Category: Uncategorized

Renewables in the electricity grid: country-by-country penetrations in 2019

Posted by Andrew – 2022/03/09

The International Renewable Energy Agency provide a huge amount of data on renewables around the world. Here’s a summary of their 2019 data on renewable electricity generation.

CountryTotal electricity (GWh)% solar% wind% hydro% other renewables% all renewables% nuclear% other
Afghanistan1.43.6%0.0%83.2%0.0%86.8%0.0%13.2%
Albania5.20.4%0.0%99.6%0.0%100.0%0.0%0.0%
Algeria81.50.8%0.0%0.2%0.0%1.0%0.0%99.0%
American Samoa0.22.9%0.0%0.0%0.0%2.9%0.0%97.1%
Andorra0.10.6%0.0%75.5%19.0%95.1%0.0%4.9%
Angola17.80.1%0.0%70.7%1.1%71.9%0.0%28.1%
Anguilla0.12.4%0.0%0.0%0.0%2.4%0.0%97.6%
Antigua and Barbuda0.25.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%5.8%0.0%94.2%
Argentina132.20.6%3.8%26.8%1.6%32.8%6.0%61.2%
Armenia7.60.3%0.0%31.0%0.0%31.4%28.8%39.9%
Aruba1.01.1%14.2%0.0%0.0%15.4%0.0%84.6%
Australia264.05.6%6.7%6.0%1.3%19.7%0.0%80.3%
Austria74.22.3%10.1%59.0%6.4%77.8%0.0%22.2%
Azerbaijan26.10.2%0.4%6.0%0.8%7.3%0.0%92.7%
Bahamas2.00.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.1%0.0%99.9%
Bahrain17.90.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.1%0.0%99.9%
Bangladesh80.60.4%0.0%1.0%0.0%1.4%0.0%98.6%
Barbados1.23.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%3.8%0.0%96.2%
Belarus40.50.4%0.4%0.9%0.8%2.5%0.0%97.5%
Belgium93.74.5%10.4%1.3%5.6%21.8%46.4%31.8%
Belize0.42.4%0.0%18.1%39.7%60.2%0.0%39.8%
Benin1.30.4%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.4%0.0%99.6%
Bhutan8.90.0%0.0%100.0%0.0%100.0%0.0%0.0%
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)10.21.8%0.7%31.8%2.1%36.4%0.0%63.6%
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba0.16.3%22.4%0.0%0.0%28.7%0.0%71.3%
Bosnia and Herzegovina17.50.2%1.5%35.3%0.0%37.0%0.0%63.0%
Botswana3.30.2%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.2%0.0%99.8%
Brazil626.31.1%8.9%63.5%8.8%82.3%2.6%15.1%
British Virgin Islands0.30.1%0.4%0.0%0.0%0.5%0.0%99.5%
Brunei Darussalam4.50.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
Bulgaria44.33.3%3.0%7.6%4.1%18.0%37.4%44.7%
Burkina Faso0.812.9%0.0%13.2%0.2%26.2%0.0%73.8%
Burundi0.32.4%0.0%72.1%1.7%76.2%0.0%23.8%
Cabo Verde0.42.0%16.6%0.0%0.0%18.7%0.0%81.3%
Cambodia8.71.4%0.0%46.2%1.2%48.8%0.0%51.2%
Cameroon6.40.3%0.0%79.2%0.0%79.5%0.0%20.5%
Canada645.40.6%5.1%58.8%1.7%66.2%15.7%18.1%
Cayman Islands0.82.3%0.0%0.0%0.0%2.3%0.0%97.7%
Central African Republic0.10.3%0.0%96.0%0.0%96.3%0.0%3.7%
Chad0.30.1%2.7%0.0%0.0%2.8%0.0%97.2%
Chile83.67.7%5.9%25.6%5.4%44.6%0.0%55.4%
China7504.53.0%5.4%17.4%1.1%26.9%4.6%68.5%
Chinese Taipei274.21.5%0.7%3.2%0.7%6.1%11.8%82.1%
Colombia80.10.2%0.1%68.0%2.2%70.5%0.0%29.5%
Comoros0.10.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
Congo2.60.0%0.0%39.9%0.0%40.0%0.0%60.0%
Cook Islands0.034.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%34.8%0.0%65.2%
Costa Rica11.40.5%15.8%68.8%14.0%99.2%0.0%0.8%
