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Data as of 2025
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Built 2026-09-22 (22 September 2026)

The History of World Electricity, 2000 to 2025

World electricity generation grew from 15,279 TWh in 2000 to 31,678 TWh in 2025, while the low carbon share of that generation moved from 35.4% to 42.5%. This timeline covers every year of Ember's World annual statistics, 2000 to 2025, one entry per year.

Every year's entry states Ember's World total generation and low carbon share (nuclear and renewables). Where it applies, a second sentence adds the year solar or wind first reached a world share, a milestone from world electricity records, or the country whose single fuel grew fastest that year (at least 0.5 TWh the year before and 1 TWh this year, among coal, gas, nuclear, hydro, wind, solar and bioenergy). Figures are Ember annual statistics; this page carries no operator (EIA or ENTSO-E) data.

Key Facts

  • World electricity generation was 31,678 TWh in 2025, up from 15,279 TWh in 2000.
  • Low carbon sources supplied 42.5% of world electricity in 2025, against 35.4% in 2000.
  • Fossil fuels supplied 57.6% of world electricity in 2025, against 64.7% in 2000.
  • Wind power first passed 1% of world electricity in 2008.
  • Solar power first passed 1% of world electricity in 2015.
  • Wind power first passed 5% of world electricity in 2019.
  • Solar power first passed 5% of world electricity in 2023.
  • Wind and solar together passed nuclear in generation: 2021.
  • Solar capacity passed coal capacity: 2025.
  • Coal generation record: 2024.
  • Gas generation record: 2025.

World Generation by Source

2000 to 2025
World electricity generation by source World electricity generation by source, 2000 to 2025. Solar ends at 2,781 TWh; Wind ends at 2,704 TWh; Nuclear ends at 2,809 TWh; Coal ends at 10,482 TWh; Gas ends at 6,937 TWh. 0 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 200020052010201520202025
World electricity generation by source, 2000 to 2025. Solar ends at 2,781 TWh; Wind ends at 2,704 TWh; Nuclear ends at 2,809 TWh; Coal ends at 10,482 TWh; Gas ends at 6,937 TWh.
Annual statistics, 2000 to 2025
World electricity generation by source
YearSolarWindNuclearCoalGas
20001.02 TWh31.2 TWh2,540 TWh5,809 TWh2,746 TWh
20011.36 TWh38.2 TWh2,613 TWh5,891 TWh2,915 TWh
20021.72 TWh52.2 TWh2,655 TWh6,144 TWh3,105 TWh
20032.12 TWh63.2 TWh2,601 TWh6,575 TWh3,256 TWh
20042.78 TWh85.5 TWh2,719 TWh6,797 TWh3,503 TWh
20053.96 TWh104 TWh2,727 TWh7,167 TWh3,681 TWh
20065.42 TWh133 TWh2,762 TWh7,567 TWh3,901 TWh
20077.30 TWh171 TWh2,703 TWh8,052 TWh4,219 TWh
200811.9 TWh221 TWh2,695 TWh8,074 TWh4,361 TWh
200919.8 TWh276 TWh2,657 TWh7,951 TWh4,382 TWh
201032.2 TWh346 TWh2,726 TWh8,468 TWh4,808 TWh
201163.6 TWh440 TWh2,610 TWh8,922 TWh4,866 TWh
201296.9 TWh529 TWh2,432 TWh8,972 TWh5,161 TWh
2013132 TWh634 TWh2,449 TWh9,437 TWh5,058 TWh
2014198 TWh706 TWh2,499 TWh9,619 TWh5,214 TWh
2015256 TWh830 TWh2,533 TWh9,296 TWh5,540 TWh
2016327 TWh960 TWh2,571 TWh9,337 TWh5,850 TWh
2017445 TWh1,139 TWh2,594 TWh9,668 TWh5,973 TWh
2018575 TWh1,268 TWh2,659 TWh10,045 TWh6,224 TWh
2019698 TWh1,421 TWh2,754 TWh9,836 TWh6,381 TWh
2020853 TWh1,591 TWh2,649 TWh9,445 TWh6,361 TWh
20211,054 TWh1,856 TWh2,761 TWh10,169 TWh6,534 TWh
20221,335 TWh2,106 TWh2,640 TWh10,271 TWh6,572 TWh
20231,670 TWh2,317 TWh2,698 TWh10,419 TWh6,660 TWh
20242,155 TWh2,503 TWh2,777 TWh10,546 TWh6,826 TWh
20252,781 TWh2,704 TWh2,809 TWh10,482 TWh6,937 TWh

Jump to a Year

Year by Year

2000 to 2025
  1. 2000

    World electricity generation reached 15,279 TWh in 2000, 35.4% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables).

