Short answers, pulled from the story.
The International Energy Agency defines renewable energy as power derived from natural processes that replenish faster than they are consumed. This definition separates solar, wind, and hydroelectric sources from finite fossil fuels like coal or oil.
Global electricity generation from solar and wind grew from a combined 2% to 10% between 2011 and 2021. In 2023, photovoltaic systems alone accounted for over 60% of all annual renewable additions worldwide.
The Three Gorges Dam in China stands as the largest hydroelectric facility ever built, completed in 2003 with massive reservoirs flooding vast areas. Water generates electricity with an efficiency rate of approximately 90%, the highest among all renewable sources.
In 2025, a sand battery system went online in Pornainen, Finland, storing up to 100 megawatt-hours of heat energy. This technology addresses storage needs when solar panels generate excess power during cloudy days when demand is low.
Global clean energy sectors added about 4.7 million jobs between 2019 and 2022, totaling 35 million positions worldwide. Solar photovoltaics employ nearly 4 million people globally, making it the largest renewable employer.