Côte d'Ivoire10.60.1%0.0%32.7%0.0%32.8%0.0%67.2%
Croatia12.80.7%11.5%46.5%7.6%66.2%0.0%33.8%
Cuba20.90.8%0.5%0.6%2.5%4.4%0.0%95.6%
Curaçao0.82.4%24.7%0.0%0.0%27.2%0.0%72.8%
Cyprus5.14.2%4.6%0.0%1.1%10.0%0.0%90.0%
Czechia87.02.7%0.8%3.6%5.8%12.9%34.8%52.4%
Democratic People's Republic of Korea23.90.2%0.0%46.1%0.0%46.3%0.0%53.7%
Democratic Republic of the Congo10.00.3%0.0%98.7%0.0%98.9%0.0%1.1%
Denmark29.53.3%54.7%0.1%20.2%78.2%0.0%21.8%
Djibouti0.60.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.1%0.0%99.9%
Dominica0.10.2%0.6%21.4%0.0%22.3%0.0%77.7%
Dominican Republic21.01.7%3.7%5.1%1.6%12.1%0.0%87.9%
Ecuador32.30.1%0.3%76.4%1.4%78.1%0.0%21.9%
Egypt200.10.7%1.5%6.6%0.2%9.0%0.0%91.0%
El Salvador6.18.3%0.0%25.1%37.8%71.2%0.0%28.8%
Equatorial Guinea1.10.0%0.0%11.9%0.0%11.9%0.0%88.1%
Eritrea0.58.3%0.4%0.0%0.0%8.8%0.0%91.2%
Estonia7.61.0%9.0%0.2%17.9%28.1%0.0%71.9%
Eswatini0.40.3%0.0%54.5%44.9%99.8%0.0%0.2%
Ethiopia14.60.1%5.8%93.8%0.2%100.0%0.0%0.0%
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)0.00.3%34.4%0.0%0.0%34.7%0.0%65.3%
Faroe Islands0.40.0%13.6%26.8%0.0%40.4%0.0%59.6%
Fiji1.21.0%0.3%45.8%7.2%54.3%0.0%45.7%
Finland68.60.2%8.8%18.1%19.4%46.4%34.8%18.8%
France570.82.1%6.1%10.8%1.6%20.6%69.9%9.5%
French Guiana1.05.2%0.0%42.6%1.4%49.3%0.0%50.7%
French Polynesia0.75.8%0.0%23.1%0.0%28.9%0.0%71.1%
Gabon1.80.1%0.0%53.8%0.1%54.0%0.0%46.0%
Gambia0.40.9%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.9%0.0%99.1%
Georgia11.90.0%0.7%75.3%0.0%76.0%0.0%24.0%
Germany609.17.6%20.7%4.2%8.3%40.8%12.3%46.9%
Ghana18.30.5%0.0%39.7%0.1%40.4%0.0%59.6%
Greece45.59.7%16.0%8.9%0.9%35.5%0.0%64.5%
Greenland0.50.0%0.0%79.0%0.0%79.1%0.0%20.9%
Grenada0.21.5%0.1%0.0%0.0%1.6%0.0%98.4%
Guadeloupe1.75.9%3.6%2.6%10.0%22.2%0.0%77.8%
Guam1.73.9%0.0%0.0%0.0%4.0%0.0%96.0%
Guatemala12.22.0%2.7%35.8%28.2%68.7%0.0%31.3%
Guinea2.11.0%0.0%62.4%0.0%63.4%0.0%36.6%
Guinea-Bissau0.04.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%4.8%0.0%95.2%
Guyana1.11.1%0.0%0.0%7.2%8.3%0.0%91.7%
Haiti1.10.4%0.0%8.8%0.0%9.2%0.0%90.8%
Honduras12.39.1%6.7%19.8%16.7%52.2%0.0%47.8%
Hungary34.24.4%2.1%0.6%6.6%13.7%47.7%38.6%
Iceland19.50.0%0.0%69.1%30.9%100.0%0.0%0.0%
India1591.12.8%3.9%9.4%1.3%17.4%2.5%80.1%
Indonesia294.70.0%0.0%7.2%8.9%16.1%0.0%83.9%
Iran (Islamic Republic of)254.30.2%0.2%5.9%0.0%6.4%2.9%90.7%
Iraq88.00.4%0.0%5.6%0.0%6.1%0.0%93.9%
Ireland30.90.1%32.4%3.7%2.8%38.9%0.0%61.1%
Israel72.54.2%0.4%0.0%0.1%4.7%0.0%95.3%
Italy293.98.1%6.9%16.4%8.7%40.1%0.0%59.9%
Jamaica4.91.8%5.5%3.2%2.5%13.0%0.0%87.0%
Japan1045.06.6%0.7%8.3%2.9%18.6%6.1%75.3%
Jordan21.09.9%4.3%0.1%0.0%14.3%0.0%85.7%
Kazakhstan106.90.9%0.7%9.3%0.0%11.0%0.0%89.0%
Kenya11.70.7%0.2%31.5%47.3%79.7%0.0%20.3%
Kiribati0.013.6%0.0%0.0%0.0%13.6%0.0%86.4%
Kosovo6.40.2%1.4%3.4%0.0%4.9%0.0%95.1%
Kuwait75.10.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.1%0.0%99.9%
Kyrgyzstan15.10.0%0.0%91.7%0.0%91.7%0.0%8.3%
Lao People's Democratic Republic19.60.1%0.0%96.5%0.2%96.8%0.0%3.2%
Latvia6.40.0%2.4%32.7%14.4%49.6%0.0%50.4%
