Tracking Clean Energy Progress 2016

The annual Tracking Clean Energy Progress (TCEP) report highlights the development and deployment of key clean energy technologies year on year. An excerpt of Energy Technology Perspectives (ETP), which lays out pathways towards a sustainable energy system in 2050, this comprehensive overview tracks the evolution of select technologies and sectors against the interim 2025 targets of the IEA 2°C Scenario (2DS). Each assessment includes three sections: Recent Trends discusses the latest progress with reference to technology development and penetration as well as market creation; Tracking Progress includes a quantitative evaluation of progress towards meeting the 2DS; and Recommended Actions outlines measures to overcome barriers to meeting the 2DS. TCEP 2016 features some good news: after record growth for the second year in a row, both solar photovoltaic and onshore wind are on track to meet the 2025 2DS targets; the number of electric vehicles passed the 1 million milestone in 2015; and the outlook for nuclear power improved, with the long-term 2DS targets more achievable than previously thought. However, most of the clean energy technologies examined are not on track. Therefore policy makers must build on the momentum from the Paris Agreement at COP21 and accelerate progress to make the technologies the new norm for energy systems. TCEP 2016 is an integral part of the specific recommendations to governments in ETP 2016 on how to scale up deployment of these key technologies to ensure a secure, clean and competitive energy future.