Seven countries now generate nearly all of their electricity from renewable energy sources, according to newly compiled figures.
Albania, Bhutan, Nepal, Paraguay, Iceland, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo produced more than 99.7 percent of the electricity they consumed using geothermal, hydro, solar or wind power. Closely followed by Norway, Costa Rica and Namibia on 98 percent.
The data relates to energy generated by Wind, Water and Solar (WWS), which includes onshore wind, solar photovoltaics, concentrated solar power, geothermal electricity, small hydroelectricity, and large hydroelectricity.
Figures from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) also revealed that a further 40 countries generated at least 50 percent of the electricity they consumed from renewable energy technologies in 2021 and 2022 - including 11 European countries. Figures also reveal that 12 US states generate at least 50 percent of the energy via WWS, with South Dakota leading the way on 96 percent. With the largest by population, California, achieving 53 percent.
Stanford University Professor Mark Jacobson, who published the data, also noted that countries like Germany were also capable of running off 100 percent renewable-generated electricity for short periods of time.
Other countries with notable WWS percentages of renewable electricity generation include New Zealand (85%), Brazil (80%), Canada (67%), Sweden and Denmark (60%). So, how about the really big economies? Well, China leads that group with 27%, followed by USA (24%), and Japan, India and Russia on 19%.
Recently, California has hit a new renewables record after exceeding 100 percent of grid demand with clean energy sources for at least part of the day for more than three quarters of days since the start of March. It's the first time that the US state has succeeded in drawing all of its electricity needs from wind-water-solar (WWS) sources for such a sustained period of time.