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Which Countries Are Driving the Global Renewable Energy Revolution?

The climate crisis is the gravest danger to our planet as we know it. Sea levels are rising higher each year, temperatures are hotter than ever before and glaciers have shrunk to record levels.

For many communities across the globe, this makes for a vicious cocktail that is brewing for disaster—a disaster that could lead us down the path of exponentially long droughts, an ice-free arctic, and ultimately, a worldwide famine. Some communities have already felt serious climate impacts.

This doesn’t have to be the only future for us. There are numerous ways we can end the climate crisis and bring about a new era of clean energy and a cleaner planet. Renewable energy is just one of the ways we can cut our oil addiction and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. But how many of us are embracing renewables as the future? How does your country compare to other countries around the world when it comes to embracing renewable energy?

To answer these questions, we analyzed data from around the world and have visualized a variety of statistics on renewable energies. Read on to learn more about renewable energy use and the types of renewable energy in use in countries all around the world.

Europe Renewable Energy Consumption as a total of energy consumption

Europe is the continent of culture. France has the art, wine and romance. Italy has the passion, history and pasta. And Ireland is the country of warming stews, Guinness and charm.

As the continent that birthed the Renaissance period, perhaps it is no surprise that Europe has a great passion for renewable energy. As a continent, only a handful of countries consume less than 10 percent of their energy from renewables. In fact, over 50 percent of the European countries analyzed find at least 20 percent of their energy needs from renewable sources.

The biggest players in the European renewable industry are the Nordic countries of Iceland, Norway and Sweden, with a surprise in Liechtenstein making up the top four. Iceland impressively sources over 76 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources with geothermal and hydropower supporting the 300,000-strong population.

The real surprise in this analysis is Liechtenstein. After it came in second, we decided to look at its renewable energy growth and sources a little closer. In 1990, the country sourced exactly zero percent of its energy from renewable sources. Today it sources over 60 percent of its energy from solar, wind and hydropower. That’s an impressive growth of the renewable industry, and while its small size plays a role in its green success, Liechtenstein remains a good example to other countries of what’s possible with dedication and a solid plan.

To view the original article from Scott Taylor, AlterNet which details other contintents’ renewable energy use, please click here.