Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in South Korea
South Korea: Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal was 41.44 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
41.44 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 14.9%
World rank
19th
of 212 countries
All-time high
41.44 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
0 terawatt-hours
in 1971
Years of data
55
1971–2025
Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in South Korea, 1971–2025
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 South Korea stood at 41.44 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 14.9% on the previous year and up 644.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in South Korea peaked at 41.44 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1971.
South Korea ranks 19th of 212 countries on this measure, 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 South Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1972 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1973 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1974 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1975 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1976 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1977 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1978 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1979 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1982 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1983 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1984 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1985 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1986 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1987 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1988 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1989 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1990 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1991 | 0.001 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.002 terawatt-hours | +100.0% |
| 1993 | 0.003 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 1994 | 0.003 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.002 terawatt-hours | -33.3% |
| 1996 | 0.003 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 1997 | 0.004 terawatt-hours | +33.3% |
| 1998 | 0.006 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 1999 | 0.0104 terawatt-hours | +73.5% |
| 2000 | 0.03 terawatt-hours | +188.2% |
| 2001 | 0.02 terawatt-hours | -33.3% |
| 2002 | 0.02 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.03 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 2004 | 0.06 terawatt-hours | +100.0% |
| 2005 | 0.14 terawatt-hours | +133.3% |
| 2006 | 0.27 terawatt-hours | +92.9% |
| 2007 | 0.45 terawatt-hours | +66.7% |
| 2008 | 0.72 terawatt-hours | +60.0% |
| 2009 | 1.26 terawatt-hours | +75.0% |
| 2010 | 1.59 terawatt-hours | +26.2% |
| 2011 | 1.78 terawatt-hours | +11.9% |
| 2012 | 2.04 terawatt-hours | +14.6% |
| 2013 | 2.82 terawatt-hours | +38.2% |
| 2014 | 3.84 terawatt-hours | +36.2% |
| 2015 | 5.57 terawatt-hours | +45.1% |
| 2016 | 7.2 terawatt-hours | +29.3% |
| 2017 | 9.91 terawatt-hours | +37.6% |
| 2018 | 12.63 terawatt-hours | +27.4% |
| 2019 | 16.87 terawatt-hours | +33.6% |
| 2020 | 22.49 terawatt-hours | +33.3% |
| 2021 | 27.9 terawatt-hours | +24.1% |
| 2022 | 34.1 terawatt-hours | +22.2% |
| 2023 | 36.63 terawatt-hours | +7.4% |
| 2024 | 36.08 terawatt-hours | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 41.44 terawatt-hours | +14.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 41.44 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.15 terawatt-hours, 19.3× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 41.44 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.12 terawatt-hours, 345.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 9 |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0035 terawatt-hours | 0.001 terawatt-hours | 0.0104 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3 terawatt-hours | 0.02 terawatt-hours | 1.26 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.42 terawatt-hours | 1.59 terawatt-hours | 16.87 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.11 terawatt-hours | 22.49 terawatt-hours | 41.44 terawatt-hours | 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 electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in South Korea?
- Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in South Korea was 41.44 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 41.44 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1971.
- How does South Korea rank for electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal?
- South Korea ranks 19th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 644.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea 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 — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.