Norway vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared

Norway generated 161 TWh of electricity in 2025 and the United Kingdom 295 TWh, according to Ember. Norway's largest source was hydro (90.0%); the United Kingdom's was gas (31.2%). Each kWh generated emitted 28 gCO2/kWh in Norway and 222 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Why this comparison: neighbours by land border or interconnector.

Key Facts

Hydro supplied 90.0% of Norway's electricity in 2025, against 1.8% in the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom's electricity was 7.9 times as carbon intensive as Norway's in 2025, at 222 gCO2/kWh against 28 gCO2/kWh.
Electricity demand rose 3% in Norway between 2020 and 2025, while it fell 4% in the United Kingdom.
The average person in Norway used 24.50 MWh of electricity in 2025, 5.3 times as much as in the United Kingdom (4.62 MWh).
Low carbon sources supplied 99.0% of Norway's electricity in 2025 and 63.8% of the United Kingdom's.
Electricity demand in 2025 was 138 TWh in Norway and 313 TWh in the United Kingdom.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics

Measure	Norway	United Kingdom
Total generation	161 TWh	295 TWh
Electricity demand	138 TWh	313 TWh
Demand per person	24.50 MWh	4.62 MWh
Carbon intensity	28 gCO2/kWh	222 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions	4.51 MtCO2	65.5 MtCO2
Low carbon share	99.0%	63.8%
Largest source	Hydro 90.0%	Gas 31.2%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation

Source	Norway	United Kingdom
Hydro	90.0%	1.8%
Gas	0.6%	31.2%
Wind	8.4%	29.2%
Bioenergy	0.2%	13.9%
Nuclear	0.0%	12.3%
Solar	0.3%	6.6%
Other fossil	0.4%	4.3%
Coal	0.0%	0.6%
Other renewables	0.1%	0.0%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics

Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Norway and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 28 gCO2/kWh in Norway and 222 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom.

Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh

Carbon intensity of electricity in Norway and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025
Year	Norway	United Kingdom
1985	n/a	694 gCO2/kWh
1986	n/a	721 gCO2/kWh
1987	n/a	737 gCO2/kWh
1988	n/a	710 gCO2/kWh
1989	n/a	689 gCO2/kWh
1990	25 gCO2/kWh	705 gCO2/kWh
1991	26 gCO2/kWh	700 gCO2/kWh
1992	25 gCO2/kWh	665 gCO2/kWh
1993	26 gCO2/kWh	608 gCO2/kWh
1994	26 gCO2/kWh	589 gCO2/kWh
1995	26 gCO2/kWh	579 gCO2/kWh
1996	27 gCO2/kWh	557 gCO2/kWh
1997	27 gCO2/kWh	512 gCO2/kWh
1998	26 gCO2/kWh	510 gCO2/kWh
1999	27 gCO2/kWh	492 gCO2/kWh
2000	26 gCO2/kWh	522 gCO2/kWh
2001	27 gCO2/kWh	529 gCO2/kWh
2002	27 gCO2/kWh	521 gCO2/kWh
2003	28 gCO2/kWh	537 gCO2/kWh
2004	28 gCO2/kWh	536 gCO2/kWh
2005	27 gCO2/kWh	535 gCO2/kWh
2006	28 gCO2/kWh	559 gCO2/kWh
2007	29 gCO2/kWh	556 gCO2/kWh
2008	27 gCO2/kWh	554 gCO2/kWh
2009	39 gCO2/kWh	505 gCO2/kWh
2010	43 gCO2/kWh	517 gCO2/kWh
2011	38 gCO2/kWh	500 gCO2/kWh
2012	32 gCO2/kWh	537 gCO2/kWh
2013	34 gCO2/kWh	507 gCO2/kWh
2014	34 gCO2/kWh	463 gCO2/kWh
2015	34 gCO2/kWh	398 gCO2/kWh
2016	33 gCO2/kWh	333 gCO2/kWh
2017	33 gCO2/kWh	302 gCO2/kWh
2018	33 gCO2/kWh	286 gCO2/kWh
2019	33 gCO2/kWh	268 gCO2/kWh
2020	30 gCO2/kWh	243 gCO2/kWh
2021	27 gCO2/kWh	267 gCO2/kWh
2022	30 gCO2/kWh	255 gCO2/kWh
2023	30 gCO2/kWh	236 gCO2/kWh
2024	30 gCO2/kWh	216 gCO2/kWh
2025	28 gCO2/kWh	222 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics

Electricity demand per person in Norway and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 24.50 MWh in Norway and 4.62 MWh in the United Kingdom.

Annual statistics through 2025, MWh

Electricity demand per person in Norway and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025
Year	Norway	United Kingdom
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	27.49 MWh	6.63 MWh
2001	27.67 MWh	6.67 MWh
2002	26.56 MWh	6.65 MWh
2003	25.09 MWh	6.69 MWh
2004	26.47 MWh	6.67 MWh
2005	27.08 MWh	6.71 MWh
2006	26.19 MWh	6.63 MWh
2007	26.77 MWh	6.53 MWh
2008	26.71 MWh	6.45 MWh
2009	25.26 MWh	6.07 MWh
2010	26.73 MWh	6.11 MWh
2011	24.80 MWh	5.89 MWh
2012	25.58 MWh	5.87 MWh
2013	25.22 MWh	5.79 MWh
2014	24.39 MWh	5.53 MWh
2015	24.73 MWh	5.51 MWh
2016	25.14 MWh	5.42 MWh
2017	25.23 MWh	5.32 MWh
2018	25.56 MWh	5.29 MWh
2019	25.03 MWh	5.19 MWh
2020	24.88 MWh	4.88 MWh
2021	25.80 MWh	4.92 MWh
2022	24.36 MWh	4.70 MWh
2023	24.62 MWh	4.60 MWh
2024	24.87 MWh	4.59 MWh
2025	24.50 MWh	4.62 MWh

Norway history · United Kingdom history

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

Norway vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared

Key Facts

Key Figures, 2025

Generation Mix, 2025

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

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