What does installed capacity in gigawatts mean?

Installed capacity is the maximum power a fleet of generators could produce if every unit ran at full output at once, measured in gigawatts (GW). It is a measure of potential, not of how much electricity is actually generated over a year, which depends on how often each source runs.

Why is capacity different from electricity generated?

Generation depends on the capacity factor — the fraction of the year a source actually runs at full power. Hydropower and wind run far more hours than solar, which is idle at night. So a country with large solar capacity may generate less than one with smaller but steadier hydro capacity.

Which country leads in renewable capacity?

China leads by a wide margin across all three sources, with hundreds of gigawatts each of solar, wind and hydropower. Its combined renewable capacity far exceeds that of any other country and continues to grow rapidly.

Why do some countries rely mostly on hydro?

Countries with large rivers and mountainous terrain, such as Norway, Canada, Brazil and Venezuela, built extensive hydropower long before solar and wind became cheap. Hydro can supply most or all of their electricity, so they have less need to add other renewables.

Are these figures exact?

No. Installed capacity grows continuously as new plants connect to the grid, and sources report slightly different values. The figures here are approximate recent estimates intended for comparison, not a precise or current registry.

Renewable Energy Capacity by Country Reference

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Who leads in renewable energy capacity

This reference ranks 30 leading countries by installed renewable energy capacity, broken out into solar photovoltaic, wind and hydropower, with a combined total. All figures are in gigawatts (GW). Sort by any single source or by the total, and filter to a specific country to see its mix.

How it works

The figures are installed capacity — the rated power of all the generators of each type, in gigawatts. Capacity is potential, not output. Actual annual generation depends on the capacity factor: the share of the year a source runs at full power.

That distinction is crucial when reading the table. Solar PV has a low capacity factor — roughly 10–25% — because panels produce nothing at night and less under cloud. Wind sits higher, and hydropower higher still and far steadier. So a country with 80 GW of solar may generate less electricity than one with 40 GW of hydro. Capacity tells you what has been built; generation tells you what it delivers.

Notes and caveats

Figures are rated capacity, not yearly energy generated — do not multiply them directly to compare output.
Hydropower totals reflect long-established dams; solar and wind are growing fastest year on year.
China dominates every category by a large margin.
Values are approximate recent estimates and change continually as new capacity connects to the grid.