Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in France
France: Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal was 78.31 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
78.31 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 11.4%
World rank
10th
of 212 countries
All-time high
78.31 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
0 terawatt-hours
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in France, 1990–2025
Source: Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in France stood at 78.31 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 11.4% on the previous year and up 168.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in France peaked at 78.31 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1990.
That places France 10th out of 212 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in France, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1991 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1992 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1993 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1994 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1995 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1996 | 0.01 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1997 | 0.01 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.02 terawatt-hours | +100.0% |
| 1999 | 0.04 terawatt-hours | +100.0% |
| 2000 | 0.06 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 2001 | 0.14 terawatt-hours | +133.3% |
| 2002 | 0.28 terawatt-hours | +100.0% |
| 2003 | 0.4 terawatt-hours | +42.9% |
| 2004 | 0.6 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 2005 | 0.97 terawatt-hours | +61.7% |
| 2006 | 2.19 terawatt-hours | +125.8% |
| 2007 | 4.09 terawatt-hours | +86.8% |
| 2008 | 5.73 terawatt-hours | +40.1% |
| 2009 | 8.08 terawatt-hours | +41.0% |
| 2010 | 10.56 terawatt-hours | +30.7% |
| 2011 | 14.7 terawatt-hours | +39.2% |
| 2012 | 19.61 terawatt-hours | +33.4% |
| 2013 | 21.33 terawatt-hours | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 23.71 terawatt-hours | +11.2% |
| 2015 | 29.17 terawatt-hours | +23.0% |
| 2016 | 30.04 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 33.48 terawatt-hours | +11.5% |
| 2018 | 39.75 terawatt-hours | +18.7% |
| 2019 | 46.74 terawatt-hours | +17.6% |
| 2020 | 53.14 terawatt-hours | +13.7% |
| 2021 | 52.4 terawatt-hours | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 57.54 terawatt-hours | +9.8% |
| 2023 | 73.07 terawatt-hours | +27.0% |
| 2024 | 70.3 terawatt-hours | -3.8% |
| 2025 | 78.31 terawatt-hours | +11.4% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 78.31 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.15 terawatt-hours, 36.4× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- France's 78.31 terawatt-hours is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.66 terawatt-hours, 13.8× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.008 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0.04 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.25 terawatt-hours | 0.06 terawatt-hours | 8.08 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.91 terawatt-hours | 10.56 terawatt-hours | 46.74 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.13 terawatt-hours | 52.4 terawatt-hours | 78.31 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More energy & mining data for France
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 0.2519 % 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 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 12.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in France?
- Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in France was 78.31 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 78.31 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1990.
- How does France rank for electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal?
- France ranks 10th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 168.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.