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List of Top 10 Countries Producing Renewable Energy

Last Updated : 22 Mar, 2024
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List of Top 10 Countries Producing Renewable Energy: These ten nations are changing the renewable energy landscape—forget fossil fuels! Denmark tames the wind, Norway harnesses the strength of flowing rivers, and Iceland uses its volcanic power to heat homes. These countries show that the power of nature may illuminate our future with their impressive waterfalls and thermal geysers. In 2023, the global renewable energy capacity saw an increase of 50% from the year before. Investigate the major manufacturers to see how they’re advancing environmental sustainability!

In this article, we will look into a list of top 10 countries producing renewable energy, along with their percentage, temperature conditions, and their impact on the global level. Lets Begin!

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Countries Producing Renewable Energy

There are so many countries that produce renewable energy with high percentages. With 86.87% of its energy produced from renewable sources, Iceland is the country with the highest percentage of renewable energy. With 98.5% of its energy supplied from renewable sources, Norway is the world’s largest generator of “clean” energy. China, the United States, and Brazil were the top three countries with installed renewable energy in 2022. At 1,161 gigawatts, China topped the list of countries with the most installed renewable energy. The United States ranked second with a capacity of about 352 gigawatts.

List of Top 10 Countries Producing Renewable Energy

The following table lists the top 10 countries producing renewable energy with their percentage:

Country

Renewable Energy Generation (%)

Iceland

86.87

Norway

71.56

Sweden

50.92

Brazil

46.22

New Zealand

40.22

Denmark

39.25

Austria

37.48

Switzerland

36.72

Finland

34.61

Colombia

33.02

Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Iceland

In terms of renewable energy, Iceland is a global leader. Iceland’s electrical grid is entirely powered by renewable energy sources. 86.87% of Iceland’s entire primary energy supply comes from renewable energy sources that are produced locally.

  • The unique geology of Iceland, which is situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, makes it possible to produce renewable energy at a reasonable cost.
  • It also has over 200 volcanoes and 600 hot springs, which make geothermal energy possible.
  • Hydropower is produced by glacial rivers and waterfalls.
  • Over 20 high-temperature steam fields, many of which reach 250°C, are used to heat homes and swimming pools.
  • Iceland’s 751,345 km² exclusive economic zone may be utilized for offshore wind farms.

Second Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Norway

The hydropower in Norway makes it a major producer of renewable energy. On the Norwegian mainland, 31 GW hydropower facilities (with 86 TWh of reservoir capacity, which store water from summer to winter) provide more than 99% of the country’s electricity.

  • An annual average of 133 TWh (or 135.3 TWh in 2007) is generated by hydropower.
  • Also, there is a lot of possibility for wind, wave, and offshore wind power, as well as for the generation of bioenergy from wood.
  • Despite having few solar energy resources, Norway is one of the world’s top producers of silicon solar cells and solar-grade silicon.
  • The EU Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC established the Guarantees of Origin system, which involves selling “green certificates.”
  • In 2010, the sale of these certificates caused the estimated average power consumption mix of a Norwegian household to drop from 99% to 36% renewable.

Third Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Sweden

According to the EU’s 2009 Renewables Directive, Sweden has achieved 46.22 percent of renewable energy in gross final consumption by 2022. In 2014, Sweden supplied 52.6% of the total final energy consumption, exceeding the 2020 objective set by the Directive.

  • In terms of the percentage of renewable energy used, Sweden leads the EU-28 group, followed by Finland, Latvia, Austria, and Denmark.
  • The transportation industry uses 19.2% of renewable energy, the heating and cooling sector uses 68.1%, and the power sector uses 63.3%.
  • In 2014, 49.8% of the electricity produced was generated from hydro, wind, and solar power.
  • Sweden mandates that retail power providers obtain “green electricity certificates” in order to promote renewable energy in the electrical industry.
  • In 2016, the opposition parties and the Swedish government came to an agreement on energy, with the goal of having all electricity produced from renewable sources by 2040.

Fourth Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Brazil

Brazil produces over 7% of the world’s renewable energy, and it is a leader in hydropower and biofuel technologies. The share of the nation’s electrical matrix accounted for by the renewable energy industry was 46.22%, greater than the global average of 25%.

  • About 63% of Brazil’s electricity is produced from hydropower, the nation’s primary energy source.
  • Also, the government intends to increase the usage of biomass, solar, and wind energy.
  • In 2022, Brazil’s electricity came from solar power with 3% and wind power with 12%.
  • Brazil has the seventh-largest energy generation capacity in the world and is the sixth-largest consumer electricity market globally.
  • The country’s energy needs are almost met; by 2035, output is expected to increase by 115% while consumption will expand by 72%.

Fifth Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – New Zealand

About 82% of New Zealand’s power and 40.22% of its primary energy come from renewable sources. This covers wind, hydro, and geothermal energy. At 58%, hydropower generates the majority of New Zealand’s electrical production.

  • 17% of the nation’s energy needs are met by geothermal energy.
  • To help meet its renewable energy goals, the government of New Zealand established a $400 million Green Investment Fund and a $27 million National New Energy Development Centre.
  • Fossil fuels provide the majority of energy in New Zealand, providing 60% of industrial energy and 99% of the energy used for transportation.
  • Electricity is produced by 80–85% renewable energy sources, which indicates well for future reductions in our dependency on fossil fuels.

Sixth Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Denmark

In 2022, 39.25% of Denmark’s electricity generation came from renewable energy sources. Denmark has created district heating networks that provide hot water or steam to densely populated areas centrally. In districts heated by district heating, heat exchangers are installed for individual water systems. In 2013, district heating served more than 60% of all households.

