A Global Look at Renewable Energy: How Does the UK Compare?

May 02 2025 , 11 min reading time

The global shift to renewable energy reveals stark contrasts between nations. This analysis compares leading renewable energy markets—highlighting the UK’s offshore wind success alongside gaps in solar and hydrogen development. With insights from the DLA Piper Global Renewable Energy Handbook (2025), the article dissects global trends, policy impacts, and energy mixes from Germany to China. For UK businesses and policymakers, understanding these international strategies is key to seizing upcoming opportunities and ensuring the UK’s leadership in the clean energy future.

The Global Race Toward Renewable Energy

The global transition to renewable energy is advancing at different speeds across regions, with some countries making rapid strides in wind, solar, and hydrogen. In contrast, others remain heavily reliant on fossil fuels. The DLA Piper Global Renewable Energy Handbook (2025) analyses renewable energy markets worldwide, highlighting key differences in energy policy, investment, and generation capacity.

Understanding these differences helps put the UK’s energy transition into a broader context for UK businesses and consumers. How does the UK compare to European counterparts like Germany and France? How does the UK’s reliance on offshore wind contradict Australia's or Spain's solar-heavy strategies? And what lessons can be learned from leading hydropower nations like Norway and Canada?

This article will analyse the key global trends in renewable energy, compare them with UK and European statistics, and explore the opportunities and challenges ahead.

1. Global Renewable Energy Mix vs. the UK

Geography, resources, and policy decisions shape every country’s approach to renewable energy. Below is a comparison of different nations’ energy mixes:

Country	Top Renewable Energy Source	Renewable Share of Electricity	Key Policies
United Kingdom	Offshore Wind	43.2% (2023)	Contracts for Difference (CfD), Net-Zero Strategy
Germany	Onshore Wind & Solar	50% (2023)	Renewable Energy Act (EEG), Feed-in Tariffs
France	Nuclear & Hydropower	27% (2023)	Energy and Climate Act, Strong Nuclear Commitment
Norway	Hydropower	96% (2023)	Hydropower Dominance, Green Hydrogen Strategy
United States	Wind & Solar	22% (2023)	Inflation Reduction Act, Tax Incentives for Renewables
China	Solar & Hydropower	33% (2023)	World’s Largest Solar Market, Strong State Investment
Australia	Solar	32.5% (2023)	Renewable Energy Target, Hydrogen Roadmap
Brazil	Hydropower	68% (2023)	Decentralised Energy Grid, Expanding Solar & Wind

Key Observations:

✔️ The UK is a leader in offshore wind, but lags behind Germany in total renewable share of electricity.
✔️ France relies on nuclear energy, which remains a controversial but low-carbon option.
✔️ Norway’s near-total reliance on hydropower is unique but not replicable in all countries.
✔️ China leads the world in solar investment, but its energy mix still includes a large share of coal.

2. How the UK Compares in Wind and Solar Energy

Offshore Wind: The UK’s Strength

The UK leads the world in offshore wind capacity, with 14 GW installed and a target of 50 GW by 2030.
This far exceeds Germany’s 8 GW of offshore wind.
However, the UK’s onshore wind expansion has been slow due to planning restrictions.

Solar: The UK Lags Behind

Solar accounts for only 4.2% of UK electricity—much lower than Germany (11%), Australia (32.5%), and Spain (21%).
The UK’s limited sunlight hours make solar less attractive, but improvements in solar panel efficiency could change this.

🔹 Key Lesson: The UK’s offshore wind strategy is a global success, but the country needs to accelerate onshore wind and solar expansion.

3. Hydropower and Hydrogen: The UK’s Missed Opportunities?

✔️ Hydropower: The Powerhouse of Norway and Canada

Norway (96%) and Canada (60%) dominate in hydropower, thanks to abundant rivers.
The UK only generates 1.5% of its electricity from hydropower due to its geography and lack of large-scale rivers.

✔️ Hydrogen: A Global Priority

Germany and Japan are investing billions in green hydrogen to decarbonise heavy industry and transport.
Australia has launched major hydrogen export projects, aiming to be a global leader in hydrogen fuel.
The UK has hydrogen plans, but investments are not as ambitious as those in Germany, Japan, or Australia.

4. The Role of Government Policies

Government policy plays a huge role in shaping the renewable energy market. Below are some of the most impactful global renewable policies:

✔️ UK – Contracts for Difference (CfD)

Provides fixed-price guarantees for renewable energy producers.
Encourages offshore wind expansion, but onshore wind and solar still face planning barriers.

✔️ Germany – Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs)

Guarantees above-market rates for renewable energy producers.
Helped Germany become a leader in wind and solar.

✔️ United States – Inflation Reduction Act

Offers tax credits and subsidies for renewables.
Expected to double the US renewable capacity by 2030.

✔️ China – State-Led Investment

The government heavily subsidises solar and wind.
China is now the largest producer of solar panels globally.

5. The Future of Renewables: What’s Next for the UK?

With COP29 commitments pushing for faster renewable deployment, the UK must focus on three key areas:

1. Expanding Solar and Onshore Wind – The UK should ease planning restrictions to unlock more capacity.

2. Investing in Green Hydrogen – Hydrogen could help decarbonise industry and transport, making the UK a leader in the next energy revolution.

3. Grid Upgrades and Energy Storage – The UK must expand battery storage and modernise the grid to handle fluctuating renewable power.

Conclusion: The UK’s Strengths and Challenges

The UK is a global leader in offshore wind but lags behind Germany, Australia, and China in solar and hydrogen. Policy reforms and investment will determine whether the UK maintains its leadership in renewables or falls behind in the global clean energy race.

The next decade will define the UK’s role in the global energy transition. Will the country take bold action to stay ahead or risk falling behind the renewable energy leaders?

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