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How Much Clean Energy Have Countries Added Since 2015?
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Key Takeaways
- The UK, Japan, and Germany have added the most clean electricity since 2015.
- France remains the cleanest electricity system, already above 90%.
- India and Russia have seen the slowest progress in shifting their energy mix.
The shift to clean electricity is accelerating—but not evenly across the world’s largest economies.
This chart ranks how much each country has increased its share of clean power since 2015, revealing clear leaders and laggards in the global energy transition.
Using data from Ember and IMF DataMapper, the visualization tracks electricity generated from nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, and other renewables across the top 10 economies by GDP as of January 2026.
Europe Pulls Ahead in Clean Power Growth
European economies dominate the rankings for clean energy gains. The UK leads all major economies, increasing its clean electricity share by 19.5 percentage points since 2015, followed closely by Germany.
Italy has followed a similar path, replacing coal with a mix of renewables and natural gas. Meanwhile, France maintained its position as a global leader, with over 90% of its electricity coming from clean sources, largely due to its long-standing reliance on nuclear power.
| Country | Clean Energy (2015) | Clean Energy (2024) | Change (p.p.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 33.2% | 41.9% | +8.7 |
| China | 26.9% | 38.2% | +11.3 |
| Germany | 43.9% | 58.5% | +14.6 |
| Japan | 15.4% | 31.3% | +15.9 |
| United Kingdom | 45.4% | 64.9% | +19.5 |
| India | 17.5% | 22.5% | +5.0 |
| France | 92.1% | 94.9% | +2.8 |
| Italy | 38.9% | 50.2% | +11.3 |
| Russia | 34.0% | 35.9% | +1.9 |
| Brazil | 76.7% | 89.4% | +12.7 |
The gap between leaders and laggards is now stark. The UK and Japan have added over 15 percentage points of clean electricity since 2015, while Russia and India have added less than 5—underscoring how uneven the transition remains.
Mixed Progress in Asia’s Largest Economies
Asia shows a mixed pace of change. China has made double-digit gains in clean electricity share, but surging demand means coal use has still grown in absolute terms.
India’s transition has been slower, with clean energy rising modestly to just over 22%. Japan, on the other hand, saw one of the largest increases in clean share, reflecting a gradual restart of nuclear power alongside renewable expansion after the Fukushima disaster.
The U.S. and Others Show Diverging Trends
The United States sits in the middle of the pack, with steady but less dramatic gains. Growth in wind and solar has lifted its clean share, but continued reliance on natural gas has slowed the overall pace of transition compared to European peers.
Russia, meanwhile, showed minimal change, with its electricity mix remaining relatively stable over the decade.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The Countries Building the Most Nuclear Power on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.