  • Denmark extracts waste heat from the production of electricity by using Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facilities.
  • CHP stations generate heat for district heating systems in addition to electricity for the grid. By 2013, they had cut overall energy use by 11%.
  • Smaller, locally based power plants have replaced larger, central power plants as the primary source of electricity generation in Denmark.
  • These smaller plants use locally sourced bioenergy materials, such as wood pellets and straw.

Seventh Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Austria

By 2022, Austria has reached its 2020 target under the EU Renewables Directive, with 37.48% of total energy consumption coming from renewable sources. In 2016, the renewable energy industry produced 7,219 million euros and 41,591 jobs.

  • Austria has the second-highest percentage of renewable energy production in the EU in 2023, at 87%.
  • The goal of the new government is to decarbonize the energy sector by 2050 and achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
  • By 2030, the Austrian Energy Agency (AEA) projects an increase in renewable energy of up to 35 terawatt hours annually.
  • Decarbonization involves reducing carbon emissions and switching to renewable energy sources in place of fossil fuels to create an integrated energy system that can power, heat, and move people.

Eighth Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Switzerland

By 2022, Austria has reached its 2020 target under the EU Renewables Directive, with 36.72% of total energy consumption coming from renewable sources. In 2016, the renewable energy industry produced 7,219 million euros and 41,591 jobs.

  • Austria has the second-highest percentage of renewable energy production in the EU in 2023, at 87%.
  • The goal of the new government is to decarbonize the energy sector by 2050 and achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
  • By 2030, the Austrian Energy Agency (AEA) projects an increase in renewable energy of up to 35 terawatt hours annually.
  • Decarbonization involves reducing carbon emissions and switching to renewable energy sources in place of fossil fuels to create an integrated energy system that can power, heat, and move people.

Ninth Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Finland

By the end of 2022, Finland’s share of renewable energy had risen to 34.61% of total final energy consumption. Finland and Latvia are now the two EU-28 nations using the most renewable energy, with Sweden leading the way at 52.6%.

  • 52% of the energy used for heating and air conditioning, 31.4% for electricity, and 21.6% for transportation came from renewable sources.
  • Finland surpassed the EU renewable energy directive’s 2020 target for the usage of renewable energy by 2014.
  • Finland’s climate strategy prioritizes technology advancements and energy efficiency in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.
  • In 2021, only 36% of Finland’s energy came from fossil fuels, indicating a decreasing reliance on these sources.
  • In order to reduce energy intensity and enhance energy security, Finland’s energy mix is mostly composed of renewable energy sources like biomass, hydropower, and wind power.

Tenth Largest Country Producing Renewable Energy – Colombia

Wind and solar energy are two of the abundant renewable energy sources in Colombia. 25 percent of Colombia’s total energy supply and 33.02 % of its final consumption in 2021 came from renewable sources. This surpasses the 14% IEA average.

  • The most abundant renewable energy resource in Colombia is found in La Guajira, a financially unstable Caribbean region.
  • The solar radiation level in the department of La Guajira is 60% greater than the average for the entire world.
  • The 28.1 Megawatt installed capacity of renewable energy in Colombia is primarily made up of wind power.
  • In Colombia, the first wind turbines were installed in 2004 by the Nordex Group.
  • USAID collaborates with business to provide reasonably priced, renewable energy.

Conclusion – Top 10 Countries Producing Renewable Energy

Using renewable energy sources including wind, solar, nuclear, and hydropower, the majority of the top-using countries for renewable energy are in Western Europe. The top three countries can partially be attributed to their wealth of natural resources, which includes Iceland’s potential for geothermal energy, Norway’s enormous hydroelectric power capacity, and Denmark’s wind power production. Several governments are recognizing the advantages of more sustainable energy production, encouraging technological developments, raising public awareness, and enacting laws to assist energy production that lowers carbon emissions. In the upcoming years, it is anticipated that the percentage of electricity produced from renewable sources will rise even more as nations invest in renewable infrastructure and look for creative solutions.

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FAQs on Top 10 Countries Producing Renewable Energy

Which country has 100% renewable electricity?

The electricity in Albania, Iceland, and Paraguay is primarily sourced from renewable sources. Specifically, hydroelectricity accounts for 100% of the electricity in Albania and Paraguay, while geothermal energy makes for 28%.

How much of India’s energy is renewable?

The share of renewable energy in total energy is only 12.3%. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) released its most recent monthly report, which indicated that as of February 2023, India’s total renewable energy capacity, apart from huge hydro and nuclear plants, was 122 gigawatts.

What is the largest renewable source of electricity globally?

Right now, the biggest renewable energy source used to generate electricity is hydropower.

Which country uses the most solar energy?

With over 224 GWh of electricity produced only by solar energy, China is the country in the world with the most solar power usage, with 370 kWh of installed solar expected by 2024.

Who is the largest producer of renewable energy in India?

In addition to being one of the most affordable renewable energy producers globally, Adani is the biggest solar power generator in India. Compared to the national average of Rs 3.75 per unit for procurement, the average portfolio pricing is as low as Rs 3.02 per unit.

Which country has highest renewable energy?

Norway is often cited as one of the countries with a high percentage of renewable energy in its total energy mix. This is largely due to its extensive use of hydroelectric power

What are the 4 main types of renewable energy?

The 4 main types of renewable energy are:

  • Solar Energy
  • Wind Energy
  • Hydroelectric Energy
  • Geothermal Energy


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