At the beginning of the 21st century, about 80 percent of the world’s energy came from fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. These fuels are limited and cause big environmental problems. Power plants and cars produce harmful gases that can lead to asthma, heart disease, acid rain, and smog. Burning fossil fuels also releases carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas that causes global warming (Our World in Data, 2024).

Renewable energy sources made almost 20 percent of all world energy at that time. In 2015, hydroelectric power gave 16 percent of electricity in the world. Solar, wind, and geothermal energy produced about 6 percent. Nuclear energy also has low carbon emissions and made 10.6 percent of global electricity, helping reduce climate pollution (UkraineInvest, 2023).

Wind and solar energy are growing very fast. From 2001 to 2017, wind power in the world increased more than 20 times. Solar power also became much stronger, growing by 50 percent in 2016. The European Union increased renewable energy from 6.38 percent in 2005 to 17 percent in 2016 and reduced carbon emissions by 23 percent. California also created high clean-energy goals and made big progress (Our World in Data, 2017).

Solar energy is the biggest natural energy source on Earth. However, a lot of sunlight does not reach the ground because the atmosphere absorbs it. Solar energy is important for many natural processes like photosynthesis, evaporation, and wind formation. In the 20th century, new technologies helped people use sunlight to make electricity (Britannica, 2024).

Since the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels have been the main energy source for most countries, but they cause high emissions and air pollution. About three-quarters of greenhouse gases come from burning coal, oil, and gas. Air pollution from fossil fuels causes millions of premature deaths every year. To protect the planet, the world needs more renewable and nuclear energy (Our World in Data, 2024).

Today, around one-seventh of the world’s energy already comes from renewable sources. Using more clean energy is very important for nature, the climate, and human health in the future (Our World in Data, 2024).

References:

1. Britannica. (2024). Solar energy. Retrieved from  https://www.britannica.com/science/solar-energy
2. Our World in Data. (2017). Retrieved from Wind and solar power growth statistics. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/
3. Our World in Data. (2024). Fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/
4. UkraineInvest. (2023). Ukraine’s energy sector overview. Retrieved from https://ukraineinvest.gov.ua/