In Pictures

Photos: How 2022 became a ‘pivot year’ for clean energy

The global energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine war and increasing climate threats have fuelled the transition.

Steam rises from the coal-fired power plant near wind turbines — Steam rises from a coal-fired power plant near wind turbines in Niederaussem, Germany. A strong advocate of clean energy, Germany turned to coal and oil to address its short-term power needs. [File: Michael Probst/AP Photo]

Governments around the world have, over the past year, greenlighted ambitious renewable energy policies that aim for major expansions of wind and solar power, along with the development of technologies such as carbon capture and storage, which is seen as a way to reach the net zero carbon emissions.

Some of the policies also included tax credits to buy electric vehicles, heat pumps or energy-efficient materials for construction.

The United States signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, the most ambitious climate legislation in the country’s history. The European Parliament passed the REPowerEU plan to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and fast-forward the transition to clean energy. And China announced schemes to enable it to meet its 2030 clean energy goals five years before the schedule.

Analysts say the global energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, along with increasing climate threats, such as the devastating floods in Pakistan, have accelerated the clean energy policies and big-ticket investments that are needed to transition to renewable energy, especially wind and solar, around the world.

Many countries, especially in Europe, returned to coal-fired power generation because of the war in Ukraine, which triggered soaring gas prices and supply constraints. However, analysts said this has not prevented progress on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

“Knee-jerk reactions saw some places shift back to fossil fuels, even if it’s at a higher price to the taxpayer,” said Vibhuti Garg, a New Delhi-based energy economist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

India’s coal production increased by about 17 percent from April to November. Bangladesh increased its imports of natural gas and opened thermal power plants. Germany, a strong advocate of clean energy, turned to coal and oil to address its short-term power needs.

“It was a good year for renewable energy, but sadly, not a bad year for fossil fuels either,” Garg said.

One of India’s largest renewable energy firms, Renew Power, has more than 100 clean energy projects across the country and has become the world’s 10th largest solar and wind energy company in about 10 years.

Experts say the task is now to build on this momentum in 2023. “From an energy perspective, 2022 will go down as a pivot year,” said Kingsmill Bond, an energy strategist at the Rocky Mountain Institute, a clean energy non-profit group, adding that there was “proof that fossil fuel demand after 200 years of growth had reached a peak in 2019 and we are now bumping along a plateau before an inevitable decline”.

There was also a measure of optimism in November at the end of the United Nations COP27 climate summit in Egypt, where countries agreed to a historic deal on climate finance for poorer countries. While the event failed to make significant progress on many other matters, the “loss and damage” fund is expected to start running in 2023.

In an aerial view, turbines from the Roth Rock wind farm spin on the spine of Backbone Mountain — Turbines from the Roth Rock wind farm spin on the spine of the Backbone Mountain next to the Mettiki coal processing plant, once the site of Maryland's largest coal mine, in Oakland, Maryland, United States. [File: Chiop Somodevilla/Getty Images via AFP]

Vehicles move down Altamont Pass Road with wind turbines in the background — Vehicles move along Altamont Pass Road with wind turbines in the background in Livermore, California, US. [File: Godofredo A Vasquez/AP Photo]

Coal is being stored for the Maitree Super Thermal Power Project — Coal being stored for the Maitree Super Thermal Power Project near the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, in Rampal, Bangladesh, in October. A power plant will start burning coal as part of Bangladesh's plan to meet its energy needs and improve living standards. [File: Garjon Al-emrun/AP Photo]

Solar panels on Germany's biggest floating photovoltaic plant produce energy under a blue sky on a lake in Haltern, Germany in May. [File: Martin Meissner/AP Photo]

A worker leaves a BP refinery in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, — A worker leaves a BP refinery in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Germany, a strong advocate of clean energy, turned to coal and oil to address its short-term power needs. [File: Martin Meissner/AP Photo]

Visitors look at a model of a wind turbine displayed at an exhibition in August about renewable energy production in Kochi, Kerala state, India. [File: RS Iyer/AP Photo]

A solar power plant works in the Pavagada Tumkur district, India — A solar power plant in Pavagada Tumkur district, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, in September. The past year saw governments around the world greenlighting ambitious renewable energy policies. [File: Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo]

Beachgoers walk near wind turbines along the coast of Pingtan in Southern China — Beachgoers walk near wind turbines along the coast of Pingtan in southern China's Fujian province. China announced schemes to enable it to meet its 2030 clean energy goals five years before the schedule. [File: Ng Han Guan/AP Photo File]

A bucket wheel excavator is mining coal — A bucket wheel excavator mines coal at the Garzweiler open-cast coal mine with wind turbines in the background in Luetzerath, Germany. Coal use across the world is set to reach a new record this year of more than 8 billion metric tonnes. [Michael Probst/AP Photo]