• IEA predicts electricity demand to rise sharply in 2021 and 2022

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      Patrick Lavery

      Combustion Industry News Editor


The International Energy Agency expects electricity demand to grow by 4% in 2022 after 5% growth this year, as economies recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Of the additional electricity supplied, almost half is expected to come from the burning of fossil fuels (threatening a new peak in total annual greenhouse gas emissions the current record for which was 2019), the rest coming from new renewables and new nuclear capacity. Additional demand is expected to come largely from the Asia Pacific region, including China and India. While a new peak in GHG emissions may occur, that renewables and nuclear will cover more than half of additional electricity demand could be looked upon as encouraging, with renewables to grow a remarkable 8% this year, followed by 6% in 2022. This may still fall short of the increase seen as needed by the IEA, but it is at least approaching what is considered necessary.