The world still runs on coal and oil
After 20 years of subsidies, intermittent renewables account for just 3.6% of total energy generation. That’s the tiny purple sliver in the graph. Global power means not just electricity, but also fuel used in transport. And this is where wind and solar power are respectively old and slow, or modern but useless.
Someday solar powered planes might make their first round world trip in 48 hours but at the moment they need 16 months. There’s a a bit of hitch in the global energy transition.
Hello fossil wonder fuels:
Global Primary Energy, Graph, 1965-2018
Intermittent renewables are pretty useless everywhere:
Global Primary Energy, Graph, 1965-2018
Oil remains the world’s dominant fuel, making up just over a third of all energy consumed. In 2017 oil’s market share declined slightly, following two years of growth. Coal’s market share fell to 27.6%, the lowest level since 2004. Natural gas accounted for a record 23.4% of global primary energy consumption, while renewable power hit a new high of 3.6%.
— Spencer Dale, Group Chief Economist, BP
It took billions of dollars to get renewables up to 3.6% of total global energy. See the orange slice at the bottom of this graph (colored solid to make it easier to notice). This graph shows the changes (or stability) of global energy use since 1965.
Global Primary Energy, Graph, 1965-2018
Renewables subsidies were about $70b globally in 2012 and rising, according to the EIA and projected to double by 2020.
In 2012 the combined profit of the largest five oil companies (BP, Conoco, Exxon, Chevron, Shell) was $140 billion.
h/t GWPF REFERENCE:
BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2018