Global consumption of renewable energy has increased significantly over the last two decades. Consumption levels nearly reached 90.23 exajoules in 2023. This upward trend reflects the increasing adoption of clean energy technologies worldwide. However, despite its rapid growth, renewable energy consumption still remains far below that of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels still dominate energy landscape While renewable energy use has expanded, fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy mix. Coal consumption reached 164 exajoules in 2023, marking its highest level to date. Oil consumption also hit a record high in 2023, exceeding 4.5 billion metric tons for the first time. Natural gas consumption has remained relatively stable in recent years, hovering around 4 trillion cubic m annually. These figures underscore the ongoing challenges in transitioning to a low-carbon energy system. Renewable energy investments The clean energy sector has experienced consistent growth over the past decade, with investments more than doubling from 263 billion U.S. dollars in 2014 to 619 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. China has emerged as the frontrunner in renewable energy investment, contributing 273 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. This substantial funding has helped propel the renewable energy industry forward.

This table expresses the use of renewable energy as gross final consumption of energy. Figures are presented in an absolute way, as well as related to the total energy use in the Netherlands. The total gross final energy consumption in the Netherlands (the denominator used to calculate the percentage of renewable energy per ‘Energy sources and techniques’) can be found in the table as ‘Total, including non-renewables’ and Energy application ‘Total’. The gross final energy consumption for the energy applications ‘Electricity’ and ‘Heat’ are also available. With these figures the percentages of the different energy sources and applications can be calculated; these values are not available in this table. The gross final energy consumption for ‘Transport’ is not available because of the complexity to calculate this. More information on this can be found in the yearly publication ‘Hernieuwbare energie in Nederland’.

Renewable energy is energy from wind, hydro power, the sun, the earth, heat from outdoor air and biomass. This is energy from natural processes that is replenished constantly.

The figures are broken down into energy source/technique and into energy application (electricity, heat and transport).

This table focuses on the share of renewable energy according to the EU Renewable Energy Directive. Under this directive, countries can apply an administrative transfer by purchasing renewable energy from countries that have consumed more renewable energy than the agreed target. For 2020, the Netherlands has implemented such a transfer by purchasing renewable energy from Denmark. This transfer has been made visible in this table as a separate energy source/technique and two totals are included; a total with statistical transfer and a total without statistical transfer.

Figures for 2020 and before were calculated based on RED I; in accordance with Eurostat these figures will not be modified anymore. Inconsistencies with other tables undergoing updates may occur.

Data available from: 1990

Status of the figures: This table contains definite figures up to and including 2022 and figures of 2023 are revised provisional figures.

Changes as of January 2025 Renewable cooling has been added as Energy source and technique from 2021 onwards, in accordance with RED II. Figures for 2020 and earlier follow RED I definitions, renewable cooling isn’t a part of these definitions.
The energy application “Heat” has been renamed to “Heating and cooling”, in accordance with RED II definitions. RED II is the current Renewable Energy Directive which entered into force in 2021

Changes as of November 15th 2024 Figures for 2021-2023 have been adjusted. 2022 is now definitive, 2023 stays revised provisional. Because of new insights for windmills regarding own electricity use and capacity, figures on 2021 have been revised.

Changes as of March 2024: Figures of the total energy applications of biogas, co-digestion of manure and other biogas have been restored for 2021 and 2022. The final energy consumption of non-compliant biogas (according to RED II) was wrongly included in the total final consumption of these types of biogas. Figures of total biogas, total biomass and total renewable energy were not influenced by this and therefore not adjusted.

When will new figures be published? Provisional figures on the gross final consumption of renewable energy in broad outlines for the previous year are published each year in June. Revised provisional figures for the previous year appear each year in June.

In November all figures on the consumption of renewable energy in the previous year will be published. These figures remain revised provisional, definite figures appear in November two years after the reporting year. Most important (expected) changes between revised provisional figures in November and definite figures a year later are the figures on solar photovoltaic energy. The figures on the share of total energy consumption in the Netherlands could also still be changed by the availability of adjusted figures on total energy consumption.

The leading countries for installed renewable energy in 2023 were China, the United States, and Brazil. China was the leader in renewable energy installations, with a capacity of around 1,453 gigawatts. The U.S., in second place, had a capacity of around 388 gigawatts. Renewable energy is an important step in addressing climate change and mitigating the consequences of this phenomenon. Renewable energy capacity and productionRenewable power capacity is defined as the maximum generating capacity of installations that use renewable sources to generate electricity. The share of renewable energy over the world’s power production has increased in recent years, surpassing 30 percent in 2023. Renewable energy consumption varies from country to country. The leading countries for renewable energy consumption are China, the United States, and Brazil.Renewable energy sourcesThere are various sources of renewable energy used globally, including bioenergy, solar energy, hydropower, and wind energy, to name a few. Globally, China and Canada are the top two countries in terms of generating the most energy through hydropower. Regarding solar power, China, the United States, and Japan boast the highest installed capacities worldwide.

In 2023, renewable energy consumption in China reached 27.6 exajoules, more than any other country in the world. Renewable sources such as geothermal, wind, solar, biomass, and waste were included in this measurement, while cross-border electricity trade was not taken into account. Hydropower in China China is by far the leading consumer of hydropower, with over three times the consumption of other leading countries such as Canada and Brazil. Several of the world’s hydroelectric dams with the highest generating capacity are located in China, many of which were constructed in the past two decades. The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River was completed in 2012 to become the largest in the world. Energy consumption in the United States After China, the United States was the second-highest consumer of renewable energy in the world. Both countries also consumed the most primary energy overall. The United States strives to achieve energy independence in order to reduce imports of foreign energy sources. As renewable energy gains momentum in a fossil-fuel dominated industry, renewable production in the United States has slightly exceeded the country’s consumption in recent years, and additionally, have both more than doubled since 1975.

