Charted: How Top Economies Generated Electricity in 2024

Bruno Venditti
2025-04-18 08:12:00
www.visualcapitalist.com

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Charted: Coal Still Dominates Global Electricity Generation

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Key Takeaways

Fossil fuels made up nearly 60% of 2024 electricity generation.
Coal accounts for 35% of total power generation.

Fossil Fuels Still Power Most of the World

Global energy demand grew faster than average in 2024, driven by rising electricity use across sectors. The power sector led the surge, with demand growing nearly twice as fast as overall energy use—fueled by increased cooling needs, industrial activity, transport electrification, and the expansion of data centers and AI.

Despite a growing push toward cleaner energy sources, coal remains the leading source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, fossil fuels accounted for nearly 60% of global power generation, with coal alone contributing 35%, according to the International Energy Agency.

While renewable energy continues to expand, making up about one-third of total electricity production, the global energy mix still leans heavily on traditional sources.

Country	Coal	Natural Gas	Oil	Renewables	Nuclear
India	73.4%	3.3%	0.2%	20.5%	2.6%
China	58.4%	3.2%	0.1%	33.9%	4.4%
U.S.	15.6%	42.6%	0.7%	23.3%	17.9%
EU	10.7%	15.6%	1.5%	48.7%	23.6%
Global	34.5%	21.8%	2.4%	32.1%	9.1%

In emerging markets and developing economies, coal continues to be the backbone of power systems. China, the world’s largest energy consumer, generated nearly 60% of its electricity from coal. In India, coal’s dominance is even more pronounced, providing close to three-quarters of all electricity produced.

In contrast, advanced economies are increasingly relying on cleaner sources. In 2024, the European Union made significant strides in renewable energy adoption—nearly half of its electricity came from renewables, far exceeding the global average.

In the United States, natural gas led the power mix, accounting for over 40% of electricity generation in 2024. President Trump’s pro-coal policies and the surge in energy demand from AI innovation are expected to boost coal production in the U.S. over the next few years.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed this topic, check out this graphic that shows how 36 companies are responsible for half of the fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions.

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