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Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

Iran vs South Korea: Electricity Compared

Iran generated 399 TWh of electricity in 2025 and South Korea 628 TWh, according to Ember. Iran's largest source was gas (73.3%); South Korea's was coal (31.1%). Each kWh generated emitted 656 gCO2/kWh in Iran and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Who is bigger and who is cleaner? South Korea is the bigger electricity producer, generating 1.6 times as much as Iran in 2025 (628 TWh against 399 TWh). South Korea has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 418 gCO2/kWh against 656 gCO2/kWh in Iran 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

  • Gas supplied 73.3% of Iran's electricity in 2025, against 28.0% in South Korea.
  • Iran's electricity was 1.6 times as carbon intensive as South Korea's in 2025, at 656 gCO2/kWh against 418 gCO2/kWh.
  • Carbon intensity rose 4% in Iran between 2020 and 2025, while it fell 9% in South Korea.
  • The average person in South Korea used 12.09 MWh of electricity in 2025, 2.8 times as much as in Iran (4.28 MWh).
  • Low carbon sources supplied 5.2% of Iran's electricity in 2025 and 39.9% of South Korea's.
  • Electricity demand in 2025 was 397 TWh in Iran and 628 TWh in South Korea.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics
Measure Iran South Korea
Total generation399 TWh628 TWh
Electricity demand397 TWh628 TWh
Demand per person4.28 MWh12.09 MWh
Carbon intensity656 gCO2/kWh418 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions262 MtCO2262 MtCO2
Low carbon share5.2%39.9%
Largest sourceGas 73.3%Coal 31.1%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation
Source Iran South Korea
Gas 73.3% 28.0%
Coal 0.2% 31.1%
Nuclear 1.4% 29.4%
Other fossil 21.3% 1.0%
Solar 0.6% 6.0%
Bioenergy 0.0% 3.2%
Hydro 3.0% 0.6%
Wind 0.3% 0.6%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in Iran and South Korea, 1985 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Iran and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 656 gCO2/kWh in Iran and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Iran and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 656 gCO2/kWh in Iran and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in Iran and South Korea, 1985 to 2025
YearIranSouth Korea
1985577 gCO2/kWh524 gCO2/kWh
1986568 gCO2/kWh431 gCO2/kWh
1987561 gCO2/kWh345 gCO2/kWh
1988565 gCO2/kWh405 gCO2/kWh
1989597 gCO2/kWh383 gCO2/kWh
1990599 gCO2/kWh379 gCO2/kWh
1991625 gCO2/kWh399 gCO2/kWh
1992595 gCO2/kWh427 gCO2/kWh
1993592 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
1994629 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
1995619 gCO2/kWh479 gCO2/kWh
1996619 gCO2/kWh481 gCO2/kWh
1997645 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
1998641 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
1999659 gCO2/kWh453 gCO2/kWh
2000667 gCO2/kWh462 gCO2/kWh
2001668 gCO2/kWh475 gCO2/kWh
2002652 gCO2/kWh473 gCO2/kWh
2003649 gCO2/kWh458 gCO2/kWh
2004642 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
2005636 gCO2/kWh450 gCO2/kWh
2006625 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
2007631 gCO2/kWh474 gCO2/kWh
2008662 gCO2/kWh477 gCO2/kWh
2009667 gCO2/kWh495 gCO2/kWh
2010661 gCO2/kWh500 gCO2/kWh
2011654 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
2012648 gCO2/kWh502 gCO2/kWh
2013634 gCO2/kWh512 gCO2/kWh
2014644 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
2015651 gCO2/kWh488 gCO2/kWh
2016642 gCO2/kWh489 gCO2/kWh
2017642 gCO2/kWh511 gCO2/kWh
2018658 gCO2/kWh519 gCO2/kWh
2019605 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
2020630 gCO2/kWh458 gCO2/kWh
2021658 gCO2/kWh460 gCO2/kWh
2022651 gCO2/kWh438 gCO2/kWh
2023638 gCO2/kWh427 gCO2/kWh
2024643 gCO2/kWh416 gCO2/kWh
2025656 gCO2/kWh418 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in Iran and South Korea, 1985 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in Iran and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 4.28 MWh in Iran and 12.09 MWh in South Korea. 0 4 8 11 15 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in Iran and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 4.28 MWh in Iran and 12.09 MWh in South Korea.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in Iran and South Korea, 1985 to 2025
YearIranSouth Korea
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
20001.79 MWh6.21 MWh
20011.89 MWh6.59 MWh
20022.04 MWh7.02 MWh
20032.21 MWh7.32 MWh
20042.32 MWh7.72 MWh
20052.46 MWh8.14 MWh
20062.63 MWh8.39 MWh
20072.71 MWh8.83 MWh
20082.76 MWh9.15 MWh
20092.85 MWh9.32 MWh
20103.00 MWh10.15 MWh
20112.94 MWh10.55 MWh
20123.04 MWh10.71 MWh
20133.12 MWh10.73 MWh
20143.31 MWh10.69 MWh
20153.36 MWh10.75 MWh
20163.39 MWh10.94 MWh
20173.54 MWh11.20 MWh
20183.58 MWh11.48 MWh
20193.58 MWh11.34 MWh
20203.77 MWh11.13 MWh
20213.95 MWh11.72 MWh
20224.03 MWh12.02 MWh
20234.14 MWh11.93 MWh
20244.30 MWh12.09 MWh
20254.28 MWh12.09 MWh

Iran history · South Korea 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). Iran vs South Korea: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/iran-vs-south-korea/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. Iran vs South Korea: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/iran-vs-south-korea/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_iran_vs_south_korea_2025,
  title = {{Iran vs South Korea: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/iran-vs-south-korea/}
}

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