A new report shows wind and solar made up a record 10 per cent of world's power last year. 

The report by independent climate think tank Ember found 50 countries generated more than 10 per cent of their power from wind and solar last year. 

The world generated 10 per cent of its electricity from wind and solar in 2021, with clean sources accounting for 38 per cent of total power supply - even more than coal.

The fastest transitions away from fossil fuels are happening in the Netherlands, Australia and Vietnam. All three nations have switched around a tenth of their power from fossil fuels to wind and solar in the last two years.

A total of ten countries were able to generate at least 25 per cent of their power from wind and solar, led by Denmark at 52 per cent.

The analysis suggests that solar and wind power could grow fast enough to limit global warming to 1.5C above levels before industrialisation, which is an important threshold to avoid more dramatic impacts of the climate crisis.

But this could only occur if the 10-year average compound growth rate of 20 per cent is maintained to 2030.

Solar generation rose 23 per cent globally in 2021, and wind supply rose by 14 per cent over the same period. 

“If these trends can be replicated globally, and sustained, the power sector would be on track for [the] 1.5 degree goal,” Ember said in its report.

Gas generation increased by just 1 per cent in 2021, but the increase in fossil fuel use overall pushed carbon dioxide emissions to an all-time high.

The country with the largest rise in demand for coal was China, where coal use went up 13 per cent in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.