Have you ever wondered which nations are truly powering the green energy revolution? As we scroll through headlines about climate change and energy crises, a quiet transformation is happening. Somewhere right now, a solar panel is capturing sunlight. A wind turbine is spinning. And the world's electricity grid is getting cleaner than it's been in nearly a century.
Welcome to FreeAstroScience, where we break down complex scientific topics into something you can actually understand—and maybe even get excited about. Today, we're exploring the latest data on global renewable energy production. The numbers might surprise you. Some will inspire you. And by the end, you'll see why this matters for all of us.
Grab your coffee. Let's dig in.
The Global Picture: Where Does Our Electricity Come From?
Here's something remarkable. For the first time since the 1940s, low-carbon electricity sources have crossed the 40% threshold of global power generation. Let that sink in. We haven't seen numbers like this in over 80 years—back when the entire world's electricity system was 50 times smaller than today.
According to the Global Electricity Review 2025 published by Ember, clean power reached 40.9% of global electricity in 2024 . Renewables alone contributed about 32% of global energy needs.
What's driving this shift? Three letters: S-U-N.
Solar energy has become the fastest-growing electricity source on the planet—for the 20th consecutive year. Combined with wind power, these two sources now supply 15% of the world's electricity. That's more than nuclear. And for the first time ever, wind and solar together generated more power than hydroelectric dams.
| Source | Share of Global Electricity |
|---|---|
| Coal | 34.4% |
| Gas | 22.0% |
| Hydro | 14.3% |
| Nuclear | 9.0% |
| Wind | 8.1% |
| Solar | 6.9% |
| Other renewables | 2.6% |
| Total Clean Power | 40.9% |
And here's the really good news: 80 countries now generate more than half their electricity from clean sources. 47 countries have pushed past 75% .
We're not just talking about tiny island nations either. Major economies are transforming their grids. The question is: who's leading the charge?
The Top 5 Renewable Energy Producers: A Country-by-Country Breakdown
Let's meet the nations reshaping our energy future. Based on the latest 2024 data from Ember's Global Electricity Review, here are the five countries producing the most renewable energy on Earth.
1. China: The Undisputed Leader
No country comes close.
China produced 3,836 TWh of renewable energy in 2024—more than the next four countries combined. To put that in perspective, this amount could power the entire city of Milan (homes, offices, factories, transport) for roughly 620 years.
Let's break down China's renewable mix:
- Wind and solar: 1,826 TWh (18.1% of national electricity)
- Hydroelectric: 1,356 TWh (13.5% of national electricity)
- Total renewables share: 38%
China's solar growth is staggering. In 2024 alone, solar generation jumped by 250 TWh—a 43% increase from the previous year . That single-year increase was more than the total solar generation of many countries. China accounted for 53% of the world's new solar generation in 2024 .
But here's the catch. Coal still dominates China's energy mix at 58% . That's actually higher than in 2015, when coal sat at 45% . How is that possible when renewables are growing so fast?
Simple math. China's electricity demand is exploding. It has quadrupled since 2000 . The country is building clean power at a record pace, but demand keeps racing ahead. Still, there's hope: clean generation met 81% of China's demand increase in 2024 . Coal's grip is weakening.
2. United States: A Historic Milestone
2024 was a turning point for American energy.
For the first time in history, wind and solar combined generated more electricity than coal in the United States . That's not a typo. The fuel that powered America's industrial revolution is now producing less electricity than spinning turbines and silicon panels.
The numbers:
- Total renewable production: 1,839 TWh (42% of the national mix)
- Wind and solar: 757 TWh
- Hydroelectric: 236 TWh
To grasp the scale: 1,839 TWh equals Italy's entire electricity consumption for six years .
Solar led the charge with a record 64 TWh increase—the largest jump the U.S. has ever seen . The Inflation Reduction Act is paying off, pushing investment into renewable projects across the country.
Coal's decline has been dramatic. Since peaking in 2007, American coal power has dropped by two-thirds . It now accounts for less than 15% of the nation's electricity—an all-time low .
3. Brazil: The Green Giant
If you want to see what a clean grid looks like, look at Brazil.
A remarkable 90% of Brazil's electricity comes from renewable sources. That's not a goal for 2050. That's reality in 2024.
The breakdown:
- Total renewable production: 669 TWh
- Hydroelectric: 56% of the mix
- Wind and solar: 24.5% of the mix
Brazil's geography is its superpower. The Amazon basin and countless rivers provide enormous hydroelectric potential. But the country isn't resting on its water wealth. Solar and wind are growing at breathtaking speed.
In 2024, Brazil's solar generation surged by 45% (+23 TWh) . That made it the third-largest solar increase globally—behind only China and the U.S. . Brazil has leapfrogged Germany to become the world's fifth-largest solar producer.
Brazil's power sector emissions peaked back in 2014. They've fallen 32% since then . This South American nation is proving that economic growth and clean energy can walk hand in hand.
4. India: Rising Fast
India is writing one of the most important energy stories of our time.
With 1.4 billion people and an economy growing rapidly, India's electricity demand has tripled in two decades. Meeting that demand while keeping emissions in check is one of humanity's great challenges. And India is stepping up.
The 2024 stats:
- Total renewable production: 462 TWh (22.5% of national mix)
- Wind and solar combined: 215 TWh
Here's what's exciting: India has nearly doubled its wind and solar output in just five years. In 2024, it became the third-largest producer of wind and solar electricity globally, overtaking Germany.
Solar capacity installations in India doubled compared to 2023. There are currently 143 GW of wind and solar capacity under construction—projects expected to complete before 2028. That's more clean power in the pipeline than most countries have built in total.
Yes, coal still generates 75% of India's electricity. But the trajectory is changing. In 2024, coal met 64% of new demand growth, down sharply from 91% the year before. Clean sources are capturing more and more of the growth.
