Solar energy generation vs. capacity in South Korea
South Korea: Solar energy generation vs. capacity was 37,860 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Solar energy generation vs. capacity 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, solar energy generation vs. capacity in South Korea stood at 37,860 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, solar energy generation vs. capacity in South Korea peaked at 37,860 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1971.
South Korea ranks 11th of 79 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Solar energy generation vs. capacity 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 | 1 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1991 | 1 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2 terawatt-hours | +100.0% |
| 1993 | 2 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3 terawatt-hours | +50.0% |
| 1997 | 3 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4 terawatt-hours | +33.3% |
| 1999 | 4.57 terawatt-hours | +14.3% |
| 2000 | 5.28 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 2001 | 6.18 terawatt-hours | +17.0% |
| 2002 | 7.04 terawatt-hours | +13.9% |
| 2003 | 7.75 terawatt-hours | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 9.87 terawatt-hours | +27.3% |
| 2005 | 14.4 terawatt-hours | +45.9% |
| 2006 | 31.02 terawatt-hours | +115.4% |
| 2007 | 71.28 terawatt-hours | +129.8% |
| 2008 | 284.31 terawatt-hours | +298.9% |
| 2009 | 566.19 terawatt-hours | +99.1% |
| 2010 | 773.42 terawatt-hours | +36.6% |
| 2011 | 922.75 terawatt-hours | +19.3% |
| 2012 | 1,127 terawatt-hours | +22.1% |
| 2013 | 1,668 terawatt-hours | +48.0% |
| 2014 | 2,694 terawatt-hours | +61.6% |
| 2015 | 4,230 terawatt-hours | +57.0% |
| 2016 | 5,516 terawatt-hours | +30.4% |
| 2017 | 7,739 terawatt-hours | +40.3% |
| 2018 | 10,168 terawatt-hours | +31.4% |
| 2019 | 14,193 terawatt-hours | +39.6% |
| 2020 | 19,338 terawatt-hours | +36.3% |
| 2021 | 24,718 terawatt-hours | +27.8% |
| 2022 | 30,726 terawatt-hours | +24.3% |
| 2023 | 33,236 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 2024 | 37,450 terawatt-hours | +12.7% |
| 2025 | 37,860 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 37,860 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,936 terawatt-hours, 7.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 37,860 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8,315 terawatt-hours, 4.6× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Solar energy generation vs. capacity 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% | 71.28 terawatt-hours | 284.31 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 | 2.46 terawatt-hours | 1 terawatt-hours | 4.57 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 100.33 terawatt-hours | 5.28 terawatt-hours | 566.19 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,903 terawatt-hours | 773.42 terawatt-hours | 14,193 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 30,555 terawatt-hours | 19,338 terawatt-hours | 37,860 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 solar energy generation vs. capacity in South Korea?
- Solar energy generation vs. capacity in South Korea was 37,860 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 solar energy generation vs. capacity recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 37,860 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest solar energy generation vs. capacity recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1971.
- How does South Korea rank for solar energy generation vs. capacity?
- South Korea ranks 11th out of 79 countries with data for 2025.
- Is solar energy generation vs. capacity 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 Solar energy generation vs. capacity. 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.