Renewables generated over a third of global electricity last year. This article details the sector’s uneven progress, from solar’s terawatt-scale expansion to hydropower’s persistent 4,150 TWh output.
Key Takeaways
- Global bioenergy capacity reached 150 GW in 2022
- Worldwide hydropower capacity exceeded 1,416 GW in 2022
- Global renewables capacity investments hit $495 billion in 2022
- Global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity reached 1,052 GW in 2022, marking a 24% increase from 2021
- Global wind power capacity hit 1,017 GW by end of 2022, up 9% from 2021
Renewables are growing faster than ever, accelerating progress toward cleaner, more resilient energy systems.
Related reading
01 · Category
BioGeo26 stats
01
Global bioenergy capacity reached 150 GW in 2022
02
Geothermal capacity stood at 15.6 GW in 2023, led by US with 3.8 GW
03
Modern biomass power generation was 650 TWh in 2022
04
Geothermal LCOE fell 29% from 2010-2022 to $0.056/kWh
05
Biogas plants number over 220,000 globally, producing 100 TWh equivalent
06
Indonesia added 200 MW geothermal in 2023, total 2.3 GW
07
Solid biomass dominates with 80% of bioenergy capacity
08
Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) pilots reached 50 MW by 2023
09
Bioenergy employment is 5.5 million jobs worldwide
10
Bioenergy supplied 10% of global energy in 2022
11
Geothermal direct use capacity 118 GWth in 2023
12
Advanced biofuels production 6 billion liters in 2023
13
Philippines geothermal 1.9 GW, 10% electricity
14
Waste-to-energy plants: 2,500 globally, 500 TWh equiv
15
Bioethanol production 130 billion liters in 2023
16
Geothermal exploration investment $500M/year needed
17
Biomethane potential 20-35 bcm/year in EU
18
Global pellet production 50 Mt in 2023
19
Geothermal in Kenya 900 MW, 45% electricity
20
Bioenergy LCOE $0.072/kWh in 2022
21
Global biodiesel production 45 billion liters 2023
22
Iceland 30% electricity geothermal
23
Anaerobic digestion biogas: 20 bcm/year potential EU
24
Wood chip biomass capacity 100 GW global
25
Superhot rock geothermal pilots 2023 US
26
BioCNG from waste: 1,000 stations global 2023
Interpretation
BioGeo Interpretation
Despite geothermal's impressive cost plunge, bioenergy still heats the global energy party, hosting ten times the gigawatts, half the planet's renewables jobs, and a whole lot of solid biomass.
02 · Category
Hydro28 stats
01
Worldwide hydropower capacity exceeded 1,416 GW in 2022
02
China operates 423 GW of hydropower, over 30% of global total in 2023
03
Run-of-river hydropower accounts for 20% of global hydro capacity
04
Pumped storage hydropower capacity is 160 GW globally
05
Brazil added 4.3 GW hydro capacity in 2023
06
Hydropower generated 4,150 TWh globally in 2022, 15% of electricity
07
Small hydro (<10 MW) capacity is 120 GW worldwide
08
Canada has 82 GW hydro capacity, 60% of its electricity
09
Hydropower LCOE averaged $0.047/kWh in 2022
10
Africa has untapped hydro potential of 300 GW
11
Hydropower capacity in India is 47 GW as of 2023
12
Three Gorges Dam: 22.5 GW largest hydro plant
13
Hydropower capacity factor averages 40-50% globally
14
Norway 92% electricity from hydro in 2023
15
Global hydro additions averaged 25 GW/year 2018-2022
16
Mekong River basin hydro potential 65 GW developed 25%
17
Marine current/tidal capacity 700 MW globally 2023
18
Hydro storage provides 90% of global energy storage
19
Russia hydro capacity 52 GW
20
Variable flow hydro output declined 10% due to droughts 2022
21
Hydropower in Asia-Pacific 70% global capacity
22
Itaipu Dam: 14 GW, 100 TWh/year average
23
Hydropower retrofits improved efficiency 5-10% recently
24
Venezuela Guri Dam 10 GW capacity
25
Global small hydro potential 173 GW untapped
26
Hydro drought impact: -100 TWh EU 2022
27
Turkey hydro capacity 32 GW end 2023
28
Pumped hydro additions 5 GW China 2023
Interpretation
Hydro Interpretation
While China leads the charge by harnessing rivers like a national hobby, the rest of the world is playing a serious game of catch-up—with droughts throwing wildcards into the mix—because this 4,150 TWh heavyweight remains the indispensable, if temperamental, backbone of our clean energy grid.
03 · Category
Market22 stats
01
Global renewables capacity investments hit $495 billion in 2022
02
Renewables share of global electricity generation was 29.4% in 2022
03
Annual renewable capacity additions reached 510 GW in 2023, double 2013 levels
04
Clean energy investment to reach $2 trillion annually by 2030 per IEA
05
EU renewable target: 42.5% electricity from renewables by 2030
06
Global renewable jobs totaled 13.7 million in 2022
07
Net Zero by 2050 needs 11 TW renewables capacity by 2050
08
Developing countries added 80% of new renewable capacity in 2023
09
US Inflation Reduction Act to spur $1.2 trillion clean energy investment
10
Renewables overtook coal in electricity generation in 2023, 30% share
11
IEA: Renewables to meet 90% new electricity demand to 2028
12
Corporate PPA for renewables hit 25 GW in 2023
13
China renewables capacity 1,566 GW end 2023
14
Green hydrogen from renewables: 10 Mt planned by 2030
15
Auction prices for solar fell to $0.01/kWh in India 2023
16
Africa renewables investment $40B 2015-2022
17
Battery storage paired with renewables: 50 GW global 2023
18
Renewables capacity growth needs tripling by 2030 per COP28
19
Global clean energy manufacturing $200B investment 2023
20
India 500 GW non-fossil target 2030
21
Offshore wind auctions awarded 15 GW Europe 2023
22
Renewables financing gap $4T/year developing world
Interpretation
Market Interpretation
We are witnessing a financial and technological supernova hurtling towards its target, yet the sheer scale of what's left to build is a sobering reminder that this energy revolution must now sprint like an Olympian with the world on its back.
