8 Renewable Energy Statistics to Know in 2026

ABI Research’s Smart Energy Metadata reveals the top renewable energy stats that the industry should be tracking in 2026. Our data breaks down clean energy capacity and utilization across all the key countries and regions: the United States, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, and many other countries and regions.

Energy officers and sustainable technology vendors can use this data to compare and contrast how various countries are addressing the energy transition and progressing toward net-zero emissions. How is solar and wind being leveraged? Where is nuclear or geothermal energy making strides? Which countries and regions are leading the decarbonization efforts, and how does their generation mix compare globally?

To answer these questions, here are the top eight renewable energy statistics identified by ABI Research’s Smart Energy analyst team. Additionally, we discuss the technology requirements to facilitate the clean energy transition.

Key 2026 Renewable Energy Statistics at a Glance:

1. Worldwide installed renewable energy capacity is 3,610 GW

2. There are 32,368 wind farms globally as of 2026

3.  China has 570 GW of installed wind farm power capacity

4. North America has 2,044 utility-scale solar farms

5. Europe holds 158 GW of nuclear energy

6. The United States and Indonesia account for almost half of the total geothermal energy capacity

7. Across Latin America, 25,240 hydroelectric plants are operational

8. The United Kingdom’s energy market is 63% renewable, better than the top economic powerhouses

Renewable energy statistics track global capacity, generation, and technology utilization across wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, geothermal, and bioenergy sources. These stats help policymakers, utilities, and investors assess progress toward decarbonization and net-zero targets.

1. Worldwide installed renewable energy capacity is 3,610 GW 

Of this, wind, hydro, and solar power are the top clean energy sources; each has different capacity factors that influence real-world electricity output. Nuclear is ramping up, too, as governments increasingly replace fossil fuels due to the reliability of nuclear; yet, more policymaking work is needed for traction. Bioenergy and geothermal energy remain relatively rare. By region, Asia-Pacific has 46% of total renewable energy installed capacity (1,664 Gigawatts (GW)).

Table 1: Installed Capacity (GW) of Renewable Energy Sources by Region

World Markets: 2026

(Source: ABI Research)

Key Insight: These figures include both utility-scale renewable projects and distributed generation assets. As demand for clean energy continues to increase, so will demand for technology solutions that capture intermittent energy sources and make the grid more resilient (e.g., battery storage, Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), microgrids, substations, etc.).

2. There are 32,368 wind farms globally as of 2026

Europe easily leads with nearly 22,000 installed wind farms on the continent. Germany alone has 6,954 wind farms, reflective of the country’s reluctance to embrace nuclear energy. This makes for a substantial gap between Europe and second-place China, which has 5,738 wind farms deployed.

However, grid congestion and curtailment risks remain ongoing challenges in several mature wind markets.

Key Insight: Energy modernization efforts increasingly depend on grid digitalization initiatives to optimize dispatch and improve cross-border clean energy flows as data center infrastructure expands. Explore the technologies and strategies used to stabilize the grid with ABI Research’s report, Closing the Gap Between Data Center Expansion and Electricity Grid Limitations.

3. China has 570 GW of installed wind farm power capacity

Despite Europe having more wind farms installed, China easily outpaces it and other regions in terms of wind-borne energy production. According to ABI Research’s 2026 forecast, China holds more than half of the total electricity capacity from wind worldwide. This stat suggests that Chinese energy providers and enterprises are utilizing wind farms at a far greater scale. When Chinese organizations build out their wind farms, they tend to utilize vast real estate to support growing electricity demands.

4. North America has 2,044 utility-scale solar farms

The United States has installed 1,760, Canada has installed 217, and Mexico has installed 67. Collectively, these countries possess 169 GW of installed power capacity derived from solar. Continued declines in the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) are improving competitiveness against fossil fuels.

Interestingly, Mexico’s capacity is 3X greater than Canada's despite being less technologically advanced and having less than a third of Canada’s solar farm footprint.

Key Insight: As renewable energy penetration rises, investment in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) becomes critical to balance intermittency and stabilize grid performance.

5. Europe holds 158 GW of nuclear energy

This puts Europe at the forefront of the nuclear energy transition, even though its biggest economy (Germany) prohibits its use. Large plants like Gravelines and Paluel help make France the top nuclear electricity producer on the continent (40% of total installed capacity). In Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, and Finland have also installed large nuclear reactors for energy generation.

