In 2023, 1,1% of global electricity generation grew while non fossil sources supplied 57,8% of it, a striking shift that helps explain why energy transitions are accelerating but uneven, and the full dataset reveals the numbers behind renewables, fossil fuels, emissions, and investment worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- 0.0% annual real growth was reported for 2015 by the World Energy Outlook 2016 for the world average primary energy intensity improvement rate (kgoe/$ or similar intensity indicator) citing near-flat improvements over the period 2013–2015.
- 3.9% of global final energy consumption in 2022 was supplied by renewables (modern renewables) according to BP’s Statistical Review reporting share of primary energy consumption by renewables.
- 27% global electricity generation came from coal in 2023 according to Ember’s Global Electricity Review (share metric).
Coal still dominates power in 2023, but solar and wind growth plus gradual energy efficiency gains are shifting the mix.
Industry Trends
10.0% annual real growth was reported for 2015 by the World Energy Outlook 2016 for the world average primary energy intensity improvement rate (kgoe/$ or similar intensity indicator) citing near-flat improvements over the period 2013–2015.[1]
Verified23.9% of global final energy consumption in 2022 was supplied by renewables (modern renewables) according to BP’s Statistical Review reporting share of primary energy consumption by renewables.[2]
Verified327% global electricity generation came from coal in 2023 according to Ember’s Global Electricity Review (share metric).[3]
Verified431% global electricity generation came from renewables (excluding hydro in some Ember tables) in 2023 as reported in Ember’s Global Electricity Review 2024.[3]
Directional519% global electricity generation came from natural gas in 2023 per Ember Global Electricity Review 2024 breakdown.[3]
Single source620% global electricity generation from hydro in 2023 according to Ember Global Electricity Review 2024.[3]
Verified78.5% of global energy-related CO2 emissions in 2023 came from cement production as a share of total industry process emissions (energy-related context).[4]
Verified836.8% of energy-related CO2 emissions in 2023 originated in the power sector per IEA CO2 Emissions in 2023 report.[4]
Verified922.8% of energy-related CO2 emissions in 2023 originated in the transport sector per IEA CO2 Emissions in 2023 report.[4]
Directional1024.9% of energy-related CO2 emissions in 2023 originated in industry per IEA CO2 Emissions in 2023 report.[4]
Single source1115.5% of energy-related CO2 emissions in 2023 originated in buildings per IEA CO2 Emissions in 2023 report.[4]
Verified1257.8% of global electricity generation in 2023 came from non-fossil sources per Ember Global Electricity Review 2024 (non-fossil share).[3]
Verified1353% of electricity generation in the EU in 2023 came from low-carbon sources (renewables + nuclear) per Ember dataset for Europe totals.[5]
Verified148% year-on-year growth in global solar PV generation in 2023 per Ember Global Electricity Review 2024 for solar growth rates.[3]
Directional153% year-on-year growth in global wind generation in 2023 per Ember Global Electricity Review 2024 wind metrics.[3]
Single source1627% year-on-year decline in global coal power generation in 2023 in countries with rapid renewable growth (global coal share context).[3]
Verified173.5% global natural gas consumption growth in 2023 per IEA Medium-Term Gas Market Report 2024 (growth rate).[6]
Verified181.0% global coal demand growth in 2023 per IEA Coal Market Report 2024 summary.[7]
Verified195% global demand growth for oil in 2023 per IEA Oil Market Report 2024 (demand growth rate).[8]
Directional201.3% global renewable electricity generation growth in 2023 in regions with available data per IEA Electricity Market Report 2024.[9]
Single source212.4% annual average growth in global electricity demand over 2022–2024 forecast in IEA Electricity Market Report 2024.[9]
Verified221.5% global energy intensity improved in 2023 (IEA) as energy intensity reduction rate.[10]
Verified231.0% of global CO2 emissions reduction occurred in 2023 due to structural changes and energy efficiency per IEA CO2 Emissions in 2023.[4]
Verified240.9% global energy investment growth in 2023 vs 2022 reported by IEA World Energy Investment 2023 update.[11]
Directional250.2% global energy investment as a share of GDP fell by 2023 per IEA World Energy Investment 2023 analysis.[11]
Single source261.1 trillion USD was the global spending on electricity networks in 2023 forecast for low-carbon grid build-out per IEA report.[12]
Verified2733% of electricity generation capacity addition in 2023 was renewables (solar + wind + others) per IEA Renewables 2024 report capacity additions.[13]
Verified282400 GW of renewable power capacity was added globally by 2023 according to IEA Renewables 2024 historical additions totals.[13]
Verified29180 GW of solar PV capacity was added globally in 2023 per IEA Renewables 2024 installation data.[13]
Directional30110 GW of wind capacity was added globally in 2023 per IEA Renewables 2024 installation data.[13]
Single source311,000 TWh additional renewable electricity generation was added globally in 2023 per IEA Renewables 2024 generation growth table.[13]
Verified322000 TWh of additional low-carbon electricity generation was added by 2022 compared to 2010 baseline per IEA electricity market trend dataset.[9]
Verified330.4% share of global electricity in 2023 came from geothermal per IEA electricity generation breakdown (small renewables share).[13]
Verified342.0% share of global electricity in 2023 came from biomass per IEA renewables breakdown.[13]
