Indonesia vs South Korea: Electricity Compared
Indonesia generated 372 TWh of electricity in 2024 and South Korea 625 TWh, according to Ember. Coal was the largest source in both, at 61.5% in Indonesia and 30.5% in South Korea. Each kWh generated emitted 681 gCO2/kWh in Indonesia and 416 gCO2/kWh in South Korea. These are Ember annual statistics for 2024, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.
Ember's latest annual figures for Indonesia are for 2024, while South Korea has figures to 2025, so this comparison uses 2024 for both.
Why this comparison: both among the 20 largest electricity users.
Key Facts
- Coal supplied 61.5% of Indonesia's electricity in 2024, against 30.5% in South Korea.
- Indonesia's electricity was 1.6 times as carbon intensive as South Korea's in 2024, at 681 gCO2/kWh against 416 gCO2/kWh.
- The average person in South Korea used 12.09 MWh of electricity in 2024, 9.2 times as much as in Indonesia (1.31 MWh).
- Low carbon sources supplied 18.1% of Indonesia's electricity in 2024 and 39.9% of South Korea's.
- Electricity demand in 2024 was 373 TWh in Indonesia and 625 TWh in South Korea.
Key Figures, 2024
Ember annual statistics| Measure | Indonesia | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Total generation | 372 TWh | 625 TWh |
| Electricity demand | 373 TWh | 625 TWh |
| Demand per person | 1.31 MWh | 12.09 MWh |
| Carbon intensity | 681 gCO2/kWh | 416 gCO2/kWh |
| Power sector emissions | 253 MtCO2 | 260 MtCO2 |
| Low carbon share | 18.1% | 39.9% |
| Largest source | Coal 61.5% | Coal 30.5% |
Generation Mix, 2024
Share of generation| Source | Indonesia | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 61.5% | 30.5% |
| Nuclear | 0.0% | 30.2% |
| Gas | 18.5% | 28.5% |
| Hydro | 7.3% | 0.7% |
| Bioenergy | 5.7% | 3.3% |
| Solar | 0.4% | 5.2% |
| Other renewables | 4.5% | 0.0% |
| Other fossil | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| Wind | 0.1% | 0.5% |
Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025
Ember annual statisticsAnnual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
| Year | Indonesia | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | n/a | 524 gCO2/kWh |
| 1986 | n/a | 431 gCO2/kWh |
| 1987 | n/a | 345 gCO2/kWh |
| 1988 | n/a | 405 gCO2/kWh |
| 1989 | n/a | 383 gCO2/kWh |
| 1990 | n/a | 379 gCO2/kWh |
| 1991 | n/a | 399 gCO2/kWh |
| 1992 | n/a | 427 gCO2/kWh |
| 1993 | n/a | 451 gCO2/kWh |
| 1994 | n/a | 493 gCO2/kWh |
| 1995 | n/a | 479 gCO2/kWh |
| 1996 | n/a | 481 gCO2/kWh |
| 1997 | n/a | 492 gCO2/kWh |
| 1998 | n/a | 463 gCO2/kWh |
| 1999 | n/a | 453 gCO2/kWh |
| 2000 | 631 gCO2/kWh | 462 gCO2/kWh |
| 2001 | 626 gCO2/kWh | 475 gCO2/kWh |
| 2002 | 643 gCO2/kWh | 473 gCO2/kWh |
| 2003 | 656 gCO2/kWh | 458 gCO2/kWh |
| 2004 | 654 gCO2/kWh | 463 gCO2/kWh |
| 2005 | 651 gCO2/kWh | 450 gCO2/kWh |
| 2006 | 668 gCO2/kWh | 451 gCO2/kWh |
| 2007 | 663 gCO2/kWh | 474 gCO2/kWh |
| 2008 | 653 gCO2/kWh | 477 gCO2/kWh |
| 2009 | 661 gCO2/kWh | 495 gCO2/kWh |
| 2010 | 637 gCO2/kWh | 500 gCO2/kWh |
| 2011 | 667 gCO2/kWh | 497 gCO2/kWh |
| 2012 | 687 gCO2/kWh | 502 gCO2/kWh |
| 2013 | 682 gCO2/kWh | 512 gCO2/kWh |
| 2014 | 692 gCO2/kWh | 493 gCO2/kWh |
| 2015 | 697 gCO2/kWh | 488 gCO2/kWh |
| 2016 | 689 gCO2/kWh | 489 gCO2/kWh |
| 2017 | 689 gCO2/kWh | 511 gCO2/kWh |
| 2018 | 684 gCO2/kWh | 519 gCO2/kWh |
| 2019 | 694 gCO2/kWh | 497 gCO2/kWh |
| 2020 | 685 gCO2/kWh | 458 gCO2/kWh |
| 2021 | 685 gCO2/kWh | 460 gCO2/kWh |
| 2022 | 676 gCO2/kWh | 438 gCO2/kWh |
| 2023 | 681 gCO2/kWh | 427 gCO2/kWh |
| 2024 | 681 gCO2/kWh | 416 gCO2/kWh |
| 2025 | n/a | 417 gCO2/kWh |
Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025
Ember annual statisticsAnnual statistics through 2025, MWh
| Year | Indonesia | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | n/a | n/a |
| 1986 | n/a | n/a |
| 1987 | n/a | n/a |
| 1988 | n/a | n/a |
| 1989 | n/a | n/a |
| 1990 | n/a | n/a |
| 1991 | n/a | n/a |
| 1992 | n/a | n/a |
| 1993 | n/a | n/a |
| 1994 | n/a | n/a |
| 1995 | n/a | n/a |
| 1996 | n/a | n/a |
| 1997 | n/a | n/a |
| 1998 | n/a | n/a |
| 1999 | n/a | n/a |
| 2000 | 0.45 MWh | 6.21 MWh |
| 2001 | 0.49 MWh | 6.59 MWh |
| 2002 | 0.51 MWh | 7.02 MWh |
| 2003 | 0.52 MWh | 7.32 MWh |
| 2004 | 0.55 MWh | 7.72 MWh |
| 2005 | 0.58 MWh | 8.14 MWh |
| 2006 | 0.59 MWh | 8.39 MWh |
| 2007 | 0.63 MWh | 8.83 MWh |
| 2008 | 0.65 MWh | 9.15 MWh |
| 2009 | 0.67 MWh | 9.32 MWh |
| 2010 | 0.72 MWh | 10.15 MWh |
| 2011 | 0.77 MWh | 10.55 MWh |
| 2012 | 0.83 MWh | 10.71 MWh |
| 2013 | 0.88 MWh | 10.73 MWh |
| 2014 | 0.92 MWh | 10.69 MWh |
| 2015 | 0.93 MWh | 10.75 MWh |
| 2016 | 0.98 MWh | 10.94 MWh |
| 2017 | 1.00 MWh | 11.20 MWh |
| 2018 | 1.06 MWh | 11.48 MWh |
| 2019 | 1.09 MWh | 11.34 MWh |
| 2020 | 1.07 MWh | 11.13 MWh |
| 2021 | 1.12 MWh | 11.72 MWh |
| 2022 | 1.20 MWh | 12.02 MWh |
| 2023 | 1.25 MWh | 11.93 MWh |
| 2024 | 1.31 MWh | 12.09 MWh |
| 2025 | n/a | 12.09 MWh |
Indonesia history · South Korea history
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2024.