Lebanon12.00.9%0.1%6.9%0.2%8.1%0.0%91.9%
Lesotho0.50.2%0.0%99.8%0.0%99.9%0.0%0.1%
Liberia0.21.6%0.0%55.0%0.0%56.6%0.0%43.4%
Libya34.20.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
Lithuania4.02.3%37.8%23.9%13.4%77.3%0.0%22.7%
Luxembourg1.96.8%14.7%49.8%14.6%85.9%0.0%14.1%
Madagascar1.91.2%0.0%47.9%0.0%49.1%0.0%50.9%
Malawi1.92.5%0.0%71.9%2.9%77.3%0.0%22.7%
Malaysia176.00.3%0.0%14.7%1.4%16.4%0.0%83.6%
Maldives0.72.7%0.3%0.0%0.0%3.0%0.0%97.0%
Mali2.91.1%0.0%59.3%0.0%60.4%0.0%39.6%
Malta2.110.2%0.0%0.0%0.3%10.5%0.0%89.5%
Marshall Islands0.12.3%0.0%0.0%0.0%2.3%0.0%97.7%
Martinique1.55.5%3.0%0.0%16.1%24.7%0.0%75.3%
Mauritania1.015.0%12.9%0.0%0.0%27.9%0.0%72.1%
Mauritius3.24.0%0.5%3.0%14.2%21.7%0.0%78.3%
Mayotte0.35.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%5.0%0.0%95.0%
Mexico331.32.2%5.0%7.1%2.5%16.9%3.6%79.5%
Micronesia (Federated States of)0.14.7%0.0%2.0%0.0%6.6%0.0%93.4%
Mongolia6.91.7%6.7%1.3%0.0%9.6%0.0%90.4%
Montenegro3.40.2%8.5%47.5%0.0%56.2%0.0%43.8%
Montserrat0.00.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
Morocco40.44.0%11.7%4.1%0.1%19.8%0.0%80.2%
Mozambique15.60.0%0.0%95.0%0.4%95.4%0.0%4.6%
Myanmar25.70.3%0.0%50.2%1.0%51.5%0.0%48.5%
Namibia1.819.1%1.0%70.9%0.0%91.0%0.0%9.0%
Nauru0.03.5%0.0%0.0%0.0%3.5%0.0%96.5%
Nepal5.71.3%0.0%98.7%0.0%100.0%0.0%0.0%
Netherlands121.14.4%9.5%0.1%4.8%18.8%3.2%78.0%
New Caledonia3.33.5%1.7%8.5%0.0%13.7%0.0%86.3%
New Zealand44.80.3%5.0%57.1%19.3%81.7%0.0%18.3%
Nicaragua4.60.6%15.9%4.9%35.4%56.8%0.0%43.2%
Niger0.65.9%0.0%0.0%0.0%5.9%0.0%94.1%
Nigeria33.60.1%0.0%25.1%0.1%25.3%0.0%74.7%
Niue0.013.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%13.8%0.0%86.2%
Norway135.40.1%4.1%93.4%0.2%97.7%0.0%2.3%
Oman38.30.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
Pakistan137.90.8%2.0%26.1%2.0%30.9%6.9%62.2%
Palau0.12.7%0.0%0.0%0.0%2.7%0.0%97.3%
Panama11.62.5%6.3%44.0%0.5%53.2%0.0%46.8%
Papua New Guinea2.10.1%0.0%42.0%21.2%63.3%0.0%36.7%
Paraguay49.60.0%0.0%99.7%0.3%100.0%0.0%0.0%
Peru56.61.5%2.9%55.5%0.8%60.8%0.0%39.2%
Philippines106.21.2%1.0%7.6%11.1%20.9%0.0%79.1%
Poland164.00.4%9.2%1.6%4.7%16.0%0.0%84.0%
Portugal53.22.6%25.7%19.3%6.7%54.3%0.0%45.7%
Puerto Rico18.91.3%0.8%0.2%0.1%2.4%0.0%97.6%
Qatar50.00.0%0.0%0.0%0.2%0.2%0.0%99.8%
Republic of Korea581.52.2%0.5%1.1%1.5%5.3%25.1%69.6%
Republic of Moldova3.80.1%1.1%7.9%0.8%10.0%0.0%90.0%
Republic of North Macedonia5.90.4%1.7%19.8%0.9%22.9%0.0%77.1%
Réunion3.08.5%0.4%13.7%8.6%31.2%0.0%68.8%
Romania59.63.0%11.4%26.8%0.8%42.0%18.9%39.0%
Russian Federation1121.50.1%0.0%17.6%0.0%17.8%18.6%63.6%
Rwanda0.85.5%0.0%48.3%0.3%54.1%0.0%45.9%
Saint Barthélemy0.10.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
Saint Kitts and Nevis0.21.3%3.2%0.0%0.0%4.5%0.0%95.5%
Saint Lucia0.40.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.8%0.0%99.2%
Saint Martin (French Part)0.10.6%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.6%0.0%99.4%
