Introduction

Renewable Energy Adoption Statistics: Renewable energy is becoming more popular worldwide. Many countries use clean energy sources like solar, wind, and water instead of oil and coal. This change helps reduce pollution and fight climate change. In recent years, the use of renewable energy has grown fast as people and governments look for better, greener ways to make electricity.

This article shares simple and clear facts about how much renewable energy people use today. It also shows which countries are leading in this change and why it matters. Looking at the latest numbers, we can understand how the world is moving toward a cleaner and more sustainable future.

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• By 2025, the global renewable energy market is expected to grow to USD 2.15 trillion.
• In 2024, the world added 585 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy, making up over 90% of all new power capacity.
• By March 2025, India reached 220 GW of renewable energy capacity, with solar power at 105.65 GW and wind power at 50.04 GW.
• In 2024, clean energy sources like solar and wind provided over 40% of the world’s electricity.
• Renewable Energy Adoption Statistics show that as of March 2025, renewable sources accounted for 48% of India’s installed power capacity.
• India’s solar capacity grew from 2.5 GW in 2014 to about 94.16 GW by November 2024, a 30-fold increase.
• Global renewable electricity generation is expected to exceed 17,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030, nearly doubling from 2023.
• India aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, up from the current 220 GW.
• The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts global energy consumption will rise by about 4% in 2024 and 2025.
• India plans to install 250 million smart meters by 2025 to improve energy efficiency and reduce losses.
• A global survey found that over 75% of companies support achieving a renewables-based electricity system by 2035 or sooner.

General Renewable Energy Adoption Statistics

• In 2025, the global Renewable Energy market is expected to produce about 8.74 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity.
• From 2025 to 2029, this amount will likely grow yearly by around 4.22% on average.
• The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) predicts that by 2050, 90% of solutions to reduce carbon emissions will involve renewable energy in some way.
• About six billion people, or nearly 80% of the world’s population, still depend on fossil fuel imports from other countries.
• By the early 2030s, an investment of USD 4.5 trillion per year in clean energy will be needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
• Global energy investments are expected to reach a record high of USD 3 trillion in 2024.
• USD 2 trillion will be invested in green technologies such as renewables, electric vehicles (EVS), and nuclear power.
• Meanwhile, USD 1 trillion will still be invested in coal, gas, and oil.
• The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts a global increase in energy consumption of around 4% in 2024 and 2025.
• The share of electricity generated from renewable sources is expected to grow from 30% in 2023 to 35% by 2025.
• Renewable energy use worldwide has increased significantly in the past twenty years, reaching almost 90.23 exajoules by 2023.

(Reference: statista.com)

• By 2024, the world had about 4.4 terawatts of renewable energy set up, around 15% more than in 2023.

Factors Influencing Renewable Energy Adoption

• Economic factors include the price of solar panels, wind turbines, battery storage systems, government subsidies, grants, and energy prices in USD.
• Political factors involve strong regulations and commitments to global agreements related to renewable energy.
• Technological progress and investment in research and development (R&D) are key in advancing renewable energy.
• Social factors include public awareness and support, along with the involvement of communities in renewable energy projects.
• Competition among companies providing renewable energy also influences the market.

Renewable Energy Market Size By Market.us

(Source: Market.us)

• The global renewable energy market is projected to reach USD 4,393.6 billion by 2034, up from USD 1,305.8 billion in 2024, registering a CAGR of 12.9% from 2025 to 2034.
• In 2024, Asia-Pacific led the global renewable energy market with a 45.2% share, generating USD 591.5 billion in revenue.
• As of 2024, global renewable energy capacity stood at approximately 3,000 gigawatts (GW).
• Asia contributed 450 GW in new renewable energy capacity additions in 2024.
• In India, total renewable energy capacity surpassed 200 GW in November 2024, accounting for 46.3% of the country’s total installed power capacity.
• India is expected to add 35 GW of combined solar and wind capacity by March 2025, setting a new national record.
• The Indian government has committed USD 386 billion for renewable energy expansion as of September 2024.
• Hydropower remains the largest source in the renewable mix, holding a 44.3% share globally.
• On-grid renewable energy systems represent 88.3% of total global renewable installations.
• The industrial sector accounts for 47.4% of total global renewable energy demand.
• India’s clean energy target aims for 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030, necessitating a 30% annual increase in additions.
• The International Energy Agency forecasts that renewables will contribute over 90% of global electricity capacity growth between 2022 and 2027, with 2,400 GW in new capacity expected.

