South Africa Has the Highest Share of Coal Power, 81.4% in 2025
Among the 57 countries that generated at least 10 TWh of electricity in 2025, South Africa got the largest share of it from coal: 81.4%. It is followed by India (70.9%), Serbia (65.0%) and Morocco (62.4%). The world average for coal was 33.1% in 2025.
Top 20, 2025
Highest share of each fuel| Country | Share from coal | Generation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. South Africa | 81.4% | 198 TWh of 243 TWh |
| 2. India | 70.9% | 1,474 TWh of 2,080 TWh |
| 3. Serbia | 65.0% | 23.9 TWh of 36.7 TWh |
| 4. Morocco | 62.4% | 27.5 TWh of 44.2 TWh |
| 5. Philippines | 58.7% | 72.2 TWh of 123 TWh |
| 6. Cambodia | 56.6% | 10.1 TWh of 17.8 TWh |
| 7. Bosnia and Herzegovina | 55.7% | 8.11 TWh of 14.6 TWh |
| 8. China | 54.8% | 5,756 TWh of 10,506 TWh |
| 9. Kazakhstan | 53.8% | 66.6 TWh of 124 TWh |
| 10. Poland | 50.6% | 87.3 TWh of 172 TWh |
| 11. Vietnam | 48.3% | 150 TWh of 311 TWh |
| 12. Malaysia | 44.9% | 94.4 TWh of 210 TWh |
| 13. Australia | 42.7% | 122 TWh of 287 TWh |
| 14. Taiwan | 36.2% | 105 TWh of 289 TWh |
| 15. Czechia | 35.2% | 26.6 TWh of 75.4 TWh |
| 16. Turkey | 34.3% | 121 TWh of 354 TWh |
| 17. Japan | 32.1% | 330 TWh of 1,030 TWh |
| 18. South Korea | 31.1% | 195 TWh of 625 TWh |
| 19. Sri Lanka | 30.0% | 5.14 TWh of 17.2 TWh |
| 20. Dominican Republic | 29.1% | 6.59 TWh of 22.6 TWh |
Countries that generated at least 10 TWh in 2025, 79 in this data. Smaller grids are left out so a tiny system does not top every list.
How the Leaders Got Here
2010 to 2025| Year | South Africa | India | Serbia | Morocco | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 93.8% | 68.7% | 66.9% | 45.2% | 34.4% |
| 2011 | 93.1% | 67.9% | 75.5% | 46.3% | 36.7% |
| 2012 | 93.0% | 72.3% | 72.7% | 42.9% | 38.8% |
| 2013 | 91.2% | 74.3% | 73.1% | 45.1% | 42.6% |
| 2014 | 90.2% | 75.5% | 66.2% | 56.8% | 42.8% |
| 2015 | 90.9% | 76.8% | 72.3% | 57.2% | 44.5% |
| 2016 | 90.8% | 77.0% | 70.6% | 55.0% | 47.7% |
| 2017 | 89.6% | 76.3% | 72.6% | 55.0% | 49.7% |
| 2018 | 90.1% | 76.3% | 68.2% | 61.5% | 52.1% |
| 2019 | 89.0% | 74.9% | 69.4% | 66.6% | 54.6% |
| 2020 | 88.9% | 73.2% | 71.2% | 70.1% | 57.2% |
| 2021 | 85.9% | 74.9% | 63.5% | 68.5% | 58.7% |
| 2022 | 84.4% | 74.6% | 67.4% | 70.0% | 59.6% |
| 2023 | 82.6% | 75.4% | 59.9% | 63.9% | 63.2% |
| 2024 | 83.6% | 74.6% | 62.9% | 61.7% | 63.9% |
| 2025 | 81.4% | 70.9% | 65.0% | 62.4% | 58.7% |
Key Facts
- South Africa generated 81.4% of its electricity from coal in 2025, the highest share of any country generating at least 10 TWh (198 TWh of 243 TWh).
- India was second with 70.9% in 2025.
- 31 of the 79 countries generating at least 10 TWh drew at least 10% of their electricity from coal in 2025.
- Coal supplied 33.1% of world electricity in 2025.
- In absolute terms, China generated the most coal electricity in 2025: 5,756 TWh.
Questions About This Ranking
Which country gets the most electricity from coal?
South Africa, at 81.4% of its electricity in 2025, among countries generating at least 10 TWh. Second is India (70.9%). Figures are Ember annual statistics.
Which country generates the most coal electricity?
China generated the most coal electricity in 2025: 5,756 TWh, which is 54.8% of its own generation. Share and total are different rankings.
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. Annual statistics from Ember.