In 2023, Asia was the world’s leading region in absolute terms in terms of renewable electricity generation, with a total of 1,961,099 MW, followed by Europe, which reached 786,788 MW, according to data that can be extracted from the International Renewable Energy Agency’s latest Renewable Energy Statistics 2024. This report includes data on hydroelectric power generation (broken down into renewable hydroelectric -including mixed plants- and pumped hydroelectric); marine energy; wind energy (onshore and offshore); solar energy (photovoltaic and thermoelectric); bioenergy (solid biofuels and renewable waste, liquid biofuels and biogas) and geothermal energy.
In the Old Continent, renewable energy production is led by Germany, which in 2023 reached 166,939 MW, followed by Spain, with 80,136 MW, and France, with 69,301 MW. As can be seen in the graph, the growth of green energy generation in Europe in the last 10 years was 79%, an average that is only exceeded by the Netherlands, with a spectacular growth of 664%; Poland, with 385%, the United Kingdom, with 123% and Germany, with 85%.
When the data shown in Renewable Energy Statistics 2024 is broken down by type of energy, it can be seen that Norway, with a generation capacity of 34,401 MW, is the European country with the greatest capacity to produce hydroelectric energy. Germany leads the ranking in wind power generation (69,459 MW), solar power (81,739 MW) and bioenergy (9,950 MW). France, with 212 MW, is the European country that generates the most marine energy.
Despite strong growth in renewable energy generation in 2023, as Francesco La Camera, director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency, explains in the report, “the world is still far from reaching the target of 11 TW by 2030”. Europe outgrew the US in 2023 (10% vs. 7%), but the US industry’s renewable energy generation capacity has been higher over the last decade (84% vs. 79% in the US sector).
The figures, both globally and in Europe, “are a valuable resource for tracking progress, but also a reminder of the work that lies ahead to achieve a just, inclusive and sustainable future for all”.
