Stretching nearly ten million square kilometers across the North American continent, Canada’s vast landmass and rich endowment of renewable resources have made it a world leader in renewable energy. As of 2022, Canada was among the leading countries in
worldwide, with 106 gigawatts installed. With more than two-thirds of electricity generated from renewable sources, Canada’s electricity mix is already one of the cleanest in the world.
The Pan-Canadian Framework
Nevertheless, ambitious climate policies such as the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change aim for an even cleaner energy future through coal phase-out and increased renewable electricity generation.
Canada’s renewable energy sector is dominated by hydropower, though recent years have seen considerable growth in wind and solar assets.
Leading the hydropower race
Canada is among the top five countries in cumulative hydropower capacity worldwide, thanks to its rich water resources. Roughly 500 large and small-scale hydro facilities are spread throughout the country, though the largest hydropower generation share is in Quebec. The majority of
renewable electricity generation in Canada is sourced from hydropower, accounting for more than 60 percent of generated power in 2022.
Hydropower consumption has remained relatively stable over the past two decades and stood at 3.7 exajoules in 2022.
Strong growth in wind and solar
In line with the country’s climate targets, there has been significant growth in utilizing other renewable energy sources over the past decade. The
share of wind energy in total electricity production has seen continuous growth, standing at about six percent in 2022. An even greater growth trend can be seen in Canada’s
installed capacity of photovoltaic power, which increased 20-fold between 2010 and 2022. Developments such as these will ensure Canada remains a global leader in renewable energy in the years to come.
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