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Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

Australia vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared

Australia generated 286 TWh of electricity in 2025 and the United Kingdom 294 TWh, according to Ember. Australia's largest source was coal (42.9%); the United Kingdom's was gas (31.3%). Each kWh generated emitted 518 gCO2/kWh in Australia and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Who is bigger and who is cleaner? Australia and the United Kingdom generated about the same amount of electricity in 2025 (286 TWh and 294 TWh). The United Kingdom has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 218 gCO2/kWh against 518 gCO2/kWh in Australia in 2025.

Why this comparison: both among the 20 largest electricity users.

Open this comparison in the interactive tool to add more countries or change the metric.

Key Facts

  • Coal supplied 42.9% of Australia's electricity in 2025, against 0.1% in the United Kingdom.
  • Australia's electricity was 2.4 times as carbon intensive as the United Kingdom's in 2025, at 518 gCO2/kWh against 218 gCO2/kWh.
  • Electricity demand rose 8% in Australia between 2020 and 2025, while it fell 4% in the United Kingdom.
  • The average person in Australia used 10.63 MWh of electricity in 2025, 2.3 times as much as in the United Kingdom (4.62 MWh).
  • Low carbon sources supplied 39.8% of Australia's electricity in 2025 and 64.2% of the United Kingdom's.
  • Electricity demand in 2025 was 286 TWh in Australia and 312 TWh in the United Kingdom.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics
Measure Australia United Kingdom
Total generation286 TWh294 TWh
Electricity demand286 TWh312 TWh
Demand per person10.63 MWh4.62 MWh
Carbon intensity518 gCO2/kWh218 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions148 MtCO264.0 MtCO2
Low carbon share39.8%64.2%
Largest sourceCoal 42.9%Gas 31.3%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation
Source Australia United Kingdom
Coal 42.9% 0.1%
Gas 15.5% 31.3%
Wind 13.9% 29.4%
Solar 20.4% 6.6%
Bioenergy 1.1% 13.9%
Nuclear 0.0% 12.4%
Hydro 4.4% 1.8%
Other fossil 1.9% 4.4%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in Australia and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Australia and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 518 gCO2/kWh in Australia and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom. 0 250 500 750 1,000 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Australia and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 518 gCO2/kWh in Australia and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in Australia and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025
YearAustraliaUnited Kingdom
1985759 gCO2/kWh694 gCO2/kWh
1986761 gCO2/kWh721 gCO2/kWh
1987772 gCO2/kWh737 gCO2/kWh
1988771 gCO2/kWh710 gCO2/kWh
1989777 gCO2/kWh689 gCO2/kWh
1990786 gCO2/kWh705 gCO2/kWh
1991785 gCO2/kWh700 gCO2/kWh
1992786 gCO2/kWh665 gCO2/kWh
1993786 gCO2/kWh608 gCO2/kWh
1994788 gCO2/kWh589 gCO2/kWh
1995793 gCO2/kWh579 gCO2/kWh
1996795 gCO2/kWh557 gCO2/kWh
1997800 gCO2/kWh512 gCO2/kWh
1998804 gCO2/kWh510 gCO2/kWh
1999803 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
2000806 gCO2/kWh522 gCO2/kWh
2001803 gCO2/kWh529 gCO2/kWh
2002795 gCO2/kWh521 gCO2/kWh
2003792 gCO2/kWh537 gCO2/kWh
2004793 gCO2/kWh536 gCO2/kWh
2005792 gCO2/kWh535 gCO2/kWh
2006791 gCO2/kWh559 gCO2/kWh
2007791 gCO2/kWh556 gCO2/kWh
2008792 gCO2/kWh554 gCO2/kWh
2009785 gCO2/kWh505 gCO2/kWh
2010776 gCO2/kWh517 gCO2/kWh
2011749 gCO2/kWh500 gCO2/kWh
2012747 gCO2/kWh537 gCO2/kWh
2013726 gCO2/kWh507 gCO2/kWh
2014734 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
2015730 gCO2/kWh398 gCO2/kWh
2016714 gCO2/kWh333 gCO2/kWh
2017718 gCO2/kWh302 gCO2/kWh
2018689 gCO2/kWh286 gCO2/kWh
2019670 gCO2/kWh268 gCO2/kWh
2020642 gCO2/kWh243 gCO2/kWh
2021606 gCO2/kWh267 gCO2/kWh
2022578 gCO2/kWh255 gCO2/kWh
2023557 gCO2/kWh236 gCO2/kWh
2024554 gCO2/kWh216 gCO2/kWh
2025518 gCO2/kWh218 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in Australia and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in Australia and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 10.63 MWh in Australia and 4.62 MWh in the United Kingdom. 0 3 6 9 12 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in Australia and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 10.63 MWh in Australia and 4.62 MWh in the United Kingdom.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in Australia and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025
YearAustraliaUnited Kingdom
1985n/an/a
1986n/an/a
1987n/an/a
1988n/an/a
1989n/an/a
1990n/an/a
1991n/an/a
1992n/an/a
1993n/an/a
1994n/an/a
1995n/an/a
1996n/an/a
1997n/an/a
1998n/an/a
1999n/an/a
200011.33 MWh6.63 MWh
200111.58 MWh6.67 MWh
200211.41 MWh6.65 MWh
200311.40 MWh6.69 MWh
200411.44 MWh6.67 MWh
200511.37 MWh6.71 MWh
200611.56 MWh6.63 MWh
200711.61 MWh6.53 MWh
200811.48 MWh6.45 MWh
200911.47 MWh6.07 MWh
201011.34 MWh6.11 MWh
201111.40 MWh5.89 MWh
201210.97 MWh5.87 MWh
201310.74 MWh5.79 MWh
201410.50 MWh5.53 MWh
201510.61 MWh5.51 MWh
201610.61 MWh5.42 MWh
201710.47 MWh5.32 MWh
201810.46 MWh5.29 MWh
201910.44 MWh5.19 MWh
202010.30 MWh4.88 MWh
202110.30 MWh4.92 MWh
202210.42 MWh4.70 MWh
202310.33 MWh4.60 MWh
202410.54 MWh4.59 MWh
202510.63 MWh4.62 MWh

Australia history · United Kingdom history

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.

Cite this page
APA 7

World Power Monitor. (2025). Australia vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/australia-vs-united-kingdom/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. Australia vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/australia-vs-united-kingdom/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_australia_vs_united_kingdom_2025,
  title = {{Australia vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/australia-vs-united-kingdom/}
}

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