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From powering our homes to business energy supply, sustainable alternatives are now more crucial than ever. Despite differences in economies and climates, many countries have started to stray away from fossil fuels and adopt renewable energy sources.
We have gathered data on energy supply and consumption over the last decade to reveal which countries are responsible for the highest proportion of renewable energy and which areas still live in the past. Here’s what we found.
From traditional products to renewable alternatives, we can consume energy in many ways. Below is a list of the products with the highest percentage of energy consumption worldwide.
1. Oil products – 44.69%
Well-known oil products for energy include gas/diesel oil, used to power motors, and paraffin wax. Aside from being used in candles, paraffin wax can also be used as jet engine fuel. With so many energy-based applications, it is unsurprising that this product is responsible for 44.69% of all energy consumption worldwide.
2. Electricity – 23.01%
Falling just shy of the top spot, and making up 23.01% of the total global energy consumption, is electricity. Aside from providing electricity for business, this energy product provides power for homes worldwide – this is likely why it is the second-highest consumed energy product on our list.
3. Natural gas – 21.36%
Completing our top three products with the highest percentage of worldwide energy consumption, totalling 21.36%, is natural gas. As the name suggests, natural gas is a relatively clean energy source compared to other alternatives on our list.
In 2020, it was revealed that 6.43% of all energy consumption came from renewable and waste sources, but which countries are making the most significant efforts to contribute to this? Here’s what we found.
1. Iceland – 89.47%
With 89.47% of its total energy supply encompassing renewable energy sources, Iceland is top on our list. The two primary sources of renewable energy here are hydroelectricity and geothermal power, which are both apt for the colder climate of this country.
2. Norway – 54.35%
Norway appears second on our list, with 54.35% of its energy supply coming from renewable sources. Similarly to Iceland, this country has implemented many hydropower plants to assist in producing electricity for its Norwegian residents. As well as this, the people here have adopted the use of electric cars as a way to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced.
3. Costa Rica – 54%
Costa Rica is falling just shy of second place, with renewable sources making up 54% of its total energy supply. Located near the equator, Costa Rica has taken advantage of its sunny weather by establishing a series of solar power stations nationwide.
From the most sustainable countries to the least, the list below reveals which locations have the lowest share of renewable energy compared to its total energy supply.
1. Korea – 3.36%
With only 3.36% of its total energy supply coming from renewable sources, Korea appears at the top of our list. Despite having the lowest proportion of renewable energy supply, Korea has acknowledged this and has proposed ways to increase its use of renewable energy in the future.
2. Israel – 4.87%
Next on our list of countries with the lowest share of renewable energy is Israel. With much of this country’s electricity sector still using fossil fuels, it appears that Israel is still relying on traditional forms of energy supply – evidenced by the fact that only 4.87% of energy here is from renewable sources.
3. Australia – 7.62%
Completing our top three is Australia. Despite only having 7.62% of its energy supplied through renewable sources, Australia uses various renewable energy types. Of these sustainable energy supplies, biomass and wind power are among the most commonly used.
As the effects of climate change are becoming more apparent, countries are utilising renewable energy supplies at an increasing rate. Below is a list of the countries which have seen the most significant change in renewable energy supply since 2010.
1. Denmark – 19.39% increase
With a 19.39% increase in the percentage of renewable energy supply, Denmark tops our ranking. The adoption of renewable energy supplies in this country has skyrocketed over recent years, and as of 2020, over 40% of all energy supply here is made up of renewable sources.
2. Norway – 18.22% increase
Despite having the most significant share of renewable energy in our top three as of 2020, Norway falls just shy of the top spot concerning the change in renewable energy supply between 2010-2020. After already appearing on one of our lists, it is clear that this country is committed to a sustainable future, evidenced by its 18.22% increase in renewable energy supply.
3. Sweden – 16.56% increase
Completing our top three, with a 16.56% increase in the percentage of renewable energy supply, is Sweden. As the third Scandinavian country to feature in this ranking, it is apparent that this area of the world is becoming a leader in renewable energy.
We used the International Energy Agency (IEA) to find the following data: the total final consumption figures for each energy product in 2020 and the total energy supply of each product between 2010-2020 for 38 OECD countries.
We divided the 2010 total renewable energy consumption by the 2010 total energy supply to calculate the percentage of renewable energy supply for each country – this calculation was repeated for the 2020 figures.
We subtracted the percentage of renewable energy supply in 2020 from the 2010 percentage to calculate the change in energy.
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