More related reading
04 · Category
Solar28 stats
01
Global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity reached 1,052 GW in 2022, marking a 24% increase from 2021
02
In 2023, China added 217 GW of new solar PV capacity, accounting for 54% of global additions
03
Utility-scale solar PV levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) fell by 89% between 2010 and 2022
04
Rooftop solar PV capacity worldwide exceeded 400 GW by end of 2022
05
Concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity stood at 26 GW globally in 2023, with 2.6 GW added that year
06
Solar PV module prices dropped to $0.11/W in 2023, down 50% from 2022
07
In the US, solar accounted for 14.7% of electricity generation in Q1 2024
08
India installed 14.8 GW of solar capacity in FY 2023-24
09
Floating solar PV capacity reached 13 GW globally by 2023
10
Bifacial solar modules captured 55% of global shipments in 2023
11
Global solar PV capacity reached 1,052 GW in 2022, marking a 24% increase from 2021
12
In 2023, annual solar PV additions were 447 GW globally
13
US residential solar installations grew 19% YoY to 4.7 GWdc in 2023
14
Perovskite solar cells achieved 34% efficiency in lab tests in 2024
15
Australia solar rooftop penetration reached 35% of households by 2023
16
Morocco's Noor Ouarzazate CSP plant has 580 MW capacity
17
Global solar irradiance averages 1,000-2,500 kWh/m²/year
18
Tandem solar cells hit 33.9% efficiency record in 2023
19
Vietnam added 11 GW solar in 2019-2020 boom
20
Global cumulative solar thermal capacity is 500 GWth
21
Global solar PV capacity reached 1,610 GWdc in 2023
22
Europe solar additions 56 GW in 2023
23
Commercial & industrial solar grew 20% to 15 GW global 2023
24
Agrivoltaics projects: 2 GW operational worldwide 2023
25
Saudi Arabia added 2.8 GW solar in 2023
26
Global PV waste projected 8 Mt/year by 2030
27
Solar PV capacity factor averages 20-25% globally
28
Japan solar capacity 83 GW end 2023
Interpretation
Solar Interpretation
The sun is no longer just smiling upon us; it's laughing all the way to the grid, having bullied its way to over a terawatt of capacity through a relentless, price-slashing blitzkrieg led by China, which proves that when you make something absurdly cheap and efficient, even the most hard-headed utilities and homeowners will happily bow to the light.
05 · Category
Wind28 stats
01
Global wind power capacity hit 1,017 GW by end of 2022, up 9% from 2021
02
Offshore wind capacity reached 72 GW globally in 2023, with China leading at 37 GW
03
Onshore wind LCOE decreased by 70% from 2010 to 2022
04
Europe added 17.4 GW of wind capacity in 2023, 50% offshore
05
US wind capacity generation share was 10.2% in 2023
06
Floating offshore wind capacity was 200 MW in 2023, expected to grow to 5 GW by 2029
07
Turbine average capacity factor for onshore wind improved to 37% in 2023
08
India commissioned 3.2 GW wind capacity in FY 2023-24
09
Global wind turbine installations totaled 116 GW in 2023
10
UK offshore wind capacity hit 14 GW in 2023
11
Offshore wind capacity grew 21% to 72 GW in 2023
12
US onshore wind added 6.5 GW in 2023
13
Average hub height for new onshore turbines reached 110m in 2023
14
Germany wind generation share 32% of electricity in 2023
15
Largest turbine: MingYang MySE 18.X-20MW offshore
16
Wind curtailment in China was 4.3% of generation in 2023
17
Brazil wind capacity reached 29 GW by 2023
18
Global wind LCOE $0.033/kWh for best sites in 2022
19
Denmark generates 55% electricity from wind in 2023
20
Hybrid wind-solar projects reached 10 GW globally by 2023
21
Global wind capacity 1,131 GW end 2023
22
US total wind capacity 149 GW end 2023
23
Fixed-bottom offshore wind LCOE $72/MWh best sites 2023
24
Spain wind share 25% electricity 2023
25
Next-gen 15MW+ offshore turbines: 5 GW ordered 2023
26
Wind repowering in US: 2 GW in 2023
27
Global wind supply chain value $100B in 2023
28
Portugal 30% electricity from wind 2023
Interpretation
Wind Interpretation
While the wind industry is now a towering, trillion-dollar global force capable of powering entire nations, its true success is measured not just in gigawatts but in the fact that it has finally become too cheap and too sensible for even the most stubborn grids to ignore.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Renewable Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/renewable-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Renewable Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/renewable-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Renewable Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/renewable-statistics.
Sources & references
54 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level