By Region

(Reference: precedenceresearch.com)

• In 2024, the Asia Pacific region held the largest global market share at 40.71%.
• Furthermore, the market share of renewable energy in other regions was Europe (25.29%), North America (19.20%), Latin America (9.03%), and MEA (5.77%).

Renewable Energy Capacity Statistics

(Source: irena.org)

• The total renewable power capacity worldwide reached 4,448 gigawatts (GW) in 2024.
• Clean energy sources comprised 46.4% of the world’s total electricity capacity.
• Energy from wind and solar (which change with the weather) covered 31.3% of all power capacity.
• In just one year, renewable energy capacity grew by 15.1% globally.
• Power from solar and wind saw even faster growth, increasing by 23.2% compared to the year before.
• The world has set a target of reaching 11.17 terawatts (TW) of renewable energy by 2030.
• Back in 2022, the global renewable capacity was 3.38 TW.
• By the end of 2024, we will have reached 4.45 TW, which means we still need to add 6.72 TW to meet the 2030 goal.
• In 2024, solar power led the way with 1,865 GW, followed by hydropower at 1,283 GW and wind energy at 1,133 GW.
• Other sources included bioenergy (151 GW), geothermal (15 GW), and marine energy (1 GW).

By Region, 2024

• Asia led the way, adding 421.5 GW of new renewable power, 72% of the global increase. The continent’s total renewable capacity reached 2,382 GW, about 53.6% of the world’s total.
• China alone added 373.6 GW, making it the biggest contributor to Asia’s growth.
• In Europe, renewable capacity grew by 70.1 GW, a 9% rise. Germany played a key role, adding over 18.8 GW.
• However, Ukraine’s capacity fell sharply, dropping by more than 7.5 GW during the year.
• North America added 45.9 GW in 2024, an increase of 8.7%, with most of the new capacity coming from the United States.
• In Africa, renewable energy continued to grow steadily. The region added 4.2 GW, a 6.7% increase, mainly from Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa.
• Oceania saw a 13.3% rise, gaining 8.7 GW mostly from Australia.
• South America also showed steady growth, adding 22.4 GW, a 7.8% increase compared to the previous year.
• The Middle East expanded by 3.3 GW, up 9%, with Saudi Arabia contributing over half of the region’s new capacity.

By Types

Solar Energy (Photovoltaic – PV)

• In 2024, solar power grew the most among all renewables, with 451.9 GW of new capacity added.
• Asia played a big role, doubling its solar power capacity since 2022. It added 247.9 GW in 2023 and 327.1 GW in 2024.
• China led the world by adding 278.0 GW, followed by India with 24.5 GW and South Korea, which added 3.1 GW, a big jump from previous years.
• Outside Asia, the United States increased its solar capacity by 38.3 GW, 54% more than in 2023. Brazil added 15.2 GW, and Germany added 15.1 GW.

Hydropower

• As of 2024, the world added 15.0 GW of new hydro capacity (up from 11.3 GW in 2023).
• China was responsible for 96% of this growth.
• Pakistan, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Tanzania, Indonesia, and Nepal are other countries that added more than 0.5 GW.

Wind Energy

• Although growth slowed slightly from 2023, wind energy added a strong 113.2 GW in 2024.
• China again led the way, adding 79.9 GW, over two-thirds of the global total.
• The United States contributed 5.1 GW.
• Other countries with notable growth include Brazil, India, Canada, Türkiye, and several across Europe.
• Offshore wind now makes up 1.8% of all renewable capacity and 7% of all wind power.

Bioenergy

• Bioenergy growth increased in 2024, with 4.6 GW of capacity added, compared to 3.0 GW the year before.
• France added 1.3 GW, a big jump from just 31 MW in 2023.
• China also added 1.3 GW, keeping its position as the global leader.
• Other contributors included India (+0.5 GW), Japan (+0.4 GW), and Brazil (+0.3 GW).

Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal power saw stable growth in 2024, with an extra 0.4 GW added.
• New Zealand led the growth, adding 0.2 GW, or 60% of the total.
• Other countries that expanded geothermal capacity include Indonesia, Türkiye, and the United States.

Off-Grid Electricity

• Off-grid energy systems saw a big jump in 2024, with 1.7 GW of new capacity, nearly three times more than the previous year.
• Solar power was the main source of this growth, adding 1.6 GW, which brought its total off-grid capacity to 6.3 GW.
• The rest of the increase came from small-scale bioenergy systems.
• Off-grid hydropower stayed mostly the same compared to 2023.

Renewable Electricity Production Statistics By Country, 2023

(Source: en.wikipedia.org)

Installed Renewable Energy Capacity Statistics By Countries

(Reference: statista.com)

• China, the leading country for installing renewable energy in 2024, is the leader in renewable energy installations, with a capacity of around 1,827 gigawatts.
• The U.S., in second place, had a capacity of around 428 gigawatts.
• Furthermore, other countries’ renewable energy capacity was Brazil (213.9 gigawatts), India (204.3 gigawatts), Germany (178.7 gigawatts), Japan (132.3 gigawatts), Canada (110.5 gigawatts), Spain (88.5 gigawatts), France (74.3 gigawatts), and Italy (72.1 gigawatts).

Renewable Energy Consumption Share By Country, 2024

Crucial Progress After Adopting Renewable Energy

(Source: rmi.org)

• Solar energy added over 600 GW of new capacity in 2024 and is expected to reach around 675 GW in 2025.
• Wind energy also grew steadily, reaching about 125 GW in 2024 and likely reaching nearly 145 GW in 2025.
• The number of electric cars sold in 2024 was close to 17 million and could rise above 21 million in 2025.
• Battery storage systems saw a big jump, with capacity reaching 170 GWh in 2024 and projected to go beyond 190 GWh in 2025.
• These increases show strong support for global clean energy solutions in 2024 and are expected to lead to more progress by 2025, helping reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change.
• Predictions made in 2024 show a much sharper drop in fossil fuel demand than expected in 2017.
• CO₂ emissions from burning fossil fuels are forecasted to fall faster than earlier predictions.
• The need for carbon capture and storage (CCS) is still rising, but newer forecasts suggest a slightly slower growth rate than before.
• These changes reflect a global move toward greener energy and a stronger push to cut emissions and limit climate damage.

Renewable Energy Adoption Statistics By Benefits

• In 2024, the world added 585 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity, accounting for over 90% of that year’s total power expansion.
• In 2023, about 81% of the newly launched renewable energy projects were cheaper than fossil fuels.
• The global renewable energy industry also created jobs for 16.2 million people—an increase of 2.5 million compared to 2022.
• Off-grid renewable systems like solar, hydro, and biogas have grown significantly.
• These systems now bring power to remote places, helping people with daily needs like cooking, pumping water, lighting streets, etc.
• Global investments in renewable energy reached USD 570 billion in 2023. However, to meet the 2030 targets, annual investments need to triple to USD 1.5 trillion.
• While regions like China and the European Union have made significant strides in adopting renewable energy, areas such as Central America and the Caribbean have lagged, contributing only 3.2% to the global increase in renewable capacity in 2024.

Conclusion

In conclusion, renewable energy like solar, wind, and hydropower is important for a cleaner and safer future. It helps reduce pollution, saves natural resources, and lowers electricity costs over time. More people, businesses, and governments are now choosing green energy because it is better for the environment and our health.

Despite some challenges, new technology is making switching easier and cheaper. If we all support renewable energy, we can help fight climate change and create a better world for future generations. Now is the right time to make the change.

Barry Elad

Barry Elad is a tech enthusiast passionate about exploring various technology topics. He collects key statistics and facts to make tech easier to understand. Barry focuses on software and its benefits for everyday life. In his free time, he enjoys creating healthy recipes, practicing yoga, meditating, and walking in nature with his child. Barry’s mission is to simplify complex tech information for everyone.

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