Renewable Energy by Country — 2021 World Rankings

Renewable energy consumption as a share of total energy measures how much of a country's energy comes from renewable sources: hydroelectric, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and marine energy. This metric tracks the energy transition — the shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources. The data comes from the World Bank using International Energy Agency (IEA) methodology.

The global average is approximately 18% renewable, but this masks enormous variation. Iceland leads at nearly 90% (dominated by geothermal and hydroelectric power), followed by Norway (about 70%, almost entirely hydroelectric) and several Latin American countries with large hydropower capacity (Brazil, Paraguay, Costa Rica). At the other end, oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Trinidad and Tobago derive less than 1% of energy from renewables.

Solar and wind energy have experienced dramatic cost reductions — solar PV costs fell over 90% between 2010 and 2024 — making renewables cost-competitive with or cheaper than fossil fuels in most markets. China dominates global renewable capacity additions, manufacturing over 80% of the world's solar panels and installing more renewable capacity annually than the rest of the world combined. Europe has set a 42.5% renewable target for 2030. The key challenges remaining are intermittency (solar and wind don't produce when the sun isn't shining or wind isn't blowing), grid infrastructure, and energy storage — all of which require significant investment to solve at scale.