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World Bank income group · latest data 2024

Upper-middle-income countries energy mix & electricity

In 2024, upper-middle-income countries generated 14.11 PWh of electricity, 44% of the global total. Coal was the largest source (47.3%), followed by hydropower (16.1%) and natural gas (12.4%). Renewables supplied 34.4% versus 33.8% globally, and low-carbon sources including nuclear 38.1%.

Coal 47.3%Hydro 16.1%Gas 12.4%Wind 8.6%Solar 7.2%Nuclear 3.7%Bioenergy 2.4%Oil 2.2%
Renewable electricity
34.4%
+10.2 pp in 10 yrs
Low-carbon incl. nuclear
38.1%
Carbon intensity
532g/kWh
World 458 g
Electricity per person
4,932kWh
World 3,860 kWh
Generation
14.11PWh
+4.93 PWh vs 2014

Electricity by source in 2024

Upper-middle-income countries electricity mix 2024
SourceTWhShare10-yr Δ pp
Coal6,67347.3%−7
Hydro2,27316.1%−4.2
Gas1,74912.4%−2.1
Wind1,2078.6%+6.5
Solar1,0117.2%+6.9
Nuclear5233.7%+0.7
Bioenergy3322.4%+1
Oil3092.2%−1.7
Other renewables290.2%+0.1

Upper-middle-income countries in context

Since 2014, coal has grown the most (+1.69 PWh), followed by wind power (+1.02 PWh). Oil declined by 51.6 TWh over the same period. The renewable share rose by 10.2 percentage points over the decade. Average carbon intensity is 532 g CO₂e/kWh, down 94 g from 2014. Coal’s share peaked at 56.7% in 2011 and stands at 47.3% today.

Electricity generation since 2000

Electricity generation by source

Renewables and carbon intensity

Renewable share of electricity (%)
Carbon intensity (g CO₂e/kWh)
Solar and wind share since 2000 (%)

Primary energy consumption

All energy used across transport, heat, industry and power. Fossil fuels supply 81.4% and renewables 16.7% of the total.

Primary energy by source (TWh, substitution method)

Income groups follow the World Bank classification as aggregated by Our World in Data. Browse individual countries in the full country table.

Upper-middle-income countries energy: frequently asked questions

What share of electricity in upper-middle-income countries is renewable?
34.4% in 2024: hydro 16.1%, wind 8.6%, solar 7.2%, and bioenergy 2.4%.
What is the largest source of electricity in upper-middle-income countries?
Coal, with 47.3% of generation in 2024.
What is the carbon intensity of electricity in upper-middle-income countries?
About 532 g CO₂-equivalent per kWh in 2024.
How much electricity is generated per person in upper-middle-income countries?
About 4,932 kWh per person per year (2024).
How much electricity in upper-middle-income countries comes from solar and wind?
Solar supplied 7.2% and wind 8.6% in 2024, 15.7% combined, up from 2.4% ten years earlier.

Other regions & groups

World 34%Africa 25%Asia 27%Europe 42%North America 29%South America 77%Oceania 41%European Union (EU-27) 48%High-income countries 31%Lower-middle-income countries 26%Low-income countries 64%

Sources & references

  1. Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
  2. Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
  3. Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
  4. U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries