The latest assessment from the scientific community has placed the global deployment of renewable energies at the heart of the energy and political landscape. What just a decade ago sounded like a distant promise has become a structural shift: solar and wind power have gone from being complementary technologies to driving the growth of electricity generation in much of the world.
The magazine Science, one of the world's most influential scientific publications, has chosen this year the “unstoppable growth” of renewable energies as the most outstanding scientific advance. Not only for its climate impact, but because it marks a fundamental shift in the economy and geopolitics of energy, with direct implications for Europe and for countries like Spain, which are highly exposed to the import of fossil fuels.
From the dominance of fossils to the renewable tipping point
For more than a century, the global energy model was based on coal, oil and gasThese fuels fueled industrialization but also accelerated global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions associated with this consumption pattern have been one of the main drivers of the current climate crisis, something that scientific literature has been highlighting for decades.
In this context, the data provided by the Science and analysis centers like Ember They paint a new picture: in the first half of the year, the joint generation of solar and wind energy grew enough to cover all the increase in global electricity demandAnd, furthermore, renewable energy production has already surpassed coal as the main source of electricity On a global scale, this is a milestone that had been anticipated but has arrived sooner than many international organizations expected.
The magazine itself highlights that the modularity and rapid deployment of these technologies has allowed both large electrical systems and small-scale projects to advance at an unexpected pace. From gigantic grid-connected photovoltaic parks to self-consumption facilities in industrial buildings and homes, Renewables have come to occupy the entire spectrum of energy solutions.
China as the industrial and political engine of the transition
Much of this turnaround has a clear protagonist: China has established itself as the leading industrial power in renewable energy.As he recalls ScienceThe Asian country produces close to 80% of photovoltaic solar cells that are installed around the world, around 70% of wind turbines and a similar percentage of the lithium batteries which are used both in stationary storage and in electric vehicles.
This large-scale investment has generated a virtuous cycle: enormous manufacturing volumes have reduced costs and allowed panels, wind turbines, and batteries to reach prices that are difficult for other competitors to match. As a reporter quoted by the magazine itself pointed out, the solar panels of Chinese origin have become one of the forms of energy cheapest ever availablewhich explains its rapid spread across all continents.
For China, the domestic rollout has also been massive. The expansion of solar farms across deserts and plateaus, and of gigantic wind farm complexes in coastal and inland areas, has transformed the country's energy map. Photovoltaic generation has increased more than twentyfold in the last decadeto the point that renewables already cover most of the increase in electricity demand, helping to curb the growth of its emissions.
This technological and productive dominance contrasts with the energy policy of the United States, which, according to the editorial of Science, has opted for to double down on coal, oil and gas While the rest of the world is focused on buying clean technology, the magazine highlights the paradox: many of the innovations which have made renewable energy cheaper They originated in American laboratories and companiesBut it is China that is now capitalizing on the global business and the associated geopolitical power.
In this struggle, Europe appears as strategic client of Chinese green technologyBut it is also a space where efforts are being made to reduce the industrial gap through reindustrialization policies and domestic supply chains. For Spain, heavily integrated into the European market, this is no small matter: its dependence on imported components coexists with enormous solar and wind energy potential, which positions it well to continue installing renewable capacity at a rapid pace.
Renewables on rooftops and energy sovereignty from below
The renewable energy boom is not limited to large grid-connected projects. Self-consumption solar systems on rooftops They have become one of the most visible faces of this transformation, especially in Europe and in many countries of the so-called Global South. The drop in the price of panels and management equipment makes it possible for households, cooperatives, and small businesses to become producers of their own electricity.
Experts like Vanesa Castán BrotoProfessor of Climate Urbanism, highlights that this expansion of self-consumption represents a real step towards energy sovereignty of communities and territoriesInstalling panels on rooftops and small plots of land allows light and basic services to be brought to areas where the traditional grid does not reach reliably, or where connecting to it is too expensive.
In regions of Africa, South Asia, or Latin America, the rise in panel imports It demonstrates that millions of people have seen distributed solar power as a simple way to power lighting, basic cooling, or mobile phone charging. Community energy is no longer an abstract concept and it takes shape in rural cooperatives, neighborhood projects and local solutions that reduce dependence on expensive and inaccessible fossil fuels.
In Europe, and specifically in Spain, the combination of industrial rooftops, residential rooftops, and available land for small shared energy plants opens up a vast field for these types of initiatives. The regulatory framework—including shared self-consumption and energy communities—has begun to take off, although it still faces some challenges. administrative and procedural barriers that slow their expansion to the scale indicated by European climate and energy objectives.
The magazine Science It emphasizes that this technological “democratization” is not a side effect, but one of the pillars of progress. The ability to install modular, scalable, and increasingly cheaper solutions is what enables the renewable energy revolution. Don't rely solely on energy giantsbut rather incorporates municipalities, cooperatives and small investors.
Climate impact: slowdown in emissions, but with nuances
Since the signing of the Paris AgreementRenewables have been gaining ground in the global energy mix. According to calculations by the International Energy Agency cited by ScienceSince 2015, these technologies have covered approximately two-thirds of the increase in electricity demandWithout them, the increase in global CO₂ emissions in recent years would have been up to three times higher.
In countries like China or India, where energy consumption has grown at a breakneck pace, The expansion of renewable energy has managed to slow the rate of increase in emissions. originating from the electricity sector. The magazine interprets this phenomenon as a possible global turning point in the fight against global warming, a sign that the much-talked-about “peak carbon” could be getting closer.
Even so, several experts consulted by Science And specialized media outlets warn that this turning point does not mean the problem is solved. The share of fossil fuels in the global energy supply continues to hover around 80% of all primary energy, a figure that has barely decreased since the middle of the last decade.
Furthermore, sectors such as aviation, maritime transport, and certain branches of heavy industry continue heavily dependent on gas, oil and coaland they still lack mature, large-scale commercial alternatives. The electrification of these end uses and the development of low-carbon synthetic fuels appear to be long-term challenges.
Although the deployment of solar and wind farms continues at a rapid pace, the construction of new coal-fired power plants The backup system in some countries, as well as the inertia of already amortized fossil fuel infrastructures, maintains upward pressure on emissions that complicates achieving the goal of limiting warming to 1,5°C, the most ambitious reference of the Paris Agreement.
Networks, storage and planning: the technical backstage of the transition
Beyond the headlines, the report of Science He insists that the renewable energy advance can only be consolidated if a series of issues are addressed. structural challenges linked to the very nature of these technologies. The first of these is the adaptation of electrical networksSystems are needed that can integrate large volumes of variable generation, with bidirectional flows and millions of small distributed producers.
The second major front is the large-scale energy storageLithium-ion batteries, whose production is also led by China, have experienced significant price drops and performance improvements. Even so, their widespread deployment in electrical grids and isolated systems is still in its early stages compared to the volume of renewable energy already installed.
Along with batteries, technologies such as hydroelectric pumpingThermal storage and compressed air systems are poised to play a significant role. Experts consulted by the magazine indicate that combination of different solutions —and not a single miracle technology— will be what allows the stabilization of electrical systems with high renewable penetration.
The third element has to do with the long-term planning of the energy systemVoices like that of Miguel de Simón MartínProfessors of Electrical Engineering point out that the massive deployment of renewables is a necessary condition to address the climate crisis, but "not sufficient" if it is not accompanied by profound reforms in the operation of the system, in the electricity markets and in international coordination.
Technological innovation: new solar cells and more advanced batteries
Alongside the rapid expansion of already mature projects, Science pay attention to a set of technological innovations which could further accelerate the energy transition in the coming years. Among them, the following stand out: higher efficiency solar cells that combine different materials to better utilize the solar spectrum, and that promise to increase the amount of electricity generated per square meter.
In parallel, several lines of research are working on batteries with new chemistries capable of outperforming current lithium-ion batteries in capacity, durability, safety, or cost. Systems based on sodium, enhanced lithium iron phosphate, or other alternative compositions are emerging as options to reduce the cost of stationary storage without compromising performance.
These technological improvements are not neutral from a geopolitical perspective. As production capabilities consolidate in certain countries, the development of new materials and manufacturing processes It can reshape the industrial landscape and alter the current market concentration, especially if Europe or the United States manage to scale up their own supply chains.
Experts from the academic field, such as Julio J. MeleroThe director of the ENERGAIA institute points out that the recognition of Science the renewables reflect the degree of industrial and technological maturity achieved. The question is no longer so much whether the solutions exist, but the speed with which they are implemented through investment, stable regulatory frameworks, and coordinated planning.
In this sense, the consensus among specialists is that clean energies have the potential to become the most practical and cost-effective option towards a decarbonized economy, provided that investment momentum is maintained and that public policies do not generate uncertainty that hinders projects.
