Over the past decade, renewable energy has become a key focus for the world’s largest economies as they work toward reducing carbon emissions and achieving sustainability goals. Analyzing the renewable energy consumption as a percentage of total energy use in the top 20 global economies, we can see significant progress in some nations, stagnation in others, and even decline in a few cases.
Countries like Brazil and India continue to maintain a high share of renewable energy, while others, such as the United Kingdom and Switzerland, have made remarkable progress. On the other hand, Russia and Saudi Arabia remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels, with little to no shift toward cleaner alternatives.
The below chart will help you to understand the performance of top economies in clean energy:
This report examines the major insights and trends in renewable energy consumption across the world’s leading economies, highlighting the top performers, slow adopters, and the surprising shifts in energy policy over the last decade.
Here are 10 key insights based on the percentage of renewable energy consumption in the total energy use of the world’s top 20 economies:
1. Global Increase in Renewable Energy Adoption
Most top economies have increased their share of renewable energy consumption from 2011 to 2021, reflecting a worldwide shift toward cleaner energy sources.
2. Brazil Leads in Renewable Energy Use
Brazil consistently had the highest renewable energy consumption, at 45% in 2011 and 47% in 2021, thanks to its strong reliance on hydroelectric power and bioenergy.
3. India Maintains High Renewable Energy Share
India had a steady 35% renewable energy consumption rate in both years, indicating a strong renewable energy base but limited further growth in the decade.
4. Fastest Growth: United Kingdom and Switzerland
The UK’s renewable energy share tripled from 4% to 12%, while Switzerland’s increased from 21% to 28%, showing significant progress in clean energy transitions.
5. China and the U.S. Show Modest but Significant Growth
- China, the world’s second-largest economy, increased its renewable energy share from 11% to 15%.
- The United States saw a similar rise from 8% to 11%, indicating gradual but important growth.
6. Indonesia’s Decline in Renewable Energy Share
Indonesia’s renewable energy share fell from 32% to 20%, suggesting a shift toward fossil fuels or slower-than-expected renewable capacity expansion.
7. Slow Progress in Russia and Saudi Arabia
- Russia had a minimal increase from 3% to 4%, reflecting continued dependence on fossil fuels.
- Saudi Arabia remains at 0%, highlighting its complete reliance on oil despite global sustainability trends.
8. Germany, France, and Italy Improve at Similar Rates
- Germany: From 13% to 18%
- France: From 11% to 16%
- Italy: From 12% to 18%
These European economies show parallel growth in clean energy adoption.
9. South Korea Has the Lowest Renewable Energy Share
Despite being a major economy, South Korea had the lowest renewable energy share in both years, with just 1% in 2011 and 4% in 2021, indicating slow adoption of renewables.
10. Developed vs. Developing Economies: A Mixed Trend
- Advanced economies like the UK, Germany, and France saw significant renewable energy growth.
- Emerging economies like India and Brazil already had high renewable energy use but showed little change over the decade.
- Some middle-income nations, like Indonesia and Turkey, saw either stagnation or decline in renewable energy share.
These insights show a mixed global trend, with some countries making strong progress while others remain reliant on fossil fuels. Let me know if you need more detailed analysis!
