Renewable energy

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Renewables now make up 30% of global electricity generation

Renewable energy, sourced from replenishable natural resources like sunlight, wind, and geothermal heat, is pivotal in electricity generation, heating, cooling, and transportation. It offers off-grid solutions for remote areas, produces minimal greenhouse gases, and enhances energy security due to its wide geographical distribution. As global efforts to mitigate climate change intensify, the shift to low-carbon energy, led by renewables, is accelerating. Technologies such as solar PV and wind are becoming cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Increasing the renewable share in energy systems involves electrifying heating and transport sectors, using biofuels, and deploying solar water heating, biomass burners, and geothermal heating. Achieving climate goals requires rapid renewable energy deployment across all sectors, supported by favourable policies and market conditions.

You can find further information below about the technologies, costs and current developments within each of the seven major types of renewables:

Learn more about renewables by reading our Energy Insights.

For the latest news and articles on renewable energy read New Energy World.

View our dedicated Collections on Hydrogen.

What's new?

UK schools accelerate solar shift with new investment

2nd July 2025

The first of six planned rooftop solar PV installations at Wellspring Academy Trust schools was installed at Springwell Alternative Academy Grantham i...

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Four timely new reports offer both optimism and concern about the pace of the energy transition

2nd July 2025

  WEF Energy Transition Index accelerates – but UK ranks 16thThe World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2025 Energy Transition Index (ETI) shows an an...

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UK government abandons Moroccan HVDC megaproject plan

2nd July 2025

The Xlinks Morocco-to-UK power project is an ambitious private sector-led proposal which aimed to supply clean power to the UK via the world’s longest...

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Oil supply growth outpaces demand as fossil fuel phaseout could fall short ahead of COP30

2nd July 2025

With intensifying geopolitical strains and heightened uncertainty about global economic prospects, oil markets are undergoing structural changes as th...

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Latest Statistical Review of World Energy signposts age of energy additions

26th June 2025

In a year when average air temperatures consistently breached the 1.5°C warming threshold, global CO₂-equivalent emissions from energy rose by 1%, mar...

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Events and training

Level 3: Advanced Energy Manager

29th September 2025 - 3rd December 2025

This 9-day course is an advanced qualification aiming to support experienced energy managers to further advance their careers by gaining the skills an...

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Level 1: Certificate in Energy Management Essentials - October 2025

6th October 2025 - 10th October 2025

About:This introductory 5 day classroom course provides a comprehensive, practical overview of the fundamentals of energy management, equipping p...

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Maintenance Strategy Fundamentals - October 2025

17th October 2025 - 20th October 2025

In this 2 half-day training course on the 17 & 20 of October 2025, you will gain the fundamental knowledge and understanding to develop an efficie...

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Technical guidance publications

EI 3590

SafetyOn 2024 Incident data report

June 2025

This report presents the analysis of health and safety incident data submitted by SafetyOn members and serves to highlight key risk areas that can inf...

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EI 3584

G+ Good practice guideline - Governance of mechanical lifting operations in the offshore wind industry

May 2025

This new G+ good practice guidance aims to share, advance and encourage good practice for the governance of lifting operations in the offshore wind in...

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EI 3586

SafetyOn Good practice guidelines: Welfare in the onshore wind industry

March 2025

The first edition of the SafetyOn GPG on welfare in the onshore wind industry is a resource for wind companies to adopt and implement within their own...

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EI 3462

Wind Turbine Safety Rules Procedure 5: Temporary application of an alternative safe systems of work

February 2025

The Wind Turbine Safety Rules (WTSRs) are a model set of Safety Rules and procedures to help formalise a Safe System of Work (SSoW) to manage the sign...

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EI 3582

SafetyOn and G+ workshops report: Electrical safe system of work

February 2025

SafetyOn and G+ have been working collaboratively with the EI to enhance safety protocols in the onshore and offshore wind industry through the Safe S...

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Statistical Review of World Energy

The Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy™ analyses data on world energy markets from the prior year.