20 Most Successful Energy Solutions of 2024
The energy solutions of 2024 showcased groundbreaking innovations and transformative projects that are propelling the world toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
- Alyana Aguja
- 6 min read
The energy breakthroughs of 2024 mark an extraordinary year in terms of steps toward sustainability, innovation, and global cooperation. From setting new records for renewable energy achievements to the groundbreaking technologies of direct air capture and solid-state batteries, these solutions transform how we power our world. They represent the continued commitment of human beings toward a cleaner, greener future and the actual steps being made toward it.
1. Sweden’s Wind Power Surpasses Nuclear
Image from Wikipedia
In December 2024, wind energy became Sweden’s leading electricity source, accounting for 35% of production and surpassing nuclear power for the first time. This milestone marked Sweden’s commitment to increasing renewable energy infrastructure and underlined the potential of wind energy in national grids.
2. UK Achieves Cleanest Electricity Supply
Acts of Union 1800 from Wikipedia
In 2024, the UK had its cleanest electricity supply ever, with renewables at a record 45% and fossil-fuel generation dropping to its lowest since 1955. This aligns with the country’s ambition to reach 95 percent clean electricity in 2030.
3. Nuclear Energy Stocks Surging
Lukáš Lehotský from Unsplash
By 2024, nuclear energy stocks will also have risen due to the high electricity demands in AI data centers. Shares in Constellation Energy and Vistra increased 91% and 258%, respectively. Such growth shows how vital nuclear energy has become in meeting these high demands.
4. Fervo Energy’s Enhanced Geothermal System
Job Savelsberg from Unsplash
Fervo Energy finished its first geothermal plant in Nevada, the world’s first use of horizontal wells in an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS). The plant produces a baseload of 3.5 MW, enough to power about 2,000 households. This innovation shows that geothermal energy is a reliable renewable resource.
5. Climeworks’ Mammoth Direct Air Capture Plant
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Climeworks opened the world’s largest direct air capture plant, Mammoth, in Iceland. At full capacity, it will remove 36,000 tons of CO₂ annually, equivalent to taking around 7,800 gas-powered cars off the road for a year. This facility is a highly advanced carbon capture technology.
6. Masdar’s Investment in Dogger Bank Wind Farm
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Masdar was one of the companies involved in a £11 billion investment by a renewable energy company in the UK’s Dogger Bank wind farm project. The project will be one of the largest offshore wind farms worldwide, significantly contributing to the UK’s renewable capacity. This again points out a growing collaboration trend in global renewable energy projects.
7. Electrify 2515 Community Pilot in Australia
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Engineer Saul Griffith spearheaded the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot in New South Wales, which will fully electrify 500 homes. This will save them considerable money while keeping emissions much lower, representing a replicable model nationwide. The campaign illustrates how the change process regarding energy works in communities.
8. Heirloom’s Direct Air Capture Facility
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Heirloom recently opened its first direct air capture facility at Tracy, California, with the capacity to absorb up to 1,000 U.S. tons of CO₂ annually. The captured CO₂ is also used in concrete production: an interesting use-case for carbon capture technology. This enhances the reduction of industrial carbon footprint.
9. Soletair Power’s Building-Integrated Carbon Capture
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Solitaire Power developed technology that integrates direct air capture with building HVAC systems. This system captures CO₂ from indoor air, improving air quality and reducing building emissions. The captured CO₂ can be utilized in various applications, including synthetic fuel production.
10. Global Thermostat’s Carbon Capture Agreements
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Global Thermostat secured deals with companies like Coca-Cola and ExxonMobil to provide captured CO₂ for beverages and fuel production. Their technology uses amine-based sorbents to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere efficiently. These partnerships indicate the commercial viability of direct air capture solutions.
11. Prometheus Fuels’ Synthetic Fuel Production
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Prometheus Fuels, a firm launched in 2019, has completed the technology development to transform atmospheric CO₂ into zero-net-carbon gasoline and jet fuel. The fuel uses renewable electricity, which is carbon neutral when consumed. This innovation provides a sustainable replacement for fossil fuels.
12. Cape Station Geothermal Project in Utah
Job Savelsberg from Unsplash
The Utah-based Cape Station Geothermal Project was recently launched by Fervo Energy, an American company focused on geothermal energy. The project promises to produce up to 400 MW of electricity and be completed by 2028. According to Wikipedia, it will be the world’s largest EGS plant, substantially increasing renewable power capacity. Scale-up is seen as a cornerstone of geothermal energy solutions.
13. Australia’s Renewable Energy Zone Developments
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Australia has significantly invested in its Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) transmission infrastructure. These zones are essential for large-scale wind and solar power projects, which will help the country transition to renewable energy. The developments are expected to meet Australia’s goal of over 80% renewable electricity by 2030.
14. Carbfix’s CO₂ Mineralization in Iceland
Irina Iacob from Unsplash
Carbfix, in collaboration with Climeworks, continued its CO₂ mineralization project in Iceland by injecting captured CO₂ into basaltic rock formations. This process transforms CO₂ into stable minerals, providing a long-term storage solution. The project demonstrates an effective method for reducing atmospheric CO₂ levels.
15. India’s Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects
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This year, the country completed several Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects, including the Rewa and Bhadla Solar Parks. These projects have added an aggregate of more than 4 GW of clean energy to electricity grids, benefitting millions of households. Thus, the country has already made significant headway toward meeting its ambitious target of 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030.
16. Hyundai’s Green Hydrogen Production
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Hyundai began production at its green hydrogen facility in Ulsan, South Korea. With a production capacity of 10,000 tons of green hydrogen per annum, this industrial application uses renewable electricity as a power source. Hyundai uses the same amount of renewable electricity to fuel hydrogen for its cell vehicles, an essential milestone for scaling the hydrogen economy.
17. Portugal’s Floating Solar Plant on the Alqueva Reservoir
Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro from Unsplash
Portugal has constructed the largest floating solar power plant ever on the water reservoir, Alqueva. This hybrid unit, which will serve the dual purpose of producing solar and wind power, will be capable of producing 5 MW of electricity, thereby enabling 1,500 homes to be powered. This indicates an outstanding way of renewing the use of resources with water bodies.
18. Chile’s Cerro Dominador Solar-Plus-Thermal Plant
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Chile inaugurated the Cerro Dominador Plant, Chile, with an amalgam of photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies to generate 210 MW of clean energy. The molten salt storage facility allows electricity production 24/7, eliminating long-term energy insecurity. It underpins the viability of solar power as a baseload energy supply source.
19. Toyota’s Solid-State Battery Breakthrough
Sadman Nafis from Unsplash
Toyota unveiled its solid-state battery technology, promising faster charging times and higher energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries. This innovation will revolutionize the electric vehicle industry, eliminating range anxiety and charging infrastructure issues. It will also make Toyota a leader in sustainable mobility solutions.
20. The Largest Wind Farm in Africa
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Lake Turkana Wind Power Project is Kenya’s biggest wind farm, producing 310 MW of electricity for the national grid. The project significantly reduces Kenya’s reliance on fossil fuels, helping it realize its vision of becoming 100% renewable energy by 2030. It is an example of Africa’s growing investment in clean energy infrastructure.