Coal share of electricity — all countries

Coal share of electricity — World

Coal share of electricity in the world in 2024 — 15.04%. Since 1990, the indicator has fallen by 22.34 pp.

2024 15.04% −20.48 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 41.17%2007
Period minimum 15.04%2024

Trend over time

1990–2024 · % of generation

Coal share of electricity — World, 1990–2024102030405019901994199820022006201020142018202220241990: 37.38%1991: 37.41%1992: 37.75%1993: 37.65%1994: 37.81%1995: 37.62%1996: 38.22%1997: 38.26%1998: 38%1999: 37.82%2000: 38.64%2001: 38.47%2002: 38.76%2003: 39.88%2004: 39.43%2005: 39.87%2006: 40.52%2007: 41.17%2008: 40.68%2009: 40.07%2010: 40.17%2011: 41.05%2012: 40.28%2013: 40.95%2014: 40.77%2015: 39.12%2016: 38.2%2017: 38.5%2018: 38.01%2019: 36.75%2020: 35.23%2021: 35.99%2022: 35.81%2023: 35.52%2024: 15.04%
Change over the period: −22.34 pp Annual average: -0.66 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: World

World 15.04%
World 15.04%
Coal share of electricity — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 15.04 −20.48 pp
2023 35.52 −0.29 pp
2022 35.81 −0.18 pp
2021 35.99 +0.76 pp
2020 35.23 −1.53 pp
2019 36.75 −1.26 pp
2018 38.01 −0.49 pp
2017 38.5 +0.3 pp
2016 38.2 −0.91 pp
2015 39.12 −1.65 pp
2014 40.77 −0.19 pp
2013 40.95 +0.67 pp
2012 40.28 −0.77 pp
2011 41.05 +0.87 pp
2010 40.17 +0.1 pp
2009 40.07 −0.61 pp
2008 40.68 −0.5 pp
2007 41.17 +0.66 pp
2006 40.52 +0.64 pp
2005 39.87 +0.44 pp
2004 39.43 −0.45 pp
2003 39.88 +1.12 pp
2002 38.76 +0.29 pp
2001 38.47 −0.17 pp
2000 38.64 +0.82 pp
1999 37.82 −0.18 pp
1998 38 −0.26 pp
1997 38.26 +0.04 pp
1996 38.22 +0.6 pp
1995 37.62 −0.19 pp
1994 37.81 +0.15 pp
1993 37.65 −0.09 pp
1992 37.75 +0.33 pp
1991 37.41 +0.03 pp
1990 37.38

About the indicator

The share of electricity generated from coal in a country's total generation. Coal remains the largest source of electricity in the world despite plant closures in Europe and North America: growth in Asia outweighs that decline. In emissions per kilowatt-hour coal is about twice as bad as gas, which is why this share does more than anything else to set the carbon intensity of a country's electricity.

Important: Aggregates for groups of countries are weighted by electricity generation in terawatt-hours — the only correct weight for a share of generation. The weight series comes from Ember and starts in 2000, so there are no aggregates for earlier years, even though country data go back to 1960.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.