Renewable electricity output in North America
North America: Renewable electricity output was 26.3% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Renewable electricity output in North America, 1990–2021
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA). Measured in % of total electricity output.
Analysis
The most recent figure for renewable electricity output in North America is 26.3%, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 38.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable electricity output in North America peaked at 26.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 14.1%, in 2001.
North America ranks 34th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Renewable electricity output in North America, year by year
| Year | % of total electricity output | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 18.1% | — |
| 1991 | 17.5% | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 16.9% | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 17.3% | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 16.7% | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 17.5% | +5.1% |
| 1996 | 18.5% | +5.3% |
| 1997 | 17.8% | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 16.0% | -9.9% |
| 1999 | 15.8% | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 15.6% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 14.1% | -9.1% |
| 2002 | 15.8% | +11.5% |
| 2003 | 15.7% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 15.4% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 15.5% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 16.0% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 15.4% | -3.6% |
| 2008 | 16.1% | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 17.4% | +8.2% |
| 2010 | 16.7% | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 19.0% | +13.6% |
| 2012 | 19.0% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 19.8% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 19.9% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 20.3% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 21.9% | +7.8% |
| 2017 | 23.9% | +9.1% |
| 2018 | 23.4% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 24.1% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 26.2% | +8.4% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.2% | 15.8% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.7% | 14.1% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.8% | 16.7% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.2% | 26.2% | 26.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near North America
More energy & mining data for North America
- Fuel imports 7.3% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 2.3% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 3.8% (2024)
- Fuel exports 20.3% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 5.2% (2024)
- Mineral rents 0.2% (2021)
- Natural gas rents 0.4% (2021)
- Total natural resources rents 1.6% (2021)
- Alternative and nuclear energy 14.9% (2024)
- Electric power consumption 12,975 kWh per capita (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable electricity output in North America?
- Renewable electricity output in North America was 26.3% in 2021, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA).
- What is the highest renewable electricity output recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 26.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest renewable electricity output recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.1% in 2001.
- How does North America rank for renewable electricity output?
- North America ranks 34th out of 47 groups with data for 2021.
- Is renewable electricity output rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA), published as part of Renewable electricity output (% of total electricity output). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 32 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Renewable electricity is the share of electricity generated by renewable power plants in total electricity generated by all types of plants.