Hidden costs: raw materials, environmental impacts, and social conflicts
The optimistic narrative of the renewable energy revolution coexists with a more complex reality. The transition itself rests on a intense demand for raw materials such as lithium and cobalt for batteries, polysilicon for photovoltaic panels, or rare earths used in the magnets of wind turbines.
As deployment scales up, so does the pressure on extractive areas and global supply chains. Various reports and organizations have documented cases of significant environmental impacts linked to lithium or cobalt mines, as well as credible reports of forced labor in certain phases of polysilicon production for the solar industry.
In addition to the footprint linked to materials, numerous large-scale projects—offshore wind farms, solar power plants in deserts, large evacuation lines—have generated conflicts with local and indigenous communitiesThe displacement of populations, the loss of traditional livelihoods, deforestation, and the alteration of terrestrial and marine ecosystems are part of the less visible downside of the transition if it is not managed with criteria of social and environmental justice.
Cases such as the protests against wind farms in Norway, Mexico, and certain regions of India demonstrate that the rapid deployment of renewable infrastructure without genuine participation from the affected territories can lead to significant social resistance. public acceptance of the transition —the key to sustaining it in the long term— will depend on how these tensions are addressed.
In Europe and Spain, the debate surrounding the location of large-scale industrial parks, biodiversity protection, and the role of local communities has been gaining momentum. Experience in recent years suggests that an energy transition perceived as imposed or unfair risks... lose social legitimacyeven among those who support abandoning fossil fuels.
Just transition: sharing benefits and power over energy
Faced with these challenges, a growing number of voices are calling for the expansion of renewables to be integrated into a framework of “just energy transition”This approach is not limited to reducing emissions, but seeks to distribute the benefits and burdens of the new energy model equitably, both between countries and within each territory.
A just transition involves recognizing the right of communities to decide how energy is produced, distributed, and used in their regions. It also means ensuring that renewable projects generate economic returns and local employment, rather than simply occupying space and evacuating electricity to other locations with little added value.
In practice, this translates into promoting formulas such as local energy communitiesThe distribution of park revenues among the affected municipalities or mechanisms for early participation in planning are also key considerations. Transparency in information and the integration of diverse voices—including those of vulnerable groups—are presented as conditions for reducing conflicts.
International organizations and part of the scientific community point out that a just energy transition It's not an optional luxury.but rather a requirement for the change of model to be politically sustainable. Otherwise, the risk is that opposition to certain projects will become widespread opposition to renewables, slowing the abandonment of fossil fuels.
Political will, legal frameworks, and social support will therefore be as decisive as cost curves or technological advances. European experience, with its intense debates on electricity market reform and the protection of vulnerable consumers, shows that social dimension of energy change It is already one of the central themes of public debate.
Europe and Spain on the global renewable energy board
Although industrial leadership largely rests with China, Europe maintains a key role in the transition, both from a regulatory standpoint and in terms of market size. EU climate policies, from the European Green Deal to energy and climate legislative packages, have set an ambitious course for emissions reduction and renewable energy deployment.
The continent has established itself as one of the main destinations for Asian-made photovoltaic and wind power technology, but it is also making progress in creating own production capabilities to reduce the risk of over-reliance. The discussion on subsidies, aid to the green industry, and local content standards is part of a broader strategy to maintain competitiveness against other major powers.
In this context, Spain occupies a prominent position due to its exceptional solar resource and by a significant availability of wind, both on land and in MarThe country has experienced a strong increase in photovoltaic and wind farms in recent years, accompanied by a significant drop in generation costs and growth in self-consumption.
At the same time, the Spanish electricity grid faces challenges similar to those described by ScienceThe need to strengthen infrastructure, reduce administrative bottlenecks, and accelerate the integration of storage and flexibility in demand management is paramount. The debate on the location of power plants, high-voltage lines, and the protection of rural areas remains fully relevant.
The European and Spanish experience can be read, in a way, as a political and technical laboratory for the transition: a region with ambitious climate goals, regulatory capacity, and abundant renewable resources, but also with social and economic tensions that require careful consideration to ensure the change of model is perceived as a shared opportunity and not as an imposition from above.
This whole picture painted by the scientific community leaves a fairly clear message: the push for solar and wind power has ceased to be a side note and has become the core of the global energy transformationChina's productive leadership, Europe's regulatory commitment, and the growing demands for a just transition will determine the extent to which these technologies become established as the most logical, accessible, and socially acceptable way to produce the energy that will sustain our economies in the coming decades.
