Alternative and nuclear energy (% of total energy use) in South Korea
South Korea: Alternative and nuclear energy (% of total energy use) was 18.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Alternative and nuclear energy in South Korea, 1990–2024
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA). Measured in % of total energy use.
Analysis
The most recent figure for alternative and nuclear energy in South Korea is 18.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.5% on the previous year and up 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alternative and nuclear energy in South Korea peaked at 18.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.7%, in 1994.
That places South Korea 25th out of 151 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Alternative and nuclear energy (% of total energy use) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total energy use | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 16.0% | — |
| 1991 | 15.3% | -4.4% |
| 1992 | 13.5% | -12.0% |
| 1993 | 12.4% | -7.7% |
| 1994 | 11.7% | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 12.2% | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 12.4% | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 12.1% | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 15.2% | +26.3% |
| 1999 | 15.9% | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 15.5% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 15.9% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 16.1% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 17.3% | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 18.5% | +10.0% |
| 2006 | 18.6% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 17.2% | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 17.9% | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 17.3% | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 15.8% | -8.7% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 15.2% | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 14.1% | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 15.6% | +11.0% |
| 2015 | 16.1% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 15.4% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 14.0% | -9.2% |
| 2018 | 12.5% | -10.6% |
| 2019 | 14.2% | +13.5% |
| 2020 | 16.2% | +14.0% |
| 2021 | 15.2% | -5.9% |
| 2022 | 17.4% | +14.3% |
| 2023 | 18.1% | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 18.7% | +3.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 18.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 12.2%, 1.5× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 18.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.1%, 2.6× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.7% | 11.7% | 16.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.1% | 15.5% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.9% | 12.5% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.1% | 15.2% | 18.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More energy & mining data for South Korea
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -1.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 22.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alternative and nuclear energy in South Korea?
- Alternative and nuclear energy in South Korea was 18.7% in 2024, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA).
- What is the highest alternative and nuclear energy recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 18.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest alternative and nuclear energy recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.7% in 1994.
- How does South Korea rank for alternative and nuclear energy?
- South Korea ranks 25th out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is alternative and nuclear energy rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA), published as part of Alternative and nuclear energy (% of total energy use). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Clean energy is noncarbohydrate energy that does not produce carbon dioxide when generated. It includes hydropower and nuclear, geothermal, and solar power, among others. This is the share of total energy supply that is non-fossil.