Molly Ayala
Electricity is central to modern life, and its role is expanding as the world moves towards electrification for transport and heating. The main sources of electricity generation include fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy. While fossil fuels remain the largest source of electricity production globally, there is a growing shift towards low-carbon and renewable sources such as hydropower, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal energy. The transition to net-zero emissions and the need to address climate change are driving efforts to rapidly deploy and transition to renewable sources of electricity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Global Electricity Generation in 2022 | 10,000 TWh |
| Source of Global Electricity Generation in 2022 | Coal (36%), Gas (20%), Nuclear Power (10%) |
| US Electricity Generation in 2023 | |
| Source of US Electricity Generation in 2023 | Natural Gas (43%), Coal (16%), Petroleum (0.4%) |
| Sources of Electricity | Fossil Fuels (Coal, Oil, Gas), Nuclear, Renewables (Hydropower), Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Biomass, Wave & Tidal |
| Methods of Producing Electric Power | Friction, Heat, Light, Chemical, Pressure, Magnetism |
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What You'll Learn
Fossil fuels
Despite the growth of renewables, fossil fuels remain dominant worldwide, and their use for electricity generation continues to increase. This is partly due to the reliability and affordability of fossil fuels, as well as the energy density they provide. Fossil fuel power plants burn coal, oil, or natural gas to generate heat, which is used to produce steam and drive turbines that generate electricity. This process is known as thermal generation.
Many developing countries rely heavily on fossil fuels, and they play a significant role in increasing energy production and reducing poverty. However, the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation has consequences. In addition to releasing greenhouse gases, burning coal and oil also produce nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, which can lead to acid rain and harm the environment. As a result, there is a growing trend towards low-carbon and renewable sources of electricity to mitigate climate change and reduce air pollution.
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Low-carbon sources
Nuclear power is one of the most prominent low-carbon sources of electricity. As of 2025, nuclear power accounted for about 9% of global electricity production, with over 440 power reactors in operation. Nuclear energy has been used since the 1950s as a low-carbon source of baseload electricity, and it continues to play a crucial role in the transition to net-zero emissions. In 2021, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) highlighted the importance of nuclear power in mitigating climate change, and some countries, such as France, derive a large portion of their electricity from nuclear sources.
Hydropower is another significant low-carbon source of electricity. It is the world's largest renewable electricity generation method and is expected to remain so into the 2030s. Hydropower provides one of the lowest-cost options in the energy market, and in 2019, it supplied 15.6% of total electricity. While reservoirs typically have low greenhouse gas emissions, they may have higher emissions in tropical regions.
Renewable sources of electricity, such as wind and solar power, are also crucial low-carbon sources. These sources have shown remarkable growth in recent years, with wind and solar power generation increasing by nearly 270 TWh in 2022. Denmark, for example, generates over half of its electricity from wind power, showcasing the viability and efficiency of this green energy source. Solar power, or photovoltaic cells, directly convert sunlight into electrical energy without the need for mechanical devices, making them simpler than fossil-fuel-driven systems.
Other low-carbon sources of electricity include bioenergy, geothermal, wave, and tidal power. These sources, along with wind and solar, are considered renewables and play an important role in the global energy mix. Corporate renewable power purchase agreements can help accelerate the deployment of these renewable sources by providing revenue certainty and reducing financing costs for developers.
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Solar power
Photovoltaic (PV) systems use solar panels, either on rooftops or in ground-mounted solar farms, to convert sunlight directly into electric power. The array of a PV system produces direct current (DC) power, which fluctuates with the sunlight's intensity. Multiple solar cells are connected inside panels, and these panels are wired together to form arrays. Concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, on the other hand, use mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight to extreme heat to make steam, which is then converted into electricity by a turbine.
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Nuclear energy
The nuclear energy harnessed to produce electricity is through nuclear fission. In this process, atoms are split to release energy. A nuclear reactor, or power plant, is a series of machines that can control nuclear fission to produce electricity. Nuclear reactors use pellets of the element uranium as fuel. Uranium atoms are forced to break apart, releasing tiny particles called fission products. These fission products cause other uranium atoms to split, starting a chain reaction. The energy released from this chain reaction creates heat. This heat warms the reactor's cooling agent, which is usually water, but some reactors use liquid metal or molten salt. The heat turns the cooling agent into steam, which turns turbines, or wheels turned by a flowing current. The turbines then drive generators or engines that create electricity.
Nuclear power is a low-carbon source of energy, as nuclear power plants do not produce CO2 during their operation. They are crucial in meeting climate change goals. In 2023, nuclear power supplied 2,602 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, equivalent to about 9% of global electricity generation. It was the second-largest low-carbon power source after hydroelectricity. As of November 2024, there are 415 civilian fission reactors in the world, with 66 under construction and 87 planned. The United States has the largest fleet of nuclear reactors, generating almost 800 TWh of low-carbon electricity per year. The average global capacity factor is 89%, while the US average is 92%. Most new reactors under construction are generation III reactors in Asia.
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Hydropower
The use of hydropower to generate electricity dates back to the 19th century, with the first industrial use in the United States in 1880 to power lamps at a factory. The first hydroelectric power plant to sell electricity opened in 1882. Hydropower has been a significant source of electricity in the United States, with most of its hydroelectricity produced at large dams on major rivers. The Grand Coulee hydro dam in Washington State is the largest hydropower facility in the country.
Pumped-storage hydroelectric systems are another type of hydropower facility. These systems pump water to upper reservoirs during periods of low electricity demand and release the stored water to generate electricity during peak demand. While these systems may have a net negative electricity generation balance, they provide flexibility and backup power during outages or disruptions.
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Frequently asked questions
The three main sources of electricity are fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy.
Examples of renewable energy sources include solar power, hydropower, wind power, geothermal power, biomass, and wave and tidal power.
Some methods of producing electricity include friction, heat, light, chemical reactions, pressure, and magnetism.
Coal is the largest source of electricity production globally, followed by natural gas. However, some countries get most of their electricity from low-carbon or fossil-free sources, such as hydropower and nuclear energy.