5. Canada: Hydro Heritage
Canada rounds out our top five, drawing on its vast rivers and lakes.
- Total renewable production: 455 TWh
- Hydroelectric: ~70% of renewables
Canada's hydroelectric system is mature and massive. The country generates roughly the same amount of hydro power as it did five years ago . Hydro provides stable, reliable baseload power that keeps Canadian homes lit and factories running.
But 2024 brought challenges. Drought conditions caused a 17.5 TWh decline in hydro generation compared to the previous year. This mirrors a broader global pattern: climate change is making water supplies less predictable, which affects hydroelectric output.
Growth in wind and solar has been slower in Canada than in other major economies. There's enormous potential in the wind-swept prairies and sunny southern regions. Whether Canada taps into that potential will shape its energy future.
Why Solar Energy Is Changing Everything
We've mentioned solar a lot. There's a reason. Solar power has become the engine driving the global energy transition.
Consider this: global solar generation doubled in just three years, hitting 2,131 TWh in 2024 . No other energy source has grown this fast at this scale. Ever.
Solar capacity is now measured in terawatts. The world crossed 1 TW of installed solar capacity in 2022. It took only two more years to reach 2 TW . In 2024 alone, the world installed 585 GW of new solar capacity—30% more than 2023, and more than double the amount installed in 2022 .
Why is this happening? Economics.
Solar panels are cheap. Really cheap. And getting cheaper. Combined with falling battery prices—down 84% over the past decade —solar plus storage is becoming unbeatable.
In Germany, building utility-scale solar with battery storage is now cheaper than building a gas power plant . In California, batteries routinely meet close to a fifth of evening peak demand, displacing gas generation .
The math is simple:
Falling solar costs + falling battery costs = unstoppable growth
Early 2025 even brought the world's first 24-hour solar project—1 GW of baseload power in Abu Dhabi, backed by 19 GWh of battery storage. Round-the-clock solar power. It's no longer science fiction.
What's Slowing Us Down?
With all this good news, why aren't we already running on 100% clean power?
Reality is messy. A few obstacles stand in the way.
Heatwaves and Rising Demand
2024 was the hottest year on record. Extreme heat drove up air conditioning use worldwide. Global electricity demand jumped by **4%**—the third-highest growth in a decade .
This surge in cooling demand was the main reason fossil fuel generation ticked up slightly in 2024 . Clean power couldn't grow quite fast enough to meet both normal demand growth and the extra load from heatwaves.
Here's a sobering calculation: without the temperature effect, clean electricity would have met 96% of demand growth in 2024 . Weather threw a wrench in the works.
Grid Limitations
We can build solar farms faster than we can build the wires to connect them. Transmission infrastructure hasn't kept pace with renewable deployment in many regions. This creates bottlenecks, wasting clean energy that could otherwise reach homes and businesses.
Fossil Fuel Inertia
Coal and gas plants don't disappear overnight. In China, coal generation hit a new record high in 2024 . India's coal use continues to climb. Existing infrastructure has momentum—economic, political, and physical.
New Electricity Demands
Electric vehicles, data centers, heat pumps—these technologies are growing fast and consuming more electricity. EVs alone added 225 TWh of demand in 2024 . Data centers and cryptocurrency mining grew by 20% .
These are good developments. Electrifying transport and heating is exactly what we need to cut emissions. But it means the clean energy sector is running to keep up with a moving target.
What Comes Next?
Here's where we stand.
The world is approaching a tipping point. Clean electricity growth is on track to outpace demand growth for the rest of the decade. When that happens consistently, fossil fuel generation will begin a permanent decline.
Some projections suggest this shift could start as early as 2025. China's coal generation may already have peaked. India could plateau within a few years.
| Rank | Country | Renewable Production (TWh) | Renewable Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇨🇳 China | 3,836 | 38% |
| 2 | 🇺🇸 United States | 1,839 | 42% |
| 3 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 669 | 90% |
| 4 | 🇮🇳 India | 462 | 22.5% |
| 5 | 🇨🇦 Canada | 455 | ~70% (mostly hydro) |
Industry forecasts predict solar generation will grow at 21% per year through 2030, with wind at 13% per year . If those numbers hold, clean sources can match demand growth of 4.1% annually—higher than most economists expect.
The transition isn't guaranteed. Geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, and policy reversals could slow progress. But the economic fundamentals are clear. Clean energy is cheaper. It's faster to build. And it doesn't require importing volatile fuels from unstable regions.
As Ember's managing director Phil MacDonald put it: "Cleantech, not fossil fuels, is now the driving force of economic development. The era of fossil growth is coming to an end, even in a world of fast-rising demand".
Wrapping Up: Why This Matters
If you've made it this far, thank you for staying curious.
Here's the bottom line. We're living through an energy revolution. It's not happening in some distant future. It's happening now, powered by solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries getting cheaper every year.
China produces more renewable energy than the next four countries combined. The U.S. just hit a milestone where renewables outpaced coal. Brazil shows that a 90% clean grid is possible today. India is doubling down on solar. Even Canada, with its hydro heritage, has room to grow.
The challenges are real. Heatwaves, grid bottlenecks, and legacy infrastructure create friction. But the direction is unmistakable. Clean power is rising. Fossil fuels are losing ground.
This matters beyond electricity bills and carbon numbers. It's about the air our kids breathe. The stability of our climate. The geopolitical leverage that comes from energy independence.
At FreeAstroScience.com, we believe in one thing above all: never turn off your mind. The sleep of reason breeds monsters. Stay informed. Stay curious. Question what you read—including this article. Look at the data for yourself.
The energy transition is one of the great stories of our time. And you're watching it unfold.
Come back soon. We'll have more to explore together.
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