s proposal include plans to adopt CCS. 

Coal plant proposals in Türkiye face a myriad of challenges, including strong public opposition and domestic lignite coal that is low-quality and unreliable, leading many plants to use higher-cost imported coal instead.

Despite the setbacks, Türkiye has not committed to ending new coal plant proposals. Its recently updated climate pledge, submitted during COP29, makes no mention of coal phaseout.

Christine Sheerer, Project Manager for the Global Coal Plant Tracker at Global Energy Monitor, said, “The time is ripe for the country’s leadership to join the rest of the OECD in committing to no new coal and embracing a clean energy future for its people. With only one coal plant proposal remaining in Türkiye, a coal-free future is visible on the horizon.” 

Contact

Christiner Sheerer, Project Manager, Global Coal Plant Tracker, Global Energy MonitorEmail: christine.sheerer@globalenergymonitor.org

The post Türkiye drops coal plans but remains alone among OECD without a ban on new coal plant permits appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.

India’s ongoing investments in new coal-based steelmaking, coupled with a young fleet of emissions-intensive blast furnaces that is set to have its operations extended, jeopardize the country’s Net Zero by 2070 target and risk saddling the country with upwards of US$187 billion in stranded assets, finds a new report from Global Energy Monitor.

Data in the Global Steel Plant Tracker show that India has the world’s largest pipeline of steelmaking capacity in development, with projects that have been announced or are in the construction phases totalling around 258 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). Emissions-intensive basic oxygen furnaces total over two-thirds of in-development capacity, and less emissions-intensive electric arc furnaces sit at a marginal 13%.

In addition, over 75 mtpa of operating blast furnace capacity was developed in the last two decades, meaning over 43 mtpa is due for relining before 2030. This relatively young fleet of blast furnaces increases the risk of emissions lock-in and poses a challenge to transitioning India’s coal-based steelmaking fleet, as many of these units may still be recovering initial investment costs.

The widespread adoption of coal as the reducing agent in direct reduced iron production is another barrier to cutting emissions in India’s steel sector. Of the direct reduced iron capacity tracked by the Global Steel Plant Tracker, more than half uses coal as the reducing agent and is sourced from domestic high-ash coal, which, while less expensive, comes with a higher emissions intensity. 

India already hosts one of the world’s most emissions-intensive steel sectors. Over 87% of India’s operating ironmaking capacity and 90% of capacity in development is dependent on coal. The steel industry in India currently accounts for over 240 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, about 12% of the country’s total carbon emissions, and that number is expected to double by 2030. 

While India’s short-term solutions to reduce emissions without significant modifications to existing production may lower emissions intensities, India will need to make the grand switch away from coal to fully decarbonize the industry and sustain its production in the long run.

Khadeeja Henna, Heavy Industry researcher at Global Energy Monitor, said, “India’s ‘build now, decarbonize later’ approach to achieving a net-zero steel industry will backfire in the long run. While the 2024 roadmap and action plan for greening the steel sector is a positive step forward, transitioning away from coal-based production is more urgent. Substantial investments are needed to build a robust green steel ecosystem, not betting on emerging decarbonization technologies that have yet to prove their mettle.”

Contact

Henna Khadeeja

Heavy Industry researcher, Global Energy Monitor

henna.khadeeja@globalenergymonitor.org

The post Coal-based steelmaking plans jeopardize India’s net-zero target appeared first on Global Energy Monitor.