Renewable energy generation in South Korea
South Korea: Renewable energy generation was 37.86 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Renewable energy generation in South Korea, 1971–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, renewable energy generation in South Korea stood at 37.86 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 795.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable energy generation in South Korea peaked at 37.86 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1971.
That places South Korea 11th out of 79 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 generation 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 | 0.002 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.002 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.002 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.003 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 1997 | 0.003 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.004 terawatt-hours | +33.3% |
| 1999 | 0.0046 terawatt-hours | +14.3% |
| 2000 | 0.0053 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 2001 | 0.0062 terawatt-hours | +17.0% |
| 2002 | 0.007 terawatt-hours | +13.9% |
| 2003 | 0.0078 terawatt-hours | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 0.0099 terawatt-hours | +27.3% |
| 2005 | 0.0144 terawatt-hours | +45.9% |
| 2006 | 0.031 terawatt-hours | +115.4% |
| 2007 | 0.0713 terawatt-hours | +129.8% |
| 2008 | 0.2843 terawatt-hours | +298.9% |
| 2009 | 0.5662 terawatt-hours | +99.1% |
| 2010 | 0.7734 terawatt-hours | +36.6% |
| 2011 | 0.9228 terawatt-hours | +19.3% |
| 2012 | 1.13 terawatt-hours | +22.1% |
| 2013 | 1.67 terawatt-hours | +48.0% |
| 2014 | 2.69 terawatt-hours | +61.6% |
| 2015 | 4.23 terawatt-hours | +57.0% |
| 2016 | 5.52 terawatt-hours | +30.4% |
| 2017 | 7.74 terawatt-hours | +40.3% |
| 2018 | 10.17 terawatt-hours | +31.4% |
| 2019 | 14.19 terawatt-hours | +39.6% |
| 2020 | 19.34 terawatt-hours | +36.3% |
| 2021 | 24.72 terawatt-hours | +27.8% |
| 2022 | 30.73 terawatt-hours | +24.3% |
| 2023 | 33.24 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 2024 | 37.45 terawatt-hours | +12.7% |
| 2025 | 37.86 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 37.86 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.94 terawatt-hours, 7.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 37.86 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.31 terawatt-hours, 4.6× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Renewable energy generation 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +298.9% | 0.0713 terawatt-hours | 0.2843 terawatt-hours |
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 | 0.0025 terawatt-hours | 0.001 terawatt-hours | 0.0046 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1003 terawatt-hours | 0.0053 terawatt-hours | 0.5662 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.9 terawatt-hours | 0.7734 terawatt-hours | 14.19 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.55 terawatt-hours | 19.34 terawatt-hours | 37.86 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 generation in South Korea?
- Renewable energy generation in South Korea was 37.86 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest renewable energy generation recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 37.86 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest renewable energy generation recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1971.
- How does South Korea rank for renewable energy generation?
- South Korea ranks 11th out of 79 countries with data for 2025.
- Is renewable energy generation rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 795.1%. 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 Renewable energy generation. 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
Figures are based on gross generation and do not account for cross-border electricity supply.