Share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI)

OECD (EI): Share of electricity generation from hydropower was 11.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
11.8%
Change on year
down 5.5%
Rank
2nd
of 2 groups
All-time high
18.5%
in 1985
All-time low
11.8%
in 2025
Years of data
41
1985–2025

Share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI), 1985–2025

051015201985200520251985: 18.5 %1986: 18.1 %1987: 17.4 %1988: 16.9 %1989: 15.7 %1990: 15.8 %1991: 15.6 %1992: 15.3 %1993: 15.9 %1994: 15 %1995: 15.5 %1996: 15.5 %1997: 15.5 %1998: 14.8 %1999: 14.6 %2000: 14.1 %2001: 13.1 %2002: 13 %2003: 12.7 %2004: 12.7 %2005: 12.5 %2006: 12.6 %2007: 12 %2008: 12.5 %2009: 12.9 %2010: 12.7 %2011: 13.1 %2012: 13.1 %2013: 13.3 %2014: 13.2 %2015: 13 %2016: 13.1 %2017: 13 %2018: 13.1 %2019: 12.9 %2020: 13.6 %2021: 12.8 %2022: 12.2 %2023: 12.4 %2024: 12.5 %2025: 11.8 %

Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2025, share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI) stood at 11.8%. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.

The figure is down 5.5% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI) peaked at 18.5% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 11.8%, in 2025.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.

Share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI), year by year

Annual values for Share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI), 1985 to 2025.
Year % Change
1985 18.5%
1986 18.1% -2.1%
1987 17.4% -3.9%
1988 16.9% -2.7%
1989 15.7% -7.4%
1990 15.8% +0.5%
1991 15.6% -1.0%
1992 15.3% -1.8%
1993 15.9% +3.9%
1994 15.0% -5.8%
1995 15.5% +3.6%
1996 15.5% -0.1%
1997 15.5% -0.1%
1998 14.8% -4.9%
1999 14.6% -1.3%
2000 14.1% -3.0%
2001 13.1% -7.2%
2002 13.0% -0.5%
2003 12.7% -2.9%
2004 12.7% -0.1%
2005 12.5% -1.3%
2006 12.6% +0.9%
2007 12.0% -4.7%
2008 12.5% +4.1%
2009 12.9% +2.8%
2010 12.7% -1.1%
2011 13.1% +3.1%
2012 13.1% +0.3%
2013 13.3% +1.2%
2014 13.2% -1.0%
2015 13.0% -1.3%
2016 13.1% +1.0%
2017 13.0% -0.7%
2018 13.1% +0.6%
2019 12.9% -1.2%
2020 13.6% +5.2%
2021 12.8% -5.8%
2022 12.2% -4.7%
2023 12.4% +1.0%
2024 12.5% +1.3%
2025 11.8% -5.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 17.3% 15.7% 18.5% 5
1990s 15.4% 14.6% 15.9% 10
2000s 12.8% 12.0% 14.1% 10
2010s 13.1% 12.7% 13.3% 10
2020s 12.6% 11.8% 13.6% 6

Countries ranked near OECD (EI)

  1. 1 Bhutan 100.0% compare
  2. 1 Central African Republic 100.0% compare
  3. 1 Lesotho 100.0% compare
  4. 4 Paraguay 99.5% compare
  5. 5 Nepal 98.8% compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

More energy & mining data for OECD (EI)

All data for OECD (EI) →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI)?
Share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI) was 11.8% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of electricity generation from hydropower recorded in OECD (EI)?
The highest recorded value was 18.5% in 1985.
What is the lowest share of electricity generation from hydropower recorded in OECD (EI)?
The lowest recorded value was 11.8% in 2025.
How does OECD (EI) rank for share of electricity generation from hydropower?
OECD (EI) ranks 2nd out of 2 groups with data for 2025.
Is share of electricity generation from hydropower rising or falling in OECD (EI)?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this OECD (EI) data come from?
The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of electricity generation from hydropower. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI). Statizoid, drawing on Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://energy.statizoid.com/stat/share-electricity-hydro/oecd-ei/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://energy.statizoid.com/stat/share-electricity-hydro/oecd-ei/">Share of electricity generation from hydropower in OECD (EI)</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Share of electricity generation from hydropower
Unit
%
Source
Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
215 places, 6,588 data points, 1920–2025
Last refreshed

Measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region.