Renewable energy in South Korea
South Korea: Renewable energy was 61.52 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
61.52 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
14th
of 80 countries
All-time high
61.52 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
0 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Renewable energy 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
The most recent figure for renewable energy in South Korea is 61.52 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 171.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable energy in South Korea peaked at 61.52 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
That places South Korea 14th out of 80 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Renewable energy in South Korea, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1968 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1969 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1970 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 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 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1991 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1992 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1993 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1994 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1995 | 0.7576 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1996 | 1.22 terawatt-hours | +61.2% |
| 1997 | 0.2364 terawatt-hours | -80.6% |
| 1998 | 0.1758 terawatt-hours | -25.6% |
| 1999 | 0.2636 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 2000 | 0.2394 terawatt-hours | -9.2% |
| 2001 | 0.2667 terawatt-hours | +11.4% |
| 2002 | 0.5424 terawatt-hours | +103.4% |
| 2003 | 0.5697 terawatt-hours | +5.0% |
| 2004 | 0.8875 terawatt-hours | +55.8% |
| 2005 | 0.7873 terawatt-hours | -11.3% |
| 2006 | 0.7312 terawatt-hours | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 1.16 terawatt-hours | +59.1% |
| 2008 | 1.98 terawatt-hours | +70.1% |
| 2009 | 1.63 terawatt-hours | -17.5% |
| 2010 | 1.27 terawatt-hours | -22.5% |
| 2011 | 3.09 terawatt-hours | +144.0% |
| 2012 | 6.53 terawatt-hours | +111.5% |
| 2013 | 9.46 terawatt-hours | +44.7% |
| 2014 | 19.09 terawatt-hours | +101.9% |
| 2015 | 22.66 terawatt-hours | +18.7% |
| 2016 | 24.48 terawatt-hours | +8.0% |
| 2017 | 29.12 terawatt-hours | +19.0% |
| 2018 | 35.8 terawatt-hours | +22.9% |
| 2019 | 40.46 terawatt-hours | +13.0% |
| 2020 | 42.53 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 51.98 terawatt-hours | +22.2% |
| 2022 | 54.08 terawatt-hours | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 56.72 terawatt-hours | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 61.29 terawatt-hours | +8.1% |
| 2025 | 61.52 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 61.52 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.88 terawatt-hours, 8.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 61.52 terawatt-hours is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.2 terawatt-hours, 96% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2655 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 1.22 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.88 terawatt-hours | 0.2394 terawatt-hours | 1.98 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.2 terawatt-hours | 1.27 terawatt-hours | 40.46 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.69 terawatt-hours | 42.53 terawatt-hours | 61.52 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 renewable energy in South Korea?
- Renewable energy in South Korea was 61.52 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 renewable energy recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 61.52 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest renewable energy recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for renewable energy?
- South Korea ranks 14th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is renewable energy rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 171.4%. 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 Renewable energy. 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.