Saint Pierre and Miquelon0.10.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0.21.9%0.0%15.7%0.0%17.6%0.0%82.4%
Samoa0.214.0%0.1%29.2%0.0%43.3%0.0%56.7%
Sao Tome and Principe0.10.4%0.0%5.8%0.0%6.2%0.0%93.8%
Saudi Arabia359.70.2%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.2%0.0%99.8%
Senegal2.39.9%0.0%0.0%4.9%14.8%0.0%85.2%
Serbia37.60.0%2.4%27.1%0.4%29.9%0.0%70.1%
Seychelles0.41.2%1.7%0.0%0.0%2.9%0.0%97.1%
Sierra Leone0.31.9%0.0%72.5%1.2%75.6%0.0%24.4%
Singapore54.10.5%0.0%0.0%3.6%4.2%0.0%95.8%
Slovakia28.42.1%0.0%16.1%6.0%24.1%53.7%22.1%
Slovenia16.11.9%0.0%29.1%1.6%32.6%36.2%31.3%
Solomon Islands0.13.3%0.0%0.9%2.6%6.8%0.0%93.2%
Somalia0.43.0%1.7%0.0%0.0%4.7%0.0%95.3%
South Africa223.23.0%0.1%2.6%0.2%5.9%5.8%88.3%
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands0.00.0%0.0%98.9%0.0%98.9%0.0%1.1%
South Sudan0.60.2%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.2%0.0%99.8%
Spain273.25.5%20.4%9.8%2.0%37.8%21.4%40.9%
Sri Lanka16.02.2%2.2%30.1%0.4%34.8%0.0%65.2%
State of Palestine0.814.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%14.8%0.0%85.2%
Sudan16.80.1%0.0%60.6%0.6%61.4%0.0%38.6%
Suriname1.90.7%0.0%50.6%0.3%51.6%0.0%48.4%
Sweden168.40.4%11.8%38.8%7.7%58.7%39.3%2.0%
Switzerland73.53.0%0.2%55.8%2.6%61.5%36.0%2.6%
Syrian Arab Republic26.80.0%0.0%2.8%0.1%3.0%0.0%97.0%
Tajikistan20.90.0%0.0%92.8%0.0%92.8%0.0%7.2%
Thailand197.72.6%1.9%3.5%16.2%24.1%0.0%75.9%
Timor-Leste0.60.2%0.0%0.2%0.0%0.4%0.0%99.6%
Togo0.61.3%0.0%31.5%0.0%32.9%0.0%67.1%
Tokelau0.092.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%92.1%0.0%7.9%
Tonga0.110.0%2.0%0.0%0.0%12.0%0.0%88.0%
Trinidad and Tobago9.20.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.1%0.0%99.9%
Tunisia22.11.2%2.3%0.3%0.0%3.7%0.0%96.3%
Turkey303.93.0%7.2%29.2%4.1%43.5%0.0%56.5%
Turkmenistan23.70.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%
Turks and Caicos Islands0.30.6%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.6%0.0%99.4%
Tuvalu0.023.3%0.0%0.0%0.0%23.3%0.0%76.7%
Uganda4.52.6%0.0%89.0%6.1%97.7%0.0%2.3%
Ukraine155.12.4%1.4%5.1%0.3%9.1%53.5%37.3%
United Arab Emirates138.52.7%0.0%0.0%0.0%2.7%0.0%97.3%
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland322.84.0%19.9%2.4%11.6%37.9%17.4%44.7%
United Republic of Tanzania7.90.6%0.0%32.3%1.9%34.8%0.0%65.2%
United States of America4391.82.2%6.8%7.1%1.9%17.9%19.2%62.9%
United States Virgin Islands0.71.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%1.1%0.0%98.9%
Uruguay16.12.6%29.5%50.4%15.5%98.1%0.0%1.9%
Uzbekistan57.50.0%0.0%11.2%0.0%11.2%0.0%88.8%
Vanuatu0.18.3%7.3%9.5%1.7%26.8%0.0%73.2%
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)25.60.0%0.3%59.1%0.0%59.5%0.0%40.5%
Viet Nam227.92.1%0.2%40.6%0.2%43.1%0.0%56.9%
Yemen5.313.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%13.8%0.0%86.2%
Zambia15.00.1%0.0%82.2%0.5%82.8%0.0%17.2%
Zimbabwe9.40.2%0.0%57.8%2.7%60.7%0.0%39.3%
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Capacity factors and load-duration curves for Belgian offshore windfarms

