Global outlook on electricity generation 2020-2050, by energy source

It is projected that electricity generated worldwide will increase by nearly 70 percent in the coming three decades, to reach some 42 thousand terawatt-hours by 2050. That year, renewables are expected to be the largest source of global electricity, accounting for some 56 percent of electric power produced.

The boom of renewables

Electricity generation from renewable sources is expected to experience the largest growth in the displayed period, more than tripling between 2020 and 2050. The past decade saw the beginning of a boom in global installed renewable capacity, which recently surpassed 2.8 terawatts. In 2019, Asia was the region with the largest renewable electricity production, at 2.45 thousand terawatt-hours.

Coal's glory days are over

Conventional sources like coal are increasingly being replaced. After peaking at more than 10 thousand terawatt-hours in 2018, electricity generation from coal is expected to plateau in the coming decades, oscillating between seven and eight thousand terawatt-hours per year. In 2050, this would represent less than 20 percent of the global power generation matrix. In contrast, in 2020, coal was the largest source of electricity generation worldwide, with a share of 33 percent.