Renewable energy in Scandinavia - statistics & facts

The renewable energy capacity in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden has been growing steadily during the past years. The sources from where most of the renewable energy comes from differ between the countries. For the most part, Denmark relies on wind power, Norway focuses on hydropower, and Sweden’s largest consumption of renewable energy comes from biofuels.

Wind power in Denmark

Denmark is known worldwide for its high share of wind power. Wind power covered over 40 percent of the country’s total electricity consumption during the last six years, and it is the largest source of renewable electricity in the country. Furthermore, in 2022, wind power coverage surpassed 50 percent of electricity supply. The wind power capacity from active turbines has been constantly increasing during the past decade, and the most production comes from wind turbines on land, although offshore wind production is catching up. In neighboring country Sweden, onshore wind farms dominate the wind power landscape.

Hydropower in Norway

Norway has the highest renewable capacity among the three countries, and almost all its energy comes from renewable sources. Their wind power production is significantly lower than in Sweden and Denmark. Instead, hydropower is the main renewable energy source in Norway. The average production of hydropower in the country has remained relatively stable in the last years and reached some 129 gigawatt hours in 2022. In that year, hydropower accounted for almost 90 percent of Norway's electricity production.

Biofuels in Sweden

In Sweden, the largest source of renewable energy are biofuels, but the country also produces a lot of hydro- and wind power. Swedish production of biofuels increased overall in the last decade. The most common use of biofuels is to produce heating from biomass, but it is also used to produce electricity, as well as fuel for transportation. In the electricity segment, hydropower is the largest energy source, accounting for over 40 percent of electricity production in the Scandinavian country.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Lucía Fernández, Jan 10, 2024

Key insights

Renewable energy capacity in Norway
39.7 GW
Renewable energy capacity in Sweden
40.6 GW
Renewable capacity in Denmark
11.7 GW
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Current statistics on this topic

Renewable energy capacity in Denmark from 2008 to 2023 (in megawatts)

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Renewable energy capacity in Denmark 2008-2023

Renewable capacity in Sweden from 2009 to 2023 (in megawatts)

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Renewable energy capacity in Sweden 2009-2023

Renewable energy capacity in Norway from 2008 to 2023 (in megawatts)

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Renewable energy capacity in Norway 2008-2023

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