Renewable electricity generation by source in Canada
Canada: Renewable electricity generation by source was 51.48 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Renewable electricity generation by source in Canada, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, renewable electricity generation by source in Canada stood at 51.48 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.9% on the previous year and up 90.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable electricity generation by source in Canada peaked at 51.48 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.001 terawatt-hours, in 1985.
That places Canada 8th out of 212 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Renewable electricity generation by source in Canada, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1986 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.0019 terawatt-hours | +91.9% |
| 1991 | 0.0019 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.059 terawatt-hours | +2974.2% |
| 1993 | 0.059 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.059 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.059 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.062 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 0.062 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.062 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.162 terawatt-hours | +161.3% |
| 2000 | 0.26 terawatt-hours | +60.5% |
| 2001 | 0.33 terawatt-hours | +26.9% |
| 2002 | 0.41 terawatt-hours | +24.2% |
| 2003 | 0.69 terawatt-hours | +68.3% |
| 2004 | 0.94 terawatt-hours | +36.2% |
| 2005 | 1.57 terawatt-hours | +67.0% |
| 2006 | 2.47 terawatt-hours | +57.3% |
| 2007 | 3.01 terawatt-hours | +21.9% |
| 2008 | 3.79 terawatt-hours | +25.9% |
| 2009 | 6.64 terawatt-hours | +75.2% |
| 2010 | 8.72 terawatt-hours | +31.3% |
| 2011 | 10.19 terawatt-hours | +16.9% |
| 2012 | 11.31 terawatt-hours | +11.0% |
| 2013 | 11.15 terawatt-hours | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 12.82 terawatt-hours | +15.0% |
| 2015 | 26.97 terawatt-hours | +110.4% |
| 2016 | 30.93 terawatt-hours | +14.7% |
| 2017 | 31.51 terawatt-hours | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 33.47 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 2019 | 32.88 terawatt-hours | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 35.76 terawatt-hours | +8.8% |
| 2021 | 37.3 terawatt-hours | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 39.48 terawatt-hours | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 40.51 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 46.83 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 2025 | 51.48 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 51.48 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.46 terawatt-hours, 111.9× the median. (75 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Renewable electricity generation by source in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +2974.2% | 0.0019 terawatt-hours | 0.059 terawatt-hours |
| 1999 | +161.3% | 0.062 terawatt-hours | 0.162 terawatt-hours |
| 2015 | +110.4% | 12.82 terawatt-hours | 26.97 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.001 terawatt-hours | 0.001 terawatt-hours | 0.001 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1990s | 0.0588 terawatt-hours | 0.0019 terawatt-hours | 0.162 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.01 terawatt-hours | 0.26 terawatt-hours | 6.64 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.99 terawatt-hours | 8.72 terawatt-hours | 33.47 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.89 terawatt-hours | 35.76 terawatt-hours | 51.48 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More energy & mining data for Canada
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 6.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable electricity generation by source in Canada?
- Renewable electricity generation by source in Canada was 51.48 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest renewable electricity generation by source recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 51.48 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest renewable electricity generation by source recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.001 terawatt-hours in 1985.
- How does Canada rank for renewable electricity generation by source?
- Canada ranks 8th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is renewable electricity generation by source rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 90.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Renewable electricity generation by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.