Our renewables.digital research team has identified Brookfield Renewable Partners as Canada`s largest renewable energy developer, with a renewable capacity of over 46.000 MW. Based on the company’s installed capacity, investment volume and project pipeline, the renewables.digital team concludes that Brookfield Renewable Partners is one of the largest renewable energy developers not only in Canada but also in the world.
Which renewable energy assets is Brookfield Renewable Partners developing?
Brookfield Renewable Partners is part of Brookfield Asset Management, a leading global alternative asset manager with over $1 trillion in assets under management. Originally established in 2011 under the name Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners, Brookfield Renewable Partners was formed following the merger of hydroelectric and wind assets from the Brookfield Renewable Power Fund and Brookfield Renewable Power Inc., both of which are owned by Brookfield Asset Management. In 2016, the company adopted its current name. Due to its connection to one of the world’s largest asset managers, BRP is involved not only in developing renewable energy sources, but also in investing in, owning and operating assets.
As of today, Brookfield Renewable Partners has developed 46,000 MW of renewable energy assets. This includes 8,300 MW of operational hydroelectric projects, 16,900 MW of wind energy, 11,700 MW of utility-scale solar and 6,400 MW of distributed energy and storage. The development pipeline far exceeds the assets already developed: approximately 200 GW of renewable energy projects will be added to the company’s portfolio. In terms of finances, Brookfield has deployed and committed $12.5 billion of capital to renewable energy development platforms in 2024.
Overview of Brookfield Renewable Partners’ business activities
Brookfield Renewable Partners is currently active in 25 countries across five continents. In addition to its own branches and offices in multiple locations, Brookfield collaborates with various renewable energy developers from different fields and sectors. The most well-known of these are Neoen, in which it holds a 53% interest, Orsted and Evolugen. With the help of its 5,200-strong workforce, Brookfield aims to increase its annual capacity to around 10 GW by 2027. In 2024, Brookfield added 7 GW of renewable energy to its portfolio. It was particularly successful in its key markets, such as the USA, where it commissioned around 2,000
megawatts of additional utility-scale solar and wind capacity, and China, where the company developed and constructed around 700 megawatts of new renewable capacity. In India and South America, Brookfield added another 500 MW in each country. The company also reached agreements to sell assets generating $2.8 billion. The advanced-stage pipeline amounts to around 74 GW. Eighty per cent of the project pipeline is in developed markets.
Alternative candidates for the Canadian renewable energy developer ranking
Canadian Solar, as its name implies, specializes in solar energy and related storage solutions. Headquartered in Canada and publicly traded on NASDAQ (CSIQ), the company operates across 20 countries and has established itself as a major global player in the renewable energy sector. Since its founding in 2001, Canadian Solar has developed over 55 GW of solar energy capacity in more than 150 countries. A significant portion of its projects is delivered through its subsidiary, Recurrent Energy. In 2017, GTM Research ranked Canadian Solar among the top three utility-scale solar developers worldwide. Today, the company employs over 14,000 people globally and continues to expand its international footprint with new solar projects. While the installed capacity that has already been developed is bigger, Canadian Solar doesn’t have the huge development pipeline that Brookfield Renewable Partners has. That’s why we’ve put Brookfield Renewable Partners in the top spot.
Amp Energy is a global renewable energy developer with a focus on solar, wind, and battery storage projects. The company has built or secured more than 14 GW of energy assets worldwide. While headquartered in Canada, Amp’s operations extend across North America, Australia, Japan, Spain, and the United Kingdom. In North America alone, the company has completed over 700 projects, representing more than 700 MW of capacity either built or under contract.
Picture Source: Keshav Rajasekar via Unsplash
