Annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables in South Korea
South Korea: Annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables was -0.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables in South Korea, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded -0.4% for annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 103.6% on the previous year and down 102.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables in South Korea peaked at 59.4% in 1985 and was at its lowest, -49.9%, in 1988.
South Korea ranks 61st of 80 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 38.7% | — |
| 1967 | -3.3% | -108.4% |
| 1968 | -2.5% | -23.8% |
| 1969 | 53.7% | -2260.4% |
| 1970 | -14.5% | -127.1% |
| 1971 | 8.1% | -155.9% |
| 1972 | 3.6% | -55.2% |
| 1973 | -6.1% | -267.7% |
| 1974 | 48.4% | -891.6% |
| 1975 | -11.7% | -124.2% |
| 1976 | 6.3% | -153.7% |
| 1977 | -22.1% | -451.9% |
| 1978 | 29.8% | -234.5% |
| 1979 | 27.0% | -9.2% |
| 1980 | -16.4% | -160.5% |
| 1981 | 35.3% | -315.5% |
| 1982 | -34.0% | -196.3% |
| 1983 | 33.7% | -199.3% |
| 1984 | -12.9% | -138.2% |
| 1985 | 59.4% | -560.3% |
| 1986 | -2.4% | -104.0% |
| 1987 | 27.5% | -1266.9% |
| 1988 | -49.9% | -281.3% |
| 1989 | 49.2% | -198.5% |
| 1990 | 58.1% | +18.1% |
| 1991 | -25.6% | -144.0% |
| 1992 | -11.1% | -56.5% |
| 1993 | 36.5% | -428.3% |
| 1994 | -44.5% | -221.9% |
| 1995 | 49.8% | -212.0% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | -92.6% |
| 1997 | -16.3% | -544.1% |
| 1998 | 46.1% | -382.8% |
| 1999 | -0.6% | -101.4% |
| 2000 | -3.7% | +486.4% |
| 2001 | -38.8% | +958.2% |
| 2002 | 45.2% | -216.6% |
| 2003 | 44.5% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | -4.2% | -109.5% |
| 2005 | -12.4% | +193.0% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | -163.8% |
| 2007 | 27.7% | +251.0% |
| 2008 | 23.3% | -15.8% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | -50.4% |
| 2010 | 22.4% | +93.6% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | +17.7% |
| 2012 | 23.6% | -10.5% |
| 2013 | 25.3% | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 44.7% | +76.3% |
| 2015 | 17.3% | -61.2% |
| 2016 | 14.4% | -17.1% |
| 2017 | 19.2% | +33.5% |
| 2018 | 23.5% | +22.5% |
| 2019 | 13.9% | -40.8% |
| 2020 | 13.1% | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 18.4% | +40.7% |
| 2022 | 9.4% | -49.0% |
| 2023 | 5.5% | -41.1% |
| 2024 | 10.0% | +81.4% |
| 2025 | -0.4% | -103.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's -0.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.6%. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's -0.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.8%. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | +2260.4% | -2.5% | 53.7% |
| 1987 | +1266.9% | -2.4% | 27.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21.7% | -3.3% | 53.7% | 4 |
| 1970s | 6.9% | -22.1% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.0% | -49.9% | 59.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.6% | -44.5% | 58.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.1% | -38.8% | 45.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 13.9% | 44.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.3% | -0.4% | 18.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More energy & mining data for South Korea
- 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)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 25.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables in South Korea?
- Annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables in South Korea was -0.4% in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 59.4% in 1985.
- What is the lowest annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -49.9% in 1988.
- How does South Korea rank for annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables?
- South Korea ranks 61st out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 102.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual percentage change in primary energy from renewables. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage change in total energy supply relative to the previous year.