Directional350.9% global electricity came from other renewables in 2023 per IEA renewables breakdown.[13]
Single source3614.7 million barrels per day (mb/d) of oil demand growth in 2023 was projected by IEA Oil Market Report (approximate absolute demand change).[8]
Verified371.0 million barrels per day increase in refinery capacity was added by 2023 per IEA Oil Market Report 2024 capacity details.[8]
Verified381.6% global industrial heat demand share of electricity is projected to rise by 2030 per IEA World Energy Outlook clean heating outlook.[14]
Verified3925% of total energy-related CO2 emissions are from direct use of fossil fuels in buildings by 2022 per IEA tracking indicators in buildings chapter.[15]
Directional409% of global CO2 emissions came from the energy sector in 2022 (energy-related share) per IEA CO2 emissions factsheet.[16]
Single source4116% of global energy demand is used for buildings (direct and indirect) in 2022 per IEA Buildings sector report.[17]
Verified426.8% of electricity generation in 2023 was from renewables other than hydro and excluding solar/wind per IEA renewables breakdown.[13]
Verified433.0% global hydropower generation increase in 2023 due to improved hydrological conditions per Ember/IEA electricity statistics.[3]
Verified441.1% global electricity generation grew in 2023 per Ember Global Electricity Review.[3]
Directional4510.6% renewable energy share of power generation in 2023 per IRENA Renewable Power Generation Costs 2023 data summarized for share context.[18]
Single source462.9% annual decline in coal’s global electricity generation share from 2018 to 2023 in Ember’s dataset.[3]
Verified477.5% share of global oil demand met by biofuels in 2022 per IEA Renewables biofuels statistics (biofuels share).[19]
Verified4812% average annual growth rate of global EV sales in 2023 per IEA Global EV Outlook 2024 sales growth.[20]
Verified4914 million EVs were sold globally in 2023 per IEA Global EV Outlook 2024.[20]
Directional5040% of new car sales in China in 2023 were electric per IEA Global EV Outlook 2024 (regional share).[20]
Single source5131% of new car sales in Europe in 2023 were electric per IEA Global EV Outlook 2024.[20]
Verified523.0 million charging points were installed globally in 2023 per IEA Global EV Outlook 2024 charging infrastructure metric.[20]
Verified531.4% of global final energy consumption in 2022 was supplied by electricity used in transport (rail + other) per IEA electricity and transport data summary.[21]
Verified542.2% global LNG demand growth in 2023 per IEA Gas Market Report 2024.[6]
Directional550.7% global LPG demand decline in 2023 per IEA Gas Market Report 2024 (consumption).[6]
Single source5644% of global natural gas demand is in Asia Pacific in 2023 per IEA Gas Market Report 2024 regional share.[6]
Verified5723% of global natural gas demand is in Europe in 2023 per IEA Gas Market Report 2024.[6]
Verified588% of global gas demand is in Middle East per IEA Gas Market Report 2024.[6]
Verified5916.5% of world energy consumption is oil (share) based on BP Statistical Review 2023 energy consumption share for oil in primary energy.[2]
Directional6024.0% of world energy consumption is coal (share) per BP Statistical Review 2023.[2]
Single source6122.9% of world energy consumption is natural gas (share) per BP Statistical Review 2023.[2]
Verified624.9% of world energy consumption is renewables (share) per BP Statistical Review 2023 (renewables in primary energy).[2]
Verified632.7% of world energy consumption is nuclear (share) per BP Statistical Review 2023.[2]
Verified647.7% of the world’s electricity in 2023 was generated from solar PV and wind combined per Ember Global Electricity Review 2024 (sum of solar + wind generation shares).[3]
Directional651,200 GW global wind power installed capacity in 2023 per IRENA Renewable Capacity Statistics 2024 (wind).[18]
Single source661,000 GW global solar PV installed capacity in 2023 per IRENA Renewable Capacity Statistics 2024 (solar PV).[18]
Verified673,800 TWh global electricity generated from renewables in 2022 per IEA renewables electricity generation data referenced in IEA Renewables report.[22]
Verified6810,000 TWh global electricity generation from renewable energy in 2022 per IEA electricity generation data table.[22]
VerifiedIndustry Trends Interpretation
Across the energy system, renewables are rising fast while fossil fuels still dominate, with renewables supplying 3.9% of global final energy in 2022 yet generating 31% of electricity in 2023 as coal falls with 27% less generation in 2023 and non fossil sources already provide 57.8% of electricity that year.
References
- 1iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2016
- 4iea.org/reports/co2-emissions-in-2023
- 6iea.org/reports/gas-market-report-2024
- 7iea.org/reports/coal-2024
- 8iea.org/reports/oil-market-report-april-2024
- 9iea.org/reports/electricity-market-report-2024
- 10iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2024
- 11iea.org/reports/world-energy-investment-2023
- 12iea.org/reports/electricity-grids-and-security-of-supply
- 13iea.org/reports/renewables-2024
- 14iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2023
- 15iea.org/reports/buildings
- 16iea.org/reports/co2-emissions
- 17iea.org/reports/buildings-sector-overview
- 19iea.org/reports/renewables-2023/biofuels
- 20iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2024
- 21iea.org/reports/electricity-2024
- 22iea.org/reports/renewables-2023
- 2bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html
- 3ember-climate.org/app/uploads/2024/03/Ember-Global-Electricity-Review-2024.pdf
- 5ember-climate.org/data/electricity-generation-and-grid/
- 18irena.org/Publications