As the global transition to renewable energy accelerates, weather and climate insights are becoming increasingly important to ensure the reliability and resilience of energy systems and planning of electricity demand and supplies, according to a new report.
2023 Year in Review: Climate-driven Global Renewable Energy Potential Resources and Energy Demand finds that climate-informed and diversified energy solutions are essential if the world is to meet targets to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.
The report was jointly produced by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) , operated by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).
"Whether it is solar power generation in drier-than-average conditions, wind power generation in regions experiencing shifts from La Niña to El Niño conditions, or hydropower generation in the face of fluctuating precipitation patterns, climate has a direct bearing on both electricity supply and demand. Such challenges also present unprecedented opportunities: the integration of climate insights into energy planning yields more reliable power generation, helps anticipate seasonal peaks in demand and strengthens the adaptability of future infrastructure development," they write.
The report looks at 2023 - a year which saw a transition from a La Niña to an El Niño phenomena, affecting key climatic variables for the energy sector such as wind speed, solar radiation, precipitation and temperature. It was also the warmest year on record, until this record was broken again in 2024.
It was released ahead of the Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum in Barbados on 12-13 March.
