Renewable energy is a rapidly growing industry that is gaining more and more attention as we strive to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change. The shift towards renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power has already made a significant impact on the energy sector and the trend is expected to continue in the coming years. In this article, we will explore some mind-blowing statistics and facts about renewable energy that illustrate the current state and future potential of this exciting field. From the massive growth in solar installations to the incredible energy potential of wind turbines, the numbers behind renewable energy are truly staggering.
Renewable Energy Facts
- In 2020, renewable energy sources accounted for 72% of new power capacity additions worldwide. (Source: International Energy Agency)
- Solar photovoltaic (PV) power is the fastest-growing renewable energy source in the world with an average annual growth rate of 42% over the past decade. (Source: International Energy Agency)
- The world’s largest solar power plant is the Tengger Desert Solar Park in China which covers an area of 1,200 square kilometers and can generate up to 1.5 gigawatts of electricity. (Source: World Atlas)
- Wind power is the second-fastest-growing renewable energy source in the world with an average annual growth rate of 17% over the past decade. (Source: International Energy Agency)
- In 2020, renewable energy sources (excluding hydropower) accounted for 10.3% of total electricity generation in the United States. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the cost of renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind, has fallen by 82% and 39%, respectively, since 2010.
- In 2020, the world’s total installed capacity of solar and wind power surpassed 1,000 gigawatts for the first time. (Source: International Energy Agency)
- Renewable energy sources including hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal, provided 72% of Iceland’s primary energy consumption in 2019. (Source: International Energy Agency)
- According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency, the renewable energy sector employed 11.5 million people worldwide in 2019.
- As of 2021, the largest offshore wind farm in the world is the Hornsea One wind farm in the UK which has a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts and can power over one million homes. (Source: Offshore Wind)
- The largest solar power plant in the United States is the Solar Star plant in California which has a capacity of 579 megawatts. (Source: Forbes)
- China is the world’s largest producer of solar power with a total installed capacity of 254 GW as of 2020. (Source: International Energy Agency)
- In 2019, the European Union generated 34% of its electricity from renewable sources. (Source: European Commission)
- The world’s largest hydropower plant is the Three Gorges Dam in China which has a capacity of 22.5 gigawatts. (Source: National Geographic)
- As of 2020, the world’s largest battery energy storage system is the Hornsdale Power Reserve in Australia which has a capacity of 150 megawatts and can store up to 193.5 megawatt-hours of energy. (Source: Clean Energy Council)
- According to a report by the International Energy Agency, renewable energy sources could account for 56% of global electricity generation by 2035.
- The world’s largest geothermal power plant is the Geysers in California which has a capacity of 1.5 gigawatts. (Source: Geothermal Energy Association)
- In 2020, China accounted for 42% of the world’s total installed wind power capacity. (Source: International Energy Agency)
- In 2019, renewable energy sources (excluding hydropower) accounted for 47% of electricity generation in Germany. (Source: Fraunhofer ISE)
- The largest solar power plant in Africa is the Benban Solar Park in Egypt which has a capacity of 1.5 gigawatts. (Source: African Development Bank)
- In 2020, the United States generated 7.3% of its electricity from solar and wind power. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- The world’s largest floating solar power plant is the 150-megawatt facility in Anhui Province, China. (Source: Forbes)
- In 2020, the United States generated 20% of its electricity from nuclear power. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- The world’s largest tidal energy plant is the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station in South Korea which has a capacity of 254 megawatts. (Source: Renewable Energy World)
- In 2019, renewable energy sources accounted for 23% of total primary energy consumption in the European Union. (Source: European Commission)
- The world’s largest biomass power plant is the Ironbridge power station in the UK which has a capacity of 740 megawatts. (Source: Drax)
- In 2020, renewable energy sources accounted for 98% of new power capacity additions in India. (Source: International Energy Agency)
- The world’s largest wave energy plant is the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter in Scotland which has a capacity of 2.25 megawatts. (Source: Pelamis Wave Power)
- In 2019, the United States generated 7.2% of its electricity from hydropower. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- The world’s largest solar thermal power plant is the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California which has a capacity of 392 megawatts. (Source: BrightSource Energy)
- In 2020, renewable energy sources (excluding hydropower) accounted for 25% of electricity generation in Japan. (Source: Japan Renewable Energy)
- The world’s largest offshore wind farm, the Hornsea Two, is currently under construction in the UK and is expected to have a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts. (Source: Ørsted)
- In 2019, renewable energy sources accounted for 14% of total primary energy consumption in the United States. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- The world’s largest solar-powered desalination plant is the Al Khafji Solar Saline Water Reverse Osmosis Plant in Saudi Arabia which can produce up to 60,000 cubic meters of freshwater per day. (Source: Global Water Intelligence)
- In 2020, wind power surpassed hydropower to become the largest source of renewable energy in the United States. (Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration)
- The world’s largest community-owned solar power plant is the 6.25-megawatt Pflüger Solar Park in Germany which is owned by more than 500 local citizens. (Source: PV Magazine)
- In 2019, renewable energy sources accounted for 29% of electricity generation in the United Kingdom. (Source: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy)
- The world’s largest concentrated solar power plant is the Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex in Morocco which has a capacity of 582 megawatts. (Source: The World Bank)
- In 2020, solar power accounted for 48% of new capacity additions in the United States. (Source: U.S. Solar Market Insight Report)
- The world’s largest solar-powered boat is the MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, which completed a circumnavigation of the globe in 2012. (Source: PlanetSolar)
- In 2020, the world’s largest floating wind farm, the Kincardine Offshore Windfarm in Scotland, started generating electricity with a capacity of 50 MW. (Source: Kincardine Offshore)
- In 2020, the world’s largest solar-powered carport was installed in Switzerland which covers an area of 27,000 square meters and can produce up to 2.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. (Source: Energie360°)
- According to the International Energy Agency, renewable energy sources could meet 80% of the world’s electricity demand by 2030.
- In 2019, wind power generated 19% of electricity in the European Union. (Source: European Commission)
- The world’s largest solar-powered stadium is the Estadio Nacional in Brasília, Brazil which has a capacity of 71,000 spectators and can produce up to 2.5 megawatts of electricity. (Source: Inhabitat)
- In 2020, the world’s largest green hydrogen plant, the Neom Hydrogen Mega Project in Saudi Arabia, was announced which will have a capacity of 4 gigawatts. (Source: Hydrogen Europe)
- The world’s largest solar-powered train, the Shakti Rail, was launched in India in 2021 which has a capacity of 1.7 megawatts and can carry up to 2,000 passengers. (Source: The Times of India)
- In 2020, renewable energy sources accounted for 45% of total electricity generation in the European Union. (Source: European Commission)
- In 2020, the total installed biomass capacity worldwide reached 126.4 GW, which is enough to power over 30 million homes. (Source: IRENA)
- Geothermal power plants have an availability rate of 90%, which is higher than most other power generation technologies. (Source: IGA)