In 2024, the global landscape of electricity consumption indicates a significant reliance on fossil fuels, which account for nearly 59% of the total electricity generated. Coal and gas dominate the fossil portion, with coal alone contributing over a third and gas supplying almost 22%. On the brighter side, low-carbon energy sources are responsible for around 41% of electricity generation. Among these, hydropower, nuclear, wind, and solar have significant shares. Hydropower leads the pack for clean energy, with about 15%, followed by nuclear power contributing 9%, wind making up over 8%, and solar providing close to 7%. Biofuels, while counted among low-carbon sources, constitute a mere fraction, less than 2%, of the total electricity generation.

Data sources used on this page include Ember, IEA, VisualizingEnergy and World Bank. More about data sources →

Is Electricity Growing in The World?

The world has seen electricity consumption rise to 3649 kWh/person from its 2021 record of 3554 kWh/person, a noteworthy increase of 95 kWh/person. This growth demonstrates a positive trend towards a higher electricity usage adapted to modern needs. Furthermore, the generation of low-carbon electricity per person has also improved, reaching 1506 kWh/person from its 2023 record of 1404 kWh/person. With an increase of 102 kWh/person in low-carbon electricity, this is a promising shift towards cleaner sources. This boost in clean electricity generation is encouraging for sustainable development and helps mitigate the negative impacts of fossil fuels such as climate change and air pollution.

Suggestions

To accelerate the shift towards low-carbon electricity, the world can look at successful models like those in France and Slovakia, where nuclear power forms the backbone with significant contributions of 70% and 66%, respectively. Similarly, states like Iowa and Denmark demonstrate that wind energy can play a crucial role, with both generating close to 60% of their electricity from wind. Solar power is also making strides, as seen in Nevada where it accounts for 33% of electricity. By investing in and emulating such successful strategies, other regions can harness the potential of nuclear and solar energy, which not only offer powerful solutions to meet energy demands but also align with the global push towards clean and sustainable energy.

History

Historically, the last few decades have seen a remarkable rise in low-carbon electricity generation driven by nuclear, hydro, wind, and solar energy. The 1980s marked a robust growth period for nuclear energy, adding over 200 TWh in 1985 alone. The 1990s saw a significant hydroelectric boom with a jump of nearly 377 TWh in 1990. The 2010s experienced waves of green advancements, with wind and solar continuing to expand exponentially, especially in the early 2020s where solar outpaced earlier records by over 460 TWh in 2024 alone. While nuclear energy had setbacks in 2011 and 2022, the rapid expansion in solar and wind technologies highlights the world's commitment to a cleaner future. Moving forward, embracing nuclear and solar energy expansion will ensure a sustainable, low-carbon electricity future.