Mercedes Mullins
Fossil fuels remain the primary source of electricity worldwide, despite the ongoing aggressive rollout of renewable energy sources. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for the largest share of the world's electricity production, with coal being the main source in the global energy mix. While electricity generation from renewable sources has grown at nearly triple the pace of fossil fuels since 2019, fossil fuels still account for over 60% of total global electricity generation. This dominance of fossil fuels in the energy sector underscores the challenges facing climate conferences, such as COP28, in their efforts to curb rising global temperatures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of global electricity produced by fossil fuels | 60% in 2023 |
| Percentage of electricity produced by fossil fuels in the US | 59% in 2023 |
| Percentage of electricity produced by fossil fuels in China | 65% in 2023 |
| Percentage of electricity produced by fossil fuels in India | 75% in 2023 |
| Percentage of electricity produced by fossil fuels in Japan | 63% in 2023 |
| Percentage of electricity produced by fossil fuels in Poland | 73% in 2023 |
| Percentage of electricity produced by fossil fuels in Turkey | 57% in 2023 |
| Percentage of global electricity produced by coal | 36% in 2023 |
| Percentage of global electricity produced by coal in Europe | 14% in 2023 |
| Percentage of global electricity produced by coal in North America | 14% in 2023 |
| Percentage of global electricity produced by coal in Asia | 56% in 2023 |
| Percentage of global electricity produced by oil | Small share |
| Percentage of global electricity produced by gas | Second-largest source |
| Percentage of global electricity produced by low-carbon sources | 33% |
| Percentage of global electricity produced by nuclear power | 10.5% in 2018 |
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What You'll Learn
Fossil fuels are the primary source of electricity globally
On a global basis, coal is the largest source of electricity production, generating 36% of global electricity as of August 2023. Coal-fired electricity output reached a new high of 837.7 terawatt-hours (TWh) during this period, a slight increase from the same time in 2022. While coal's share of the electricity generation mix has declined in Europe and North America, it has remained relatively flat in Asia, where strong growth in China, India, and elsewhere has been observed.
Oil and natural gas are also significant contributors to the global energy mix, with oil remaining the most produced form of energy in 2019. However, oil's share of the global energy supply has decreased over time, falling from 44% in 1971 to 31% in 2010, where it has since stabilized. In 2019, natural gas and coal experienced increases in production, with solar and wind energy also showing notable growth.
The dominance of fossil fuels in global power systems underscores the challenges faced by climate activists and policymakers. While renewable sources have grown in recent years, providing a boost to the transition away from fossil fuels, fossil fuels remain the primary source of electricity worldwide. The upcoming COP28 meetings aim to address these concerns and push for a more rapid transition to clean energy sources.
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Coal is the largest source of electricity production
Fossil fuels remain the primary source of electricity worldwide, with coal being the largest contributor. In 2023, about 60% of electricity generation in the United States came from fossil fuels, and this trend is reflected globally. While the share of electricity generation from renewable sources has been growing, it has yet to surpass 40% during the first eight months of the year.
Coal is a significant component of the energy mix in many countries. In 2023, coal-fired power stations generated approximately 36% of global electricity, a slight decrease from the previous year but still higher than in 2019. Asia, in particular, has maintained a high share of coal in its energy mix, with average monthly coal output increasing from around 590 TWh in 2019 to 686 TWh in 2023. This increase is largely driven by strong growth in China, India, and other Asian countries.
The dominance of coal as an energy source varies across regions. While Asia has maintained a high share of coal usage, Europe and North America have seen declines. In 2019, coal accounted for roughly 16% and 21% of the energy mix in Europe and North America, respectively. By 2023, these numbers had decreased to around 14% in both regions.
The transition away from coal and other fossil fuels is crucial for addressing climate change. Fossil fuel power plants burning coal or oil release large amounts of carbon dioxide, the primary driver of global warming. Additionally, they emit other pollutants like oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, which cause acid rain. Nuclear power and renewable sources like hydropower, wind, and solar energy offer cleaner alternatives, but progress toward adopting these sources has been slow.
Despite the efforts to integrate renewable energy sources, coal remains the largest source of electricity production globally. Its prevalence in the energy mix varies across regions, with Asia relying heavily on coal compared to Europe and North America, which have seen declines in coal usage. The persistence of coal as a primary energy source underscores the challenges in transitioning to cleaner alternatives and the need for continued efforts to address climate change.
