Statistics
Page built 2026-11-05
Data as of 2025
Search
Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

Saudi Arabia vs South Korea: Electricity Compared

Saudi Arabia generated 471 TWh of electricity in 2025 and South Korea 628 TWh, according to Ember. Saudi Arabia's largest source was gas (63.7%); South Korea's was coal (31.1%). Each kWh generated emitted 680 gCO2/kWh in Saudi Arabia 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 1.3 times as much as Saudi Arabia in 2025 (628 TWh against 471 TWh). South Korea has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 418 gCO2/kWh against 680 gCO2/kWh in Saudi Arabia in 2025.

Why this comparison: both among the 20 largest electricity users and similar electricity demand on the same continent.

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

Key Facts

  • Gas supplied 63.7% of Saudi Arabia's electricity in 2025, against 28.0% in South Korea.
  • Saudi Arabia's electricity was 1.6 times as carbon intensive as South Korea's in 2025, at 680 gCO2/kWh against 418 gCO2/kWh.
  • Low carbon sources supplied 4.2% of Saudi Arabia's electricity in 2025 and 39.9% of South Korea's.
  • Electricity demand in 2025 was 471 TWh in Saudi Arabia and 628 TWh in South Korea.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics
Measure Saudi Arabia South Korea
Total generation471 TWh628 TWh
Electricity demand471 TWh628 TWh
Demand per personn/a12.09 MWh
Carbon intensity680 gCO2/kWh418 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions320 MtCO2262 MtCO2
Low carbon share4.2%39.9%
Largest sourceGas 63.7%Coal 31.1%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation
Source Saudi Arabia South Korea
Gas 63.7% 28.0%
Other fossil 32.1% 1.0%
Coal 0.0% 31.1%
Nuclear 0.0% 29.4%
Solar 3.9% 6.0%
Bioenergy 0.0% 3.2%
Hydro 0.0% 0.6%
Wind 0.3% 0.6%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in Saudi Arabia and South Korea, 1985 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Saudi Arabia and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 680 gCO2/kWh in Saudi Arabia and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Saudi Arabia and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 680 gCO2/kWh in Saudi Arabia and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in Saudi Arabia and South Korea, 1985 to 2025
YearSaudi ArabiaSouth Korea
1985701 gCO2/kWh524 gCO2/kWh
1986699 gCO2/kWh431 gCO2/kWh
1987696 gCO2/kWh345 gCO2/kWh
1988695 gCO2/kWh405 gCO2/kWh
1989696 gCO2/kWh383 gCO2/kWh
1990696 gCO2/kWh379 gCO2/kWh
1991696 gCO2/kWh399 gCO2/kWh
1992693 gCO2/kWh427 gCO2/kWh
1993693 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
1994694 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
1995692 gCO2/kWh479 gCO2/kWh
1996691 gCO2/kWh481 gCO2/kWh
1997691 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
1998690 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
1999689 gCO2/kWh453 gCO2/kWh
2000692 gCO2/kWh462 gCO2/kWh
2001697 gCO2/kWh475 gCO2/kWh
2002700 gCO2/kWh473 gCO2/kWh
2003699 gCO2/kWh458 gCO2/kWh
2004700 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
2005700 gCO2/kWh450 gCO2/kWh
2006698 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
2007695 gCO2/kWh474 gCO2/kWh
2008695 gCO2/kWh477 gCO2/kWh
2009690 gCO2/kWh495 gCO2/kWh
2010691 gCO2/kWh500 gCO2/kWh
2011691 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
2012693 gCO2/kWh502 gCO2/kWh
2013693 gCO2/kWh512 gCO2/kWh
2014693 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
2015693 gCO2/kWh488 gCO2/kWh
2016697 gCO2/kWh489 gCO2/kWh
2017700 gCO2/kWh511 gCO2/kWh
2018703 gCO2/kWh519 gCO2/kWh
2019702 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
2020702 gCO2/kWh458 gCO2/kWh
2021702 gCO2/kWh460 gCO2/kWh
2022700 gCO2/kWh438 gCO2/kWh
2023697 gCO2/kWh427 gCO2/kWh
2024692 gCO2/kWh416 gCO2/kWh
2025680 gCO2/kWh418 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in Saudi Arabia and South Korea, 1985 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in Saudi Arabia and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was n/a in Saudi Arabia and 12.09 MWh in South Korea. 0 4 8 11 15 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in Saudi Arabia and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was n/a in Saudi Arabia and 12.09 MWh in South Korea.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in Saudi Arabia and South Korea, 1985 to 2025
YearSaudi ArabiaSouth 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
20008.57 MWh6.21 MWh
20018.57 MWh6.59 MWh
20028.65 MWh7.02 MWh
20038.87 MWh7.32 MWh
20048.82 MWh7.72 MWh
20059.29 MWh8.14 MWh
20069.15 MWh8.39 MWh
20079.14 MWh8.83 MWh
20088.77 MWh9.15 MWh
20098.97 MWh9.32 MWh
20109.89 MWh10.15 MWh
20119.92 MWh10.55 MWh
201210.41 MWh10.71 MWh
201310.51 MWh10.73 MWh
201411.32 MWh10.69 MWh
201511.70 MWh10.75 MWh
201611.62 MWh10.94 MWh
201712.83 MWh11.20 MWh
201812.34 MWh11.48 MWh
201912.43 MWh11.34 MWh
202012.28 MWh11.13 MWh
202112.54 MWh11.72 MWh
202212.74 MWh12.02 MWh
202312.90 MWh11.93 MWh
202413.39 MWh12.09 MWh
2025n/a12.09 MWh

Saudi Arabia 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). Saudi Arabia vs South Korea: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/saudi-arabia-vs-south-korea/

Plain text

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

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_saudi_arabia_vs_south_korea_2025,
  title = {{Saudi Arabia vs South Korea: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/saudi-arabia-vs-south-korea/}
}

Permalink: https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/saudi-arabia-vs-south-korea/

The Copy buttons add today's date as the access date.