2j7YOwO

Figure 4. Renewable Power Capacities* in World, EU-28, BRICS and Top Seven Countries, End-2015
Gigawatts
800
785
700
Gigawatts
200
199
Ocean power
CSP
Geothermal power
Bio-power
Solar PV
Wind power
600
500
400
150
122
300
276 262
100
92
200
50
43
36 33 32
100
0
World
Total
EU-28
BRICS
0
China
United
States
Germany Japan India Italy Spain
Source:
See endnote 89
for this chapter.
* Not *not including hydropower (Rsee Reference Table R2 for data including hydropower).
The five BRICS countries are Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa.
and the United Arab Emirates, rivalling new coal-fired capacity
in these countries. 85 However, the economic competitiveness of
renewable technologies still depends on regulatory framework
and market design. 86
By the end of 2015, the top countries for total installed renewable
electric capacity continued to be China, the United States,
Brazil, Germany and Canada. 87 China was home to more than
one-quarter of the world’s renewable power capacity – totalling
approximately 495 GW, including about 296 GW of hydropower. 88
Considering only non-hydro i capacity, the top countries were
China, the United States and Germany; they were followed by
Japan, India, Italy and Spain. 89 (p See Figure 4 and Reference
Table R2.) Among the world’s top 20 countries for non-hydro
renewable power capacity, those with the highest capacity
amounts per inhabitant were Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Spain
and Portugalii. 90
Throughout the year, there were noteworthy developments in
most regions:
n Asia: Of all regions, Asia installed the most renewable power
generating capacity during 2015. China again led the world in
additions of hydropower capacity, was a leader in bio-power
capacity and set new world records for wind and solar power
installations, although curtailment affected the potential for
these assets to contribute to generation. 91 India also ranked
among the top countries for solar PV, hydro and wind power
capacity additions, and Japan was second only to China for
new solar PV installations. 92 Turkey ranked first globally for
new geothermal power capacity, third for new hydro and
tenth for wind power capacity additions. 93 Other countries
in the region – including Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines,
the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Vietnam – have emerged
as important markets for more than one renewable power
technology. 94
n Europe: Renewables accounted for the majority (77%) of new
EU generating capacity for the eighth consecutive year, and
the region continued to decommission more capacity from
conventional sources than it installed. 95 Between 2000 and
2015, the share of renewables in the EU’s total power capacity
increased from 24% to 44%, and, as of 2015, renewables
were Europe’s largest source of electricity. 96 In Scotland,
renewables met over half of electricity demand, a year ahead
of an established target; throughout the United Kingdom, output
from renewables hit a record high, passing coal for the
first time in the fourth quarter of 2015. 97 In Germany, renewable
power output increased by 20% in 2015, and the share
of renewables in electricity consumption was 32.6% (up
from 27.4% in 2014). 98 Even so, markets have slowed in most
European countries due to reduced levels of financial support
and to an increased focus on the integration of variable renewable
generation. 99
01
i Distinction of non-hydro capacity is made because hydropower remains the largest single component by far of renewable power capacity and output.
ii While there are other countries with high per capita amounts of renewable capacity and high shares of renewable electricity, the GSR focuses here on the top
20 countries for total installed capacity of non-hydro renewables. Several other countries, including Austria, Finland, Greece, Ireland and New Zealand, also
have high per capita levels of non-hydro renewable power capacity, with Iceland likely the leader among all countries. (RSee Reference Table R17 for country
shares of electricity from renewable sources.)
RENEWABLES 2016 · GLOBAL STATUS REPORT
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