As every year, RatedPower has published its Report on Renewable and Solar Trends, and made an official presentation this time in its new offices in Madrid. The report was based on surveys from over 140 professionals across the sector. The company analyzed data from more than 45,000 solar design projects for its fifth Annual Report, concluding that despite economic and geopolitical challenges, the transition to clean energy has continued at a strong pace. 6r5d4s

According to the report, the energy sector is accelerating towards renewable energy. It is expected that by 2030, clean sources will supply 46% of the electricity sector (up from 30% in 2023), and global green electricity generation will reach 17,000 TWh (an almost 90% increase from today).

Solar energy leads this growth, with the British think tank Ember estimating that 593 GW of solar s will be installed in 2024, an impressive 29% increase compared to last year.

Andrea Barber, Vice President of Power and Renewables at Enverus and co-founder of RatedPower, said that "advanced grid solutions, cutting-edge storage, and smarter systems are making renewable energy much more efficient and scalable. Digitalization is also streamlining utility plant design and operations with more robust design software, predictive maintenance, and real-time monitoring."

There has also been a significant increase in investment in infrastructure and storage, as more renewable sources are integrated into the grid. This was ed by a 666 GW increase in installed renewable energy capacity in 2024, with China and the European Union as the largest growth markets.

The International Energy Agency calculated that global investments in energy exceeded $3 trillion for the first time, with a record $2 trillion (almost 70%) flowing into renewables, electric vehicles, and nuclear power.

While this growth is encouraging, it also generates challenges. According to the data, one of them is grid instability, which requires investments in infrastructure worth $3.1 trillion by 2030, while energy inefficiencies still threaten to slow the shift to renewables.

Green hydrogen is also presented as a solution to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors, like industry and transportation, but it still faces high prices.

Challenges for the renewable sector in the coming years 14726o

The majority of respondents believed that the main obstacle is grid saturation and instability, followed by the issue of permits and regulations, and the lack of government incentives.

Other obstacles, according to respondents, include the lack of skilled labor worldwide, recycling challenges, the impact of geopolitical conflicts, land availability, among other issues.

During the report presentation, it was emphasized that concerns about most of these obstacles have decreased year after year. For example, regions like India and Sub-Saharan Africa have seen significant improvements in permitting and regulations.

Regarding land availability, the presentation highlighted that what is needed are regulatory policies that allow access to land. Other challenges discussed were social acceptance and misdirected public investment.

Industry confidence on the rise 272158

More than 60% of respondents have high confidence in the growth of the renewable industry. The countries with the highest potential for growth by 2025 are the US, China, Australia, Brazil, India, , and Spain.

In of technologies that will grow the most over the next five years, respondents favored storage (48.3%), solar energy (30.8%), and green hydrogen (9.8%).
Main trends in the sector

Most respondents highlighted Storage Technologies (BESS) as one of the main trends in the sector. They pointed out that to make energy storage systems more accessible, it is essential to reduce costs by lowering the prices of storage infrastructure and batteries. Investment in research and development (R&D) was considered crucial for advancing battery technology and exploring alternatives. Sustainable sourcing of raw materials and maximizing the storage lifespan were also highlighted as key factors for long-term success.

Agri-PV, floating solar, and offshore wind also stood out in the report. For Agri-PV to maximize its potential, respondents indicated that policies are needed to incentivize farmers through tax breaks, subsidies, and adjustments in agricultural subsidies.

Despite the clear advantages, respondents indicated that to make the most of floating solar systems, it is necessary to address the high initial installation, maintenance, and material costs, which currently make them more expensive than traditional land-based solar energy.

Offshore wind energy offers plenty of advantages, including capitalizing on high and consistent wind speeds, minimal land use, and lower visual and noise impact, since farms are located far from populated areas. Regarding its primary challenges, responses pointed to the high initial capital, operational costs, and maintenance offshore wind is subject to due to harsh marine environments.

Another trend discussed was digitization, AI, and machine learning, which, according to the report, are crucial for streamlining tasks like site selection, grid management, and energy forecasting.

Survey respondents listed the following innovations and trends as those they are most excited about for the coming year:

• Perovskite solar cells revolutionizing solar technology with higher efficiency, lower costs, and flexibility, potentially suring silicon cells.
• Green hydrogen offering a zero-carbon fuel to decarbonize industries and enhance energy storage.
• Advanced storage solutions like solid-state and flow batteries improving energy density and safety, which is critical for balancing renewable sources.
• Emerging battery technologies like sodium-ion, offering safer alternatives to lithium-based systems.
• Floating solar farms and bifacial s increasing energy production while conserving land space.
• Wind energy innovations, including floating turbines and larger blades, expanding offshore potential.
  
  Click here to the full report