The concept of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) has emerged as a promising means to streamlining the design and deployment of nuclear plants. In Europe, ABI Research is tracking notable SMR projects:

• Europe’s first SMR will be built in Wloclawek, Poland, by a joint venture between state-run energy company Orlen and Synthos Green Energy (OSGE). The plant will be based on GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 reactor.
• The U.K. government is backing 10 Rolls-Royce-made SMRs by 2035. Rolls-Royce is also on Swedish utility Vattenfall’s shortlist for SMR developers and is working with ULC-Energy on an SMR project in the Netherlands.
• Holtec International is planning to install its SMR-300 SMRs in Hungary, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom to provide carbon-free baseload energy.

Key Insight: ABI Research VP Dom Bonte explains how SMRs can support the energy transition in the report, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) – Technologies, Applications, and Use Cases.

6. The United States and Indonesia account for almost half of the geothermal energy capacity

This unlikely pair accounts for 6.3 GW of the 12.71 GW of this 24/7, readily available energy source. Heavy tectonic activity in the Western United States and the Pacific “Ring of Fire” makes for favorable conditions to generate energy from underground reservoirs.

7. Across Latin America, 25,240 hydroelectric plants are operational

Spearheaded by Brazil, this makes the region only second to Asia-Pacific (36,182 hydroplants). Indeed, Latin America has 10X more hydroplants than North America and 6X more than Europe. However, energy generation per hydro plant in Latin America is significantly smaller compared to these other regions. Its 288 GW of hydroelectricity capacity is only slightly more than Europe’s 225 GW and moderately more than North America’s 176 GW.

8. The United Kingdom’s energy market is 63% renewable, better than many economic powerhouses

The United Kingdom’s net-zero efforts are well ahead of economic powerhouses like the United States and China, and slightly ahead of Germany. The United Kingdom continues to strengthen its long-term energy security and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. The island nation is propelled by a strong ecosystem for offshore wind (30%), nuclear (13%), and biomass (13%). Solar (5%) and hydro power (2%) make up the remaining renewable energy sources in the United Kingdom.

In contrast, just 30% of U.S. energy is renewable, and only 38% in China. The former’s “energy independent” policy prioritizes domestic natural gas. Meanwhile, 58% of energy in China is sourced from coal, with an estimated 1,333 GW of coal capacity expected by the end of 2026.

The United Kingdom’s renewable energy usage also edges out Germany’s 60% utilization. Unlike the United Kingdom, Germany still relies on many large-scale coal plants to power the electric grid. Its avoidance of nuclear energy is a key reason why it still lags behind its maritime neighbor.

Get the full market report: Looking for more global renewable energy statistics and capacity data? Download ABI Research’s Smart Energy Metadata report (MD-SEMD-101) for a more in-depth global study. This research is part of our Smart Energy Research Service, which evaluates the technologies driving energy transition and ensuring the grid can support data center capacity growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the total installed renewable energy capacity worldwide in 2026?

According to ABI Research, there are 3,610 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy installed globally as of 2026. Wind, hydro, and solar account for the majority of this capacity, with Asia-Pacific representing 46% of total installed renewable energy worldwide.

What is the most used renewable energy source in the world?

Hydropower is the most widely used renewable energy source globally. As of 2026, there are 1,289 GW of installed hydroelectric capacity worldwide, exceeding wind (1,081 GW) and solar (754 GW). Its ability to generate consistent, large-scale electricity makes it a cornerstone of energy systems worldwide.

How many wind farms are there globally?

ABI Research reports that there are 32,368 wind farms worldwide as of 2026, with Europe hosting nearly 22,000 of them. Germany alone accounts for roughly 7,000 wind farms.

Which country has the most wind energy capacity?

China leads the world in wind energy capacity, with 570 GW of installed wind power in 2026. Although Europe has more individual wind farms, China’s installations operate at a much larger scale.

What is the global capacity for solar power?

754 GW of solar energy installed capacity is available globally. China leads the solar market, with 3,868 utility-scale solar farms installed and 228 GW of installed capacity. Europe follows with 3,890 solar farms and 180 GW of installed capacity. In third place, the United States operated 1,760 utility-scale solar farms in 2026, which have a combined capacity of 153 GW.