posts: 36054

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36054 How much of our electricity comes from low-carbon sources? untitled-reusable-block-228 wp_block publish <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Around 16% of global <em>energy</em> (15.7% to be precise) comes from low-carbon sources – that is, the sum of nuclear energy and renewables.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But energy and electricity are not the same – despite the fact that many people use these terms interchangeably. Electricity (sometimes referred to as ‘power’) is only a subset of total energy production, which also includes heating and transport.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How much of our electricity comes from low-carbon sources?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>37% of global electricity production comes from low-carbon sources</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the chart we see the percentage of global electricity production that comes from nuclear or renewable energy, such as solar, wind,&nbsp; hydropower, wind and tidal and some biomass.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Globally, 36.7% of our electricity was low-carbon in 2019. More than one-third. The remaining two-thirds come from fossil fuels – mostly coal and gas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is more than double the share in the total energy mix, where nuclear and&nbsp; renewables only account for 15.7%. We looked at the comparison of the global <em>energy</em> and <em>electricity</em> mix <strong>here</strong>. When people quote a high number for the share of low-carbon energy in the electricity mix we need to be aware of the fact that electricity is only part of the energy equation. The share in the total energy mix is much smaller.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Disappointingly, the percentage of electricity that comes from low-carbon sources today is almost unchanged from the mid-1980s. In fact, throughout the early-2000s this share actually regressed. In the following section we will see that progress was slow because nuclear output declined at a time when renewables have been growing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-low-carbon?tab=chart&amp;country=~OWID_WRL"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Low-carbon electricity: around 26% of global electricity comes from renewables, and 10% from nuclear</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:columns --> <div class="wp-block-columns"><!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What is the breakdown of our electricity supply in terms of fossil fuels, renewable energy and nuclear power?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In 2019, almost two-thirds (63.3%) of global electricity came from fossil fuels. Of the 36.7% from low-carbon sources, renewables accounted for 26.3% and nuclear energy for 10.4%.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we noted earlier, the relative contribution of fossil fuels and low-carbon electricity has been pretty stagnant for decades. In fact, in the early 2000s, fossil fuels even gained ground. Over this period, nuclear’s share declined whilst renewables grew. We see this in the chart. The progress made in renewables has been offset by a decline in nuclear energy; nuclear declined by almost as much as renewables gained.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --></div> <!-- /wp:column --> <!-- wp:column --> <div class="wp-block-column"><!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/electricity-fossil-renewables-nuclear-line" loading="lazy" style="width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":5} --> <h5>Related chart:</h5> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:owid/prominent-link {"title":"Energy breakdown from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables","linkUrl":"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/elec-fossil-nuclear-renewables","className":"is-style-thin"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What share of primary energy comes from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables? See the breakdown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:owid/prominent-link --></div> <!-- /wp:column --></div> <!-- /wp:columns --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Some countries get most of their electricity from low-carbon sources</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Globally we get just over one-third of our electricity from low-carbon sources. But some countries get much more – some nearly all of it – from fossil-free sources.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the interactive map shown we see this share across the world. Some countries get over 90% of their electricity from nuclear or renewables – Sweden, Norway, France, Paraguay, Iceland, and Nepal, among others.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You can explore the electricity mix – broken down by individual source – for countries in our work here. Nearly all of these countries have one thing in common: they get a lot of electricity from hydropower and/or nuclear energy. Solar, wind and other renewable technologies are growing quickly and will hopefully account for a large share of electricity production in the future – but the countries who have a low-carbon electricity mix today have relied heavily on hydroelectric and nuclear power in recent years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We must take these country-level examples and learn from them. In the years to come, accelerating the transition to clean electricity will become ever-more important as we electrify other parts of the energy system too (shifting to electric vehicles, for example). We will need to rely on low-carbon electricity, and lots of it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:html --> <iframe src="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-low-carbon"></iframe> <!-- /wp:html --> 
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                        "text": "In the chart we see the percentage of global electricity production that comes from nuclear or renewable energy, such as solar, wind,\u00a0 hydropower, wind and tidal and some biomass.\u00a0",
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                        "text": "Low-carbon electricity: around 26% of global electricity comes from renewables, and 10% from nuclear",
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                        "text": "Globally we get just over one-third of our electricity from low-carbon sources. But some countries get much more \u2013 some nearly all of it \u2013 from fossil-free sources.",
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 Around 16% of global _energy_ (15.7% to be precise) comes from low-carbon sources – that is, the sum of nuclear energy and renewables. But energy and electricity are not the same – despite the fact that many people use these terms interchangeably. Electricity (sometimes referred to as ‘power’) is only a subset of total energy production, which also includes heating and transport. How much of our electricity comes from low-carbon sources? ## 37% of global electricity production comes from low-carbon sources In the chart we see the percentage of global electricity production that comes from nuclear or renewable energy, such as solar, wind,  hydropower, wind and tidal and some biomass.  