  2. 2001

    World electricity generation reached 15,501 TWh in 2001, 34.9% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Azerbaijan's gas generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 204% to 11.3 TWh.

  3. 2002

    World electricity generation reached 16,050 TWh in 2002, 34.4% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). The Philippines's gas generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 932% to 8.77 TWh.

  4. 2003

    World electricity generation reached 16,628 TWh in 2003, 33.1% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Puerto Rico's coal generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 195% to 2.92 TWh.

  5. 2004

    World electricity generation reached 17,415 TWh in 2004, 33.6% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Jordan's gas generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 499% to 4.49 TWh.

  6. 2005

    World electricity generation reached 18,134 TWh in 2005, 33.1% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Iraq's gas generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 426% to 10.0 TWh.

  7. 2006

    World electricity generation reached 18,839 TWh in 2006, 32.9% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Finland's coal generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 151% to 16.3 TWh.

  8. 2007

    World electricity generation reached 19,714 TWh in 2007, 31.7% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Uruguay's hydro generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 126% to 8.02 TWh.

  9. 2008

    World electricity generation reached 20,103 TWh in 2008, 32.3% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Wind power passed 1% of world electricity for the first time this year.

  10. 2009

    World electricity generation reached 19,944 TWh in 2009, 32.8% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Sweden's gas generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 152% to 1.56 TWh.

  11. 2010

    World electricity generation reached 21,253 TWh in 2010, 32.5% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Colombia's bioenergy generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 348% to 2.42 TWh.

  12. 2011

    World electricity generation reached 21,961 TWh in 2011, 31.9% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Italy's solar generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 465% to 10.8 TWh.

  13. 2012

    World electricity generation reached 22,506 TWh in 2012, 31.8% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Greece's solar generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 177% to 1.69 TWh.

  14. 2013

    World electricity generation reached 23,144 TWh in 2013, 32.3% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Iran's nuclear generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 194% to 4.26 TWh.

  15. 2014

    World electricity generation reached 23,734 TWh in 2014, 32.8% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). The United States's solar generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 220% to 28.9 TWh.

  16. 2015

    World electricity generation reached 23,993 TWh in 2015, 33.5% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Solar power passed 1% of world electricity for the first time this year.

  17. 2016

    World electricity generation reached 24,672 TWh in 2016, 34.1% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Japan's nuclear generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 291% to 17.7 TWh.

  18. 2017

    World electricity generation reached 25,417 TWh in 2017, 34.6% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Pakistan's coal generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 1,660% to 10.9 TWh.

  19. 2018

    World electricity generation reached 26,441 TWh in 2018, 35.1% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Brazil's solar generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 317% to 3.46 TWh.

  20. 2019

    World electricity generation reached 26,811 TWh in 2019, 36.3% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Wind power passed 5% of world electricity for the first time this year.

  21. 2020

    World electricity generation reached 26,688 TWh in 2020, 37.8% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Lithuania's gas generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 227% to 1.70 TWh.

  22. 2021

    World electricity generation reached 28,220 TWh in 2021, 37.7% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Wind and solar together passed nuclear in generation: In 2021: 2,910 TWh against 2,761 TWh. In 2025: 5,485 TWh against 2,809 TWh.

  23. 2022

    World electricity generation reached 28,866 TWh in 2022, 38.5% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Oman's solar generation grew the fastest of any country's single fuel this year, up 200% to 1.80 TWh.

  24. 2023

    World electricity generation reached 29,620 TWh in 2023, 39.3% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Solar power passed 5% of world electricity for the first time this year.

  25. 2024

    World electricity generation reached 30,877 TWh in 2024, 40.8% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Coal generation record: 10,546 TWh in 2024. In 2025 it was 10,482 TWh, 99% of the record.

  26. 2025

    World electricity generation reached 31,678 TWh in 2025, 42.5% of it from low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables). Solar capacity passed coal capacity: In 2025: 2,391 GW of solar against 2,242 GW of coal. Capacity is what is installed, not what it generates.

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. Annual statistics; every year names its own figures.