Primary energy from renewables in South Korea
South Korea: Primary energy from renewables was 115.27 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
115.27 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
23rd
of 80 countries
All-time high
115.69 terawatt-hours
in 2024
All-time low
0.7104 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Primary energy from renewables in South Korea, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, primary energy from renewables in South Korea stood at 115.27 terawatt-hours.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 224.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy from renewables in South Korea peaked at 115.69 terawatt-hours in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.7104 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
South Korea ranks 23rd of 80 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy from renewables in South Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.7104 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0.9853 terawatt-hours | +38.7% |
| 1967 | 0.9532 terawatt-hours | -3.3% |
| 1968 | 0.9295 terawatt-hours | -2.5% |
| 1969 | 1.43 terawatt-hours | +53.7% |
| 1970 | 1.22 terawatt-hours | -14.5% |
| 1971 | 1.32 terawatt-hours | +8.1% |
| 1972 | 1.37 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 1.28 terawatt-hours | -6.1% |
| 1974 | 1.91 terawatt-hours | +48.4% |
| 1975 | 1.68 terawatt-hours | -11.7% |
| 1976 | 1.79 terawatt-hours | +6.3% |
| 1977 | 1.39 terawatt-hours | -22.1% |
| 1978 | 1.81 terawatt-hours | +29.8% |
| 1979 | 2.3 terawatt-hours | +27.0% |
| 1980 | 1.92 terawatt-hours | -16.4% |
| 1981 | 2.6 terawatt-hours | +35.3% |
| 1982 | 1.72 terawatt-hours | -34.0% |
| 1983 | 2.29 terawatt-hours | +33.7% |
| 1984 | 2 terawatt-hours | -12.9% |
| 1985 | 3.18 terawatt-hours | +59.4% |
| 1986 | 3.11 terawatt-hours | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 3.97 terawatt-hours | +27.5% |
| 1988 | 1.99 terawatt-hours | -49.9% |
| 1989 | 2.96 terawatt-hours | +49.2% |
| 1990 | 4.68 terawatt-hours | +58.1% |
| 1991 | 3.49 terawatt-hours | -25.6% |
| 1992 | 3.1 terawatt-hours | -11.1% |
| 1993 | 4.23 terawatt-hours | +36.5% |
| 1994 | 2.35 terawatt-hours | -44.5% |
| 1995 | 3.52 terawatt-hours | +49.8% |
| 1996 | 3.65 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 1997 | 3.05 terawatt-hours | -16.3% |
| 1998 | 4.46 terawatt-hours | +46.1% |
| 1999 | 4.43 terawatt-hours | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 4.27 terawatt-hours | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 2.62 terawatt-hours | -38.8% |
| 2002 | 3.8 terawatt-hours | +45.2% |
| 2003 | 5.49 terawatt-hours | +44.5% |
| 2004 | 5.26 terawatt-hours | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 4.6 terawatt-hours | -12.4% |
| 2006 | 4.97 terawatt-hours | +7.9% |
| 2007 | 6.35 terawatt-hours | +27.7% |
| 2008 | 7.83 terawatt-hours | +23.3% |
| 2009 | 8.73 terawatt-hours | +11.6% |
| 2010 | 10.69 terawatt-hours | +22.4% |
| 2011 | 13.51 terawatt-hours | +26.4% |
| 2012 | 16.69 terawatt-hours | +23.6% |
| 2013 | 20.92 terawatt-hours | +25.3% |
| 2014 | 30.27 terawatt-hours | +44.7% |
| 2015 | 35.51 terawatt-hours | +17.3% |
| 2016 | 40.61 terawatt-hours | +14.4% |
| 2017 | 48.4 terawatt-hours | +19.2% |
| 2018 | 59.77 terawatt-hours | +23.5% |
| 2019 | 68.08 terawatt-hours | +13.9% |
| 2020 | 76.97 terawatt-hours | +13.1% |
| 2021 | 91.12 terawatt-hours | +18.4% |
| 2022 | 99.65 terawatt-hours | +9.4% |
| 2023 | 105.16 terawatt-hours | +5.5% |
| 2024 | 115.69 terawatt-hours | +10.0% |
| 2025 | 115.27 terawatt-hours | -0.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 115.27 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 44.33 terawatt-hours, 2.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 115.27 terawatt-hours is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 126.45 terawatt-hours, 91% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1 terawatt-hours | 0.7104 terawatt-hours | 1.43 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.61 terawatt-hours | 1.22 terawatt-hours | 2.3 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.57 terawatt-hours | 1.72 terawatt-hours | 3.97 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.7 terawatt-hours | 2.35 terawatt-hours | 4.68 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.39 terawatt-hours | 2.62 terawatt-hours | 8.73 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.45 terawatt-hours | 10.69 terawatt-hours | 68.08 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 100.64 terawatt-hours | 76.97 terawatt-hours | 115.69 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 primary energy from renewables in South Korea?
- Primary energy from renewables in South Korea was 115.27 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy from renewables recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 115.69 terawatt-hours in 2024.
- What is the lowest primary energy from renewables recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7104 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for primary energy from renewables?
- South Korea ranks 23rd out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy from renewables rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 224.6%. 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); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy from renewables. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.