Electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person in South Korea
South Korea: Electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person was 4,831 kilowatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person in South Korea, 1971–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person in South Korea stood at 4,831 kilowatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 36.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person in South Korea peaked at 4,831 kilowatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 37.1 kilowatt-hours, in 1973.
That places South Korea 18th out of 214 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person in South Korea, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 39.71 kilowatt-hours | — |
| 1972 | 40.31 kilowatt-hours | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 37.1 kilowatt-hours | -8.0% |
| 1974 | 54.01 kilowatt-hours | +45.6% |
| 1975 | 46.91 kilowatt-hours | -13.2% |
| 1976 | 49.17 kilowatt-hours | +4.8% |
| 1977 | 39.74 kilowatt-hours | -19.2% |
| 1978 | 110.83 kilowatt-hours | +178.9% |
| 1979 | 144.47 kilowatt-hours | +30.4% |
| 1980 | 141.51 kilowatt-hours | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 142.03 kilowatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 139.56 kilowatt-hours | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 281.48 kilowatt-hours | +101.7% |
| 1984 | 339.67 kilowatt-hours | +20.7% |
| 1985 | 484.35 kilowatt-hours | +42.6% |
| 1986 | 753.17 kilowatt-hours | +55.5% |
| 1987 | 1,023 kilowatt-hours | +35.8% |
| 1988 | 980.54 kilowatt-hours | -4.1% |
| 1989 | 1,156 kilowatt-hours | +17.9% |
| 1990 | 1,306 kilowatt-hours | +12.9% |
| 1991 | 1,346 kilowatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 1,335 kilowatt-hours | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 1,389 kilowatt-hours | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 1,352 kilowatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 1,544 kilowatt-hours | +14.2% |
| 1996 | 1,682 kilowatt-hours | +8.9% |
| 1997 | 1,741 kilowatt-hours | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 2,034 kilowatt-hours | +16.8% |
| 1999 | 2,308 kilowatt-hours | +13.5% |
| 2000 | 2,418 kilowatt-hours | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 2,435 kilowatt-hours | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 2,591 kilowatt-hours | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 2,837 kilowatt-hours | +9.5% |
| 2004 | 2,838 kilowatt-hours | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 3,152 kilowatt-hours | +11.1% |
| 2006 | 3,181 kilowatt-hours | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 3,059 kilowatt-hours | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 3,214 kilowatt-hours | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 3,139 kilowatt-hours | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 3,164 kilowatt-hours | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 3,300 kilowatt-hours | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 3,196 kilowatt-hours | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 2,976 kilowatt-hours | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 3,350 kilowatt-hours | +12.6% |
| 2015 | 3,530 kilowatt-hours | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 3,511 kilowatt-hours | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 3,317 kilowatt-hours | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 3,124 kilowatt-hours | -5.8% |
| 2019 | 3,456 kilowatt-hours | +10.6% |
| 2020 | 3,868 kilowatt-hours | +11.9% |
| 2021 | 3,975 kilowatt-hours | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 4,471 kilowatt-hours | +12.5% |
| 2023 | 4,629 kilowatt-hours | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 4,824 kilowatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 2025 | 4,831 kilowatt-hours | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 62.47 kilowatt-hours | 37.1 kilowatt-hours | 144.47 kilowatt-hours | 9 |
| 1980s | 544.13 kilowatt-hours | 139.56 kilowatt-hours | 1,156 kilowatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,604 kilowatt-hours | 1,306 kilowatt-hours | 2,308 kilowatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,886 kilowatt-hours | 2,418 kilowatt-hours | 3,214 kilowatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,292 kilowatt-hours | 2,976 kilowatt-hours | 3,530 kilowatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,433 kilowatt-hours | 3,868 kilowatt-hours | 4,831 kilowatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More climate change data for South Korea
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Urban population 81.2% (2025)
- Urban population 41.95 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Population, total 51.68 million (2025)
- Population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals 668.25 (2024)
- Temperature change with respect to a baseline climatology 2.54 (2024)
- Per capita CO₂ emissions vs. per capita energy use 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
- Share of global cumulative CO₂ emissions including land-use change 0.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person in South Korea?
- Electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person in South Korea was 4,831 kilowatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4,831 kilowatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.1 kilowatt-hours in 1973.
- How does South Korea rank for electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person?
- South Korea ranks 18th out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from low-carbon sources per person. 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
Measured in kilowatt-hours per person. Low-carbon sources correspond to renewables and nuclear power, that produce significantly less greenhouse-gas emissions than fossil fuels. Renewables include solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal, wave, and tidal.