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Gas is the second-largest source of electricity production
Fossil fuels remain the primary source of electricity worldwide, with over 60% of global electricity generated in 2023 coming from fossil fuels. Coal is the largest source of electricity production, with gas being the second-largest source.
Gas power plants generate electricity by burning hot gases to drive a turbine. In combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants, a steam generator is also used to increase electricity production. Gas power plants are generally cheap to build and can generate electricity reliably over long periods. However, burning carbon-based fuels produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.
While coal's share of the electricity generation mix has declined in Europe and North America, it has remained flat in Asia, where strong growth in countries like China and India has led to an increase in average monthly coal output. Despite the increasing adoption of renewable energy sources, fossil fuels continue to dominate global power systems. Several key countries, including the United States, China, India, Japan, Poland, and Turkey, sourced over half of their electricity from fossil fuels in 2023.
Hydropower and nuclear power are the largest contributors to low-carbon electricity production, with wind and solar energy growing rapidly. Nuclear power, in particular, is environmentally friendly as it does not produce greenhouse gases or contribute to air pollution. However, the number of suitable sites for new large-scale hydroelectric dams is limited, and nuclear energy has been on a decline, offsetting the progress made by renewable energy sources.
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Fossil fuel plants require large quantities of coal, oil, or gas
Fossil fuels are the largest source of energy for electricity generation globally, with coal, oil, and natural gas being the most commonly used fossil fuels. In 2023, about 60% of electricity generation in the United States came from fossil fuels, including coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other gases. This is a similar trend to that seen globally, with over 60% of global electricity generated in 2023 coming from fossil fuels.
Coal is the largest source of electricity globally and is predominantly used in Asia, with average monthly coal output in the continent increasing from around 590 TWh in 2019 to 686 TWh in 2023. In the United States, coal supplied 19% of energy consumption in 2020, but its share has been steadily decreasing due to the decreasing costs and increasing usage of natural gas and renewable energy.
Natural gas is also a significant fossil fuel used for electricity generation. While it emits less carbon dioxide and other air pollutants than coal, leaks from natural gas plants, wells, and pipelines emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Oil is another fossil fuel used for electricity generation, though it accounts for only a small share of electricity production globally. Oil is generally less abundant than gas or coal and requires more extensive drilling and refining processes before it can be used for electricity generation.
The use of fossil fuels for electricity generation has significant environmental impacts, with burning fossil fuels accounting for 74% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. As a result, there is a growing push to transition to renewable energy sources, with renewable energy accounting for about 20% of U.S. electricity generation in 2020 and expected to continue growing.
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Nuclear power is an alternative energy source
Fossil fuels remain the primary source of global electricity, with over 60% of electricity worldwide generated by fossil fuels in 2023. Several key countries sourced more than half of their electricity from fossil fuels in 2023, including the United States (59%), China (65%), India (75%), Japan (63%), Poland (73%), and Turkey (57%).
Nuclear fuel is extremely dense, approximately 1 million times denser than traditional energy sources, resulting in a relatively small amount of used fuel. For example, all the used nuclear fuel produced by the U.S. nuclear energy industry over the last 60 years could fit on a football field at a depth of less than 10 yards. This waste can also be reprocessed and recycled, although the United States does not currently practise this.
Nuclear energy has the potential to be a catalyst for sustainable energy transitions, as demonstrated by France, which generates over 70% of its electricity from nuclear power, resulting in significantly reduced electricity sector emissions. Nuclear power can be rapidly scaled up to combat climate change, as evidenced by France's transition from relying minimally on nuclear energy in 1974 to producing the majority of its electricity from nuclear sources.
Nuclear power is a viable alternative to fossil fuels as it is reliable, deployable on a large scale, and produces significantly fewer carbon dioxide emissions. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, the United States avoided more than 471 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2020 due to nuclear energy, equivalent to removing 100 million cars from the road. Nuclear energy can directly replace fossil fuel plants, avoiding the combustion of fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2023, fossil fuels produce over 60% of global electricity.
Coal, natural gas, and oil are the most common fossil fuels used for electricity production. Coal is the largest source of electricity globally, followed by gas.
China, India, the United States, Japan, Poland, and Turkey are among the countries that source over half of their electricity from fossil fuels.
The use of fossil fuels for electricity production has generally decreased over time, with renewable sources growing in popularity. However, due to the global energy crisis, there was a slight increase in fossil fuel usage between 2022 and 2023.
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