Global GridElectricity by energy source
In 2025, the world generated about 31,700 TWh of electricity. 43% came from low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) and 57% from fossil fuels. Coal power was the largest single source, at 33%. Solar power grew fastest: 3.3 times as much electricity as in 2020.
Each source has its own page: how its share of the world's electricity has changed since 2000, the countries that use it most, and where it is growing fastest.
The world's electricity in 2025
- Coal 33%
- Gas 22%
- Hydro 14%
- Nuclear 8.9%
- Solar 8.8%
- Wind 8.5%
- Oil and other fossil fuels 2.6%
- Bioenergy 2.2%
- Other renewables 0.3%
Electricity generated in 2025, in terawatt hours (TWh), and each source's share of the world's electricity in 2025, 2020 and 2000.
| Source | TWh in 2025 | Share in 2025 | 2020 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coal power | 10,500 | 33% | 35% | 38% |
| Gas power | 6,900 | 22% | 24% | 18% |
| Hydropower | 4,430 | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Nuclear power | 2,810 | 8.9% | 9.9% | 17% |
| Solar power | 2,780 | 8.8% | 3.2% | under 0.1% |
| Wind power | 2,710 | 8.5% | 6.0% | 0.2% |
| Oil and other fossil fuels | 818 | 2.6% | 2.9% | 8.6% |
| Bioenergy | 705 | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.0% |
| Geothermal and other renewables | 89.3 | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Choose a source on the dashboard's World tab to see its share year by year for any region, and the countries that lead.
What each source is
- Solar power. Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity, on rooftops and in solar farms. They give off no carbon dioxide while they run, and they make electricity only in daylight, so their output follows the sun.
- Wind power. Wind turbines on land and at sea turn the movement of the wind into electricity. They give off no carbon dioxide while they run, and how much they make rises and falls with the weather.
- Hydropower. Hydropower uses flowing water, from rivers and from dams that store it, to turn turbines. It gives off no carbon dioxide while it runs, and plants with reservoirs can make more electricity when it is needed.
- Nuclear power. Nuclear power stations use the heat from splitting uranium atoms to make steam that drives turbines. They run steadily day and night and give off almost no carbon dioxide while they run.
- Gas power. Gas power stations burn natural gas. They can start and stop quickly, so they often fill the gaps when the wind drops or the sun sets. Burning gas gives off carbon dioxide.
- Coal power. Coal power stations burn coal. Coal gives off more carbon dioxide for each kilowatt hour of electricity than any other common source.
- Oil and other fossil fuels. 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.
- Bioenergy. Bioenergy is electricity from burning plant material, such as wood pellets and crop waste, and from biogas. It counts as renewable because plants can be grown again, but it gives off carbon dioxide when it is burnt.
- Geothermal and other renewables. Ember's "other renewables": mostly geothermal power, which uses steam and hot water from deep underground, with small amounts of tidal and wave power and, in a few countries, other renewables that national statistics do not list separately.
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. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).