Globally, 36.7% of our electricity was low-carbon in 2019. More than one-third. The remaining two-thirds come from fossil fuels – mostly coal and gas. This is more than double the share in the total energy mix, where nuclear and  renewables only account for 15.7%. We looked at the comparison of the global _energy_ and _electricity_ mix **here**. When people quote a high number for the share of low-carbon energy in the electricity mix we need to be aware of the fact that electricity is only part of the energy equation. The share in the total energy mix is much smaller. Disappointingly, the percentage of electricity that comes from low-carbon sources today is almost unchanged from the mid-1980s. In fact, throughout the early-2000s this share actually regressed. In the following section we will see that progress was slow because nuclear output declined at a time when renewables have been growing. <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-low-carbon?tab=chart&country=~OWID_WRL"/> ## Low-carbon electricity: around 26% of global electricity comes from renewables, and 10% from nuclear What is the breakdown of our electricity supply in terms of fossil fuels, renewable energy and nuclear power? In 2019, almost two-thirds (63.3%) of global electricity came from fossil fuels. Of the 36.7% from low-carbon sources, renewables accounted for 26.3% and nuclear energy for 10.4%. As we noted earlier, the relative contribution of fossil fuels and low-carbon electricity has been pretty stagnant for decades. In fact, in the early 2000s, fossil fuels even gained ground. Over this period, nuclear’s share declined whilst renewables grew. We see this in the chart. The progress made in renewables has been offset by a decline in nuclear energy; nuclear declined by almost as much as renewables gained. <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/electricity-fossil-renewables-nuclear-line"/> ##### Related chart: ### Energy breakdown from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables What share of primary energy comes from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables? See the breakdown. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/elec-fossil-nuclear-renewables ## Some countries get most of their electricity from low-carbon sources Globally we get just over one-third of our electricity from low-carbon sources. But some countries get much more – some nearly all of it – from fossil-free sources. In the interactive map shown we see this share across the world. Some countries get over 90% of their electricity from nuclear or renewables – Sweden, Norway, France, Paraguay, Iceland, and Nepal, among others.  You can explore the electricity mix – broken down by individual source – for countries in our work here. Nearly all of these countries have one thing in common: they get a lot of electricity from hydropower and/or nuclear energy. Solar, wind and other renewable technologies are growing quickly and will hopefully account for a large share of electricity production in the future – but the countries who have a low-carbon electricity mix today have relied heavily on hydroelectric and nuclear power in recent years. We must take these country-level examples and learn from them. In the years to come, accelerating the transition to clean electricity will become ever-more important as we electrify other parts of the energy system too (shifting to electric vehicles, for example). We will need to rely on low-carbon electricity, and lots of it. <Chart url="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-low-carbon"/> 
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            "content": "\n<p>Around 16% of global <em>energy</em> (15.7% to be precise) comes from low-carbon sources \u2013 that is, the sum of nuclear energy and renewables.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But energy and electricity are not the same \u2013 despite the fact that many people use these terms interchangeably. Electricity (sometimes referred to as \u2018power\u2019) is only a subset of total energy production, which also includes heating and transport.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>How much of our electricity comes from low-carbon sources?</p>\n\n\n\n<h4>37% of global electricity production comes from low-carbon sources</h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the chart we see the percentage of global electricity production that comes from nuclear or renewable energy, such as solar, wind,&nbsp; hydropower, wind and tidal and some biomass.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Globally, 36.7% of our electricity was low-carbon in 2019. More than one-third. The remaining two-thirds come from fossil fuels \u2013 mostly coal and gas.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is more than double the share in the total energy mix, where nuclear and&nbsp; renewables only account for 15.7%. We looked at the comparison of the global <em>energy</em> and <em>electricity</em> mix <strong>here</strong>. When people quote a high number for the share of low-carbon energy in the electricity mix we need to be aware of the fact that electricity is only part of the energy equation. The share in the total energy mix is much smaller.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Disappointingly, the percentage of electricity that comes from low-carbon sources today is almost unchanged from the mid-1980s. In fact, throughout the early-2000s this share actually regressed. In the following section we will see that progress was slow because nuclear output declined at a time when renewables have been growing.</p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-low-carbon?tab=chart&amp;country=~OWID_WRL\"></iframe>\n\n\n\n<h4>Low-carbon electricity: around 26% of global electricity comes from renewables, and 10% from nuclear</h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<p>What is the breakdown of our electricity supply in terms of fossil fuels, renewable energy and nuclear power?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2019, almost two-thirds (63.3%) of global electricity came from fossil fuels. Of the 36.7% from low-carbon sources, renewables accounted for 26.3% and nuclear energy for 10.4%.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we noted earlier, the relative contribution of fossil fuels and low-carbon electricity has been pretty stagnant for decades. In fact, in the early 2000s, fossil fuels even gained ground. Over this period, nuclear\u2019s share declined whilst renewables grew. We see this in the chart. The progress made in renewables has been offset by a decline in nuclear energy; nuclear declined by almost as much as renewables gained.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/electricity-fossil-renewables-nuclear-line\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 600px; border: 0px none;\"></iframe>\n\n\n\n<h5>Related chart:</h5>\n\n\n    <block type=\"prominent-link\" style=\"is-style-thin\">\n        <link-url>https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/elec-fossil-nuclear-renewables</link-url>\n        <title>Energy breakdown from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables</title>\n        <content>\n\n<p>What share of primary energy comes from fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables? See the breakdown.</p>\n\n</content>\n        <figure></figure>\n    </block></div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<h4>Some countries get most of their electricity from low-carbon sources</h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Globally we get just over one-third of our electricity from low-carbon sources. But some countries get much more \u2013 some nearly all of it \u2013 from fossil-free sources.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the interactive map shown we see this share across the world. Some countries get over 90% of their electricity from nuclear or renewables \u2013 Sweden, Norway, France, Paraguay, Iceland, and Nepal, among others.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can explore the electricity mix \u2013 broken down by individual source \u2013 for countries in our work here. Nearly all of these countries have one thing in common: they get a lot of electricity from hydropower and/or nuclear energy. Solar, wind and other renewable technologies are growing quickly and will hopefully account for a large share of electricity production in the future \u2013 but the countries who have a low-carbon electricity mix today have relied heavily on hydroelectric and nuclear power in recent years.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We must take these country-level examples and learn from them. In the years to come, accelerating the transition to clean electricity will become ever-more important as we electrify other parts of the energy system too (shifting to electric vehicles, for example). We will need to rely on low-carbon electricity, and lots of it.</p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-low-carbon\"></iframe>\n"
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