United States US: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data was reported at 8.717 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.754 % for 2014. United States US: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 5.454 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.754 % in 2014 and a record low of 4.089 % in 1994. United States US: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Renewable energy consumption is the share of renewables energy in total final energy consumption.; ; World Bank, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) database from the SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework led jointly by the World Bank, International Energy Agency, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program.; Weighted Average;

Jordan JO: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data was reported at 3.229 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.131 % for 2014. Jordan JO: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 2.332 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.229 % in 2015 and a record low of 1.688 % in 2005. Jordan JO: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Jordan – Table JO.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Renewable energy consumption is the share of renewables energy in total final energy consumption.; ; World Bank, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) database from the SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework led jointly by the World Bank, International Energy Agency, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program.; Weighted Average;

Forecast: Renewable Energy Consumption in China 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Renewable electricity is the share of electrity generated by renewable power plants in total electricity generated by all types of plants.

The UK's energy use from renewable and waste sources, by source (for example, hydroelectric power, wind, wave, solar, and so on) and industry (SIC 2007 section - 21 categories), 1990 to 2022.

China's renewable energy consumption amounted to 13.3 exajoules in 2022, up from 11.27 exajoules in the previous year. Renewables consumption in the East Asian country experienced a continual annual increase between 2010 and 2022, peaking in the latter year.

Global Green Energy Market was valued at $900 Bn in 2021 and is grow at a CAGR of 8.5% by 2028 and generate a revenue of $1,950 Bn forecast period.

The Procurement Analysis Tool (PAT) was developed at NREL to help organizations explore renewable energy options that align with their goals. Users input facility data and answer goal-oriented questions. PAT analyzes this information to identify potential wind, solar, or storage resources and suitable procurement options (PPA, Green Tariffs) that align with their budget, location, and sustainability goals. For more information see the "Procurement Analysis Tool" resource below.

The Renewable Electricity Procurement Options Data (RE-POD) was an aggregated dataset meant to help local jurisdictions and utility customers within those jurisdictions understand the options that may be available to them to procure renewable electricity or renewable energy credits to meet energy goals. RE-POD has been discontinued and replaced with the PAT.

This data is part of a suite of state and local energy profile data available at the "State and Local Energy Profile Data Suite" link below and builds on Cities-LEAP energy modeling, available at the "EERE Cities-LEAP Page" link below. Examples of how to use the data to inform energy planning can be found at the "Example Uses" link below.

Iran IR: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data was reported at 0.913 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.939 % for 2014. Iran IR: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 0.926 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.528 % in 1993 and a record low of 0.438 % in 2000. Iran IR: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iran – Table IR.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Renewable energy consumption is the share of renewables energy in total final energy consumption.; ; World Bank, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) database from the SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework led jointly by the World Bank, International Energy Agency, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program.; Weighted Average;

Philippines PH: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data was reported at 27.452 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 28.582 % for 2014. Philippines PH: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 32.712 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51.960 % in 1991 and a record low of 27.452 % in 2015. Philippines PH: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Philippines – Table PH.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Renewable energy consumption is the share of renewables energy in total final energy consumption.; ; World Bank, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) database from the SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework led jointly by the World Bank, International Energy Agency, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program.; Weighted Average;

Hong Kong HK: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data was reported at 0.853 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.858 % for 2014. Hong Kong HK: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 0.815 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.074 % in 1990 and a record low of 0.525 % in 1999. Hong Kong HK: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong – Table HK.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Renewable energy consumption is the share of renewables energy in total final energy consumption.; ; World Bank, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) database from the SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework led jointly by the World Bank, International Energy Agency, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program.; Weighted average;

Renewable energy production in the United States reached an all-time high of 8,423 trillion British thermal units in 2023. Consumption followed closely behind at 8,241 trillion British thermal units. U.S. investment in clean energy The United States' investment in renewables has greatly increased in the past two decades. Clean energy in the United States currently comes primarily from wind, solar, and hydropower, with significant contributions from biofuel and biomass - also known as biopower. Investments are motivated not only by environmental concerns, but also by unstable markets for traditional fossil fuels. Crisis in oil markets When oil prices peaked during the 2008 financial crisis, investors turned toward developing renewables as well as increasing domestic oil production as a more economically viable source. During the 2010s oil glut, oversupply of shale oil followed the expansion of extraction methods such as hydraulic fracturing, used to access the country’s large reserves of sandstone deep underground.

Monthly and annual data on renewable energy, i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind. Also data on alternative transportation fuels, i.e., hydrogen, natural gas, propane, ethanol, and electricity. Data on renewable energy production, consumption, electricity generation, and consumption by end-use sector.

Oman OM: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data was reported at 0.000 % in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 % for 2014. Oman OM: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 26 observations. Oman OM: Renewable Energy Consumption: % of Total Final Energy Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Oman – Table OM.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Renewable energy consumption is the share of renewables energy in total final energy consumption.; ; World Bank, Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) database from the SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework led jointly by the World Bank, International Energy Agency, and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program.; Weighted average;

Forecast: Renewable Energy Consumption in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!