Posted by Andrew – 2021/03/01

Previously I’ve provided capacity factors for Danish, German and UK offshore windfarms. Now here are the numbers for the larger of the Belgian offshore windfarms. The ones shown here are the only ones I’ve been able to get detailed data for, so far.

Belgian offshore wind

All numbers are to the end of December 2020. Analysis by EnergyNumbers.info.Latest
rolling
12-month
capacity
factor		Lifetime
capacity
factor		Age (y)Installed
capacity
(MW)		Total
elec. gen.
(GWh)		Power per
unit area
spanned (W/m2)		Rolling 12-month
capacity factors
Belwind39.6%37.9%10.11653 2064.7Belwind
Nobelwind46.7%44.1%3.61652 2793.3Nobelwind
Norther45.4%42.7%1.63702 1984.1Norther
Northwester 236.6%0.6219447
Northwind43.9%41.6%6.52164 6016.5Northwind
Rentel41.3%39.0%2.03092 1175.2Rentel
Thorntonbank NE32.9%32.4%7.91592 6374.7Thorntonbank NE
Thorntonbank SW39.5%36.8%7.31753 2985.0Thorntonbank SW
Total42.0%31.4%177820 7824.6

Load duration curves

I’ve constructed for each of the offshore windfarms for which there is sufficient detailed hourly data (this will usually mean at least a year’s worth). Use the pause and play buttons to stop and start the sequential display of curves. Click on the windfarm name in the legend to toggle the display of that farm’s curve.

Methodology

Note that for each individual windfarm, its curve is based on data starting from the date that the windfarm was fully commissioned, or from 1 Jan 2015, whichever is later: data is only available from 2015 onwards. The windfarm’s age is calculated from the date it was fully commissioned.

The Thornton Bank windfarm was built out in three phases, I-II-III. However, the hourly data is broken down into two groups, SW and NE. As you can see from this map, courtesy of 4COffshore, most of phase II is in the NE section. The SW section contains the rest of phase II, as well as all of phases I and III.

My thanks to Rémi_C2W on Twitter for solving the mystery of the Northwind time-series in the ENTSOE data: he worked out that the reported data is the sum of output from both Northwind and Nobelwind: so the real Northwind output could be calculated by subtracting the reported Nobelwind output from it. ENTSOE have now fixed this, so this transformation is no longer needed.

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Germany’s renewables more than make up for its nuclear phase-out

Posted by Andrew – 2020/01/02

NEW updated with data for 2019 too.

Germany has been phasing out its nuclear power, as policy, since 1999. It’s also been expanding its renewable generation. The nuclear phase-out provides the renewables market with a clear, long-term positive signal. As does Germany’s commitment to decarbonisation.

I’ve previously written about German PV and German offshore wind capacity factors, Now, let’s take a look at how quickly the rollout of renewables has happened, relative to the decline of nuclear. The chart below Read more…

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What does the capacity factor of wind mean?

Posted by Andrew – 2014/09/29

Harald Pettersen/Statoil, NHD-INFO [CC-BY-2.0]
Sheringham Shoal offshore wind farm, photo by Harald Pettersen/Statoil, NHD-INFO [CC-BY-2.0]

The capacity factor is the average power generated, divided by the rated peak power. Let’s take a five-megawatt wind turbine. If it produces power at an average of two megawatts, then its capacity factor is 40% (2÷5 = 0.40, i.e. 40%).

To calculate the average power generated, just divide the total electricity generated, by the number of hours.

You can find the capacity factors for Danish offshore wind here; the capacity factors for UK offshore wind are here, and here are the capacity factors for German offshore wind.

You could do an equivalent calculation for a car. Let’s say your car’s top speed is Read more…

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