Global Overview
According to data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), 2022 was a record year for renewable energy generation. Globally, renewable sources generated 8,440 terrawatt-hours (TWh), an increase of 567 TWh from the previous year. This consistent growth in renewable energy generation showcases the world’s accelerating shift towards cleaner and more sustainable energy alternatives, moving away from traditional fossil fuels.
In 2022, renewables constituted 29.1% of global power generation, an increase from 27.7% in 2021.
Main Technologies
Hydropower has traditionally been the dominant force in renewable energy generation worldwide. However, its preeminence has diminished over the years, with its share declining from 92% in 2000 to 51% in 2022.
In contrast, wind and solar technologies have experienced significant growth. The contribution of wind energy leaped from a mere 1% in 2000 to 25% in 2022. Similarly, solar energy, which was virtually nonexistent in its contribution in 2000, climbed to 15% by 2022.
Key Nations and Regions
In 2022, the frontrunners in renewable energy generation included China, the United States, Brazil, Canada, and India. Of these, China stood out with the most significant annual growth, generating approximately 222 TWh more than its 2021 figures.
In 2022, 10 countries/areas generated close to 100% (>99%) of their electricity from renewable sources.
In 2022, Asia led in renewable energy generation, producing approximately 3,749 TWh or 44% of the global total. North America contributed about 1,493 TWh, accounting for 18% of the global share, while Europe generated an estimated 1,462 TWh (17%).
Although Asia leads in absolute terms of renewable energy generation, South America is noteworthy for its reliance on renewables as a proportion of its total energy mix. In 2022, South America sourced approximately 75% of its electricity from renewable sources. Europe was next with a significant 40%, while Central America and the Caribbean trailed closely at 38%. Conversely, renewables constituted only about a quarter of Asia’s total electricity generation.
Renewable Hydropower
In 2022, renewable hydropower generation reached 4,330 TWh, the second highest year on record.
Key Nations and Regions
In 2022, China generated 1,304 TWh from renewable hydropower, significantly outpacing other nations. Canada, Brazil, the United States, Russia, India, and Norway each contributed over 100 TWh.
From a regional perspective, Asia dominated in 2022, generating roughly 1,900 TWh, which accounted for 44% of global renewable hydropower generation. Over the past decades, Asia has steadily increased its share of renewable hydropower generation.
Solar Energy
In 2022, solar energy generated 1,294 TWh, a new record year for solar generation, and 264 TWh more than in 2021. Over the past two decades solar generation has seen a very strong growth. For comparison, solar energy generated just above 4 TWh in 2005 and 34 TWh in 2010.
Key Nations and Regions
China, the United States, Japan, India, and Germany were the top contributors to global solar electricity generation in 2022. China stood out, generating 428 TWh, which equates to almost one-third of worldwide solar energy generation.
In 2022, Asia produced the most solar energy, with its 687 TWh accounting for roughly half of the global output. Meanwhile, Europe’s contribution has seen a notable decline over recent years as Asia’s generation has expanded.
Wind Energy
Over the past two decades, wind energy has seen robust growth. In 2022, electricity generation from wind amounted to 2,098 TWh, marking an increase of 258 TWh from 2021.
Key Nations and Regions
In 2022, China was the largest contributor to global wind energy generation, with the United States, Germany, Brazil, India, and Spain also making significant contributions. For offshore wind, China, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium were the largest contributors. China also saw the largest increase in TWh from 2021 to 2022, the majority of which was onshore generated.
Asia, Europe, and North America stand out as the leading regions for wind energy generation.
Bioenergy
In 2022, global bioenergy generation reached 619 TWh, an increase of 9 TWh from 2021.
Key Nations and Regions
China was the largest generator of bioenergy worldwide in 2022, followed by Brazil, the United States, Germany and Japan.
Regionally, Asia and Europe are the largest contributors to bioenergy generation, making up 74% of the total global generation.
Geothermal Energy
In 2022, global geothermal energy generation reached 97 TWh, marking an increase of 2.2 TWh from 2021.
Key Nations and Regions
In 2022, the United States was the largest generator of geothermal energy, producing around 19 TWh.
In geothermal energy generation, Asia and North America are the primary contributors, accounting for more than half of global output. However, in recent times, their combined share has seen a slight decline, primarily due to the emerging significance of Eurasia and Africa.
About the data
The data presented on this page is sourced from IRENA – International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA Renewable Energy Statistics database. Data is copyright © IRENA 2024.
Renewable electrical generation statistics are released by IRENA annually.
Regional Groupings
Data from IRENA on renewable capacity is based on the following regional groupings:
Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam.
Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Central America and the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.
Eurasia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation, Türkiye.
Europe: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Middle East: Bahrain, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
North America: Canada, Mexico, United States.
Oceania: Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
South America: Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
Changelog
- Updated in September 2024 with IRENA data up to 2022.
- First version of this page was released in September 2023, with IRENA data covering 2000 up until the end of 2021.