Oil and other fossil fuels around the world

In 2025, oil and other fossil fuels made 2.6% of the world's electricity, 818 TWh, down from 2.9% in 2020. That was 6.4% more electricity than in 2020. In 2000 its share was 8.6%.

Power stations and generators that burn oil, diesel and other fossil fuels apart from coal and gas. They are used most where other fuels are hard to bring in, such as on islands, and in some oil-producing countries. Burning them gives off carbon dioxide.

The countries that made the most electricity from oil and other fossil fuels were Saudi Arabia (157 TWh), China (84.8 TWh) and Iraq (68.1 TWh). The Bahamas relied on it most: 99% of its electricity in 2024. In 16 countries generating at least 1 TWh a year, it made more than half of all electricity.

Over the five years to each country's latest figures, the share of electricity from oil and other fossil fuels rose most in Mali (from 62% to 81%), Yemen (from 76% to 88%) and Guatemala (from 4% to 16%).

See the same figures for any region, with a chart you can read year by year, on the dashboard's World tab.

The world's share over time

By region in 2025

Biggest rises in five years

Each country's share of electricity from oil and other fossil fuels five years before its latest figures, in its latest full year (2025 unless shown), and the rise in percentage points: from 3% to 21% is a rise of 18 points.

Other energy sources

• Solar power
• Wind power
• Hydropower
• Nuclear power
• Gas power
• Coal power
• Bioenergy
• Geothermal and other renewables

Every energy source compared · Every country

Source: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0), figures up to 2025; Ember's latest-year figures are first estimates and may be revised. Countries are compared on their latest full year. Amounts for countries are worked out from each country's total and its share, rounded to three significant figures; changes over five years use whole percentages. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).