2026-09-17 · percent of global electricity mix
Year
Renewables are still the minority of power
Wind, solar, hydro, and the rest still sit beside coal and gas on the global grid.
Fossil fuels still set the terms of the global grid: energy production drives roughly three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions, and coal, gas, and oil still supply 61% of the world's electricity in 2026. Wind, solar, hydro, and other renewables have reached 30%, with nuclear at 9% — low-carbon power is growing, but it remains the minority.
1 cell = 0.1 percent of global electricity mix (0.1% of electricity generation) · 1,000 cells
Context
These shares describe the global electricity mix — what actually generates power — rounded from IEA and Ember figures compiled by Our World in Data. Hydropower remains the largest single renewable source, while wind and solar are growing quickly.
The progress is real but partly offset: in electricity generation, nuclear has declined almost as much as renewables have gained, so the combined low-carbon share has crept up slowly. And because total energy demand keeps growing, fossil fuel output still rises in absolute terms — the atmosphere responds to absolutes, not shares.
The stakes extend beyond carbon: at least five million deaths a year are attributed to air pollution from burning fossil fuels and biomass. Some wealthy countries show rapid decarbonization is possible; the bigger challenge is making clean energy cheap enough to undercut fossil fuels where demand is growing fastest.
IEA / Ember global electricity mix shares, rounded.
Share and export
Credit this grid as Inagrid — https://inagrid.com/e/2026-09-17-renewable-electricity