Global Wind and Solar industries unite to highlight need for accelerated growth rates to meet NET ZERO targets

The Global Solar Council joins the cornerstone energy event at COP26 on Thursday November 4

In this Decade of Action, the Wind and Solar industries call on Governments to work with them to accelerate the deployment of renewables across the globe.

Glasgow’s COP26 witnessed an historic day for renewable energy as the Global Solar Council and the Global Wind Energy Council signed an agreement on Tuesday November 2 to join forces in promoting the sustainability and scale up of solar and wind globally towards a decarbonised future.

The Global Solar Council will also join the cornerstone energy event organized by the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA): the Energy Action Event scheduled on Thursday November 4 in cooperation with IRENA, The Climate Group, GWEC, ICC, IEA, REN21, SEforAll, UNEP and WBCSD.

José Donoso, Chairman of the Global Solar Council, will address the opening session stressing the Global Solar Council’s efforts to promote the deployment of solar PV worldwide as the go-to technology for governments looking to raise their climate ambition, accelerate their NDCs and align with the 1.5C target, asserting the competitiveness of PV in economic and reliability terms with respect to fossil sources.

A new renewable energy alliance between the wind energy and solar PV industries is calling on governments to implement energy transition action plans and cut red tape to meet Net Zero targets.

A joint study by the Global Solar Council and the Global Wind Energy Council found that by 2030 there will be a 29% shortfall in the projected wind and solar capacity required to keep the world on course to limit global warming to 1.5˚C and sustain a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2050.

The two organisations, which represent private sector companies and associations across the wind and solar PV industries worldwide, today established the Global Renewable Energy Alliance to step up cooperation, knowledge exchange and joint advocacy. Together, wind and solar energy set to make up 70% of electricity generation by 2050, in the net zero roadmaps published by the IEA and IRENA earlier this year.

At COP26, the global wind and solar industries are calling on governments to work with them to accelerate the deployment of these key technologies and:

• Raise ambition for wind and solar power at national level through updated NDC targets and national climate strategies, which reflect higher capacity targets for renewable energy and ban new coal build/investment.
• Implement effective policy and regulatory frameworks for procurement and delivery of renewable energy, including sensible and streamlined permitting schemes to lower project attrition rates, prioritised renewables-based generation and environmentally sound development.
• Commit to rapid build-out of clean energy infrastructure including grids and transmission, through pooled expertise and increased dialogue among system operators, regulators and utilities to address system bottlenecks and the forward-planning required to integrate large-scale renewable energy.

While there is a global focus on 2050, the 29% shortfall by 2030 sends a clear signal to policymakers that they are not moving fast enough to tackle climate change. Governments around the world need to realise this is the decade to make fundamental change.

The Global Wind Energy Council and the Global Solar Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form the Global Renewable Energy Alliance. The Climate emergency necessitates a common position and platform through which these two clean energy pillars can collectively accelerate the energy transition.

Ben Backwell, GWEC CEO, said: “We are in a climate emergency, and we need to be taking action now. The renewables sector is united around one goal: ending that emergency while we still time to act. The Global Wind Energy Council is delighted to join forces with the Global Solar Council to help achieve this target.

“The gap to required renewables capacity is a stark reminder of the urgency of the situation we all face. A 29% deficit means missing NDC and long-term net zero targets, which means failing to successfully deal with the climate emergency. All countries and international organisations need to start making changes now to phase out coal, design new energy markets, modernize grids and overhaul finance flows to grow the renewables sector.”

Gianni Chianetta, Global Solar Council CEO, said: “Many eyes are focused on net zero by 2050 but we need to close the gap on our decarbonization pathway to 2030 if we want to keep the 1.5C target in sight, and 2030 is literally just around the corner. For governments looking to show they are acting now to raise their climate ambition and accelerate their NDCs, solar PV and wind are go-to technologies that are economically competitive and reliable today.

“Partnering with the Global Wind Energy Council represents an important step for the Global Solar Council because we can combine our efforts in leading a rapid and just transition to clean, sustainable energy.”

About GWEC

GWEC is a member-based organization that represents the entire wind energy sector. The members of GWEC represent over 1,500 companies, organizations and institutions in more than 80 countries, including manufacturers, developers, component suppliers, research institutes, national wind and renewables associations, electricity providers, finance and insurance companies. See https://gwec.net/.

Keep up to date with GWEC and receive the latest data and insights on the global wind industry on Twitter, LinkedIn and by subscribing to the Newsletter, https://gwec.net/newsletter-sign-up/

About GSC

The Global Solar Council is the voice of the world’s solar energy industry, a non-profit body based in Washington D.C. representing national, regional and international associations as well as leading solar sector corporations. Founded at the 2015 Paris climate conference as a private-sector response to the climate emergency, the Global Solar Council brings together associations from both established and emerging markets that represent companies all along the solar supply chain.

Keep up to date with GSC’s activities and events, receive the latest news and insights on the global solar industry on GSC’s social media channels and by subscribing to the Newsletter, https://www.globalsolarcouncil.org/.

Media Contact:

GWEC

Alex Bath
Communications Director
[email protected]

GSC

James Osborne
Communication Strategy
[email protected]