LowCarbonPower logo
Instagram Facebook X (Twitter)

22% of global electricity is generated from Gas

21.99 % Share of global electricity
490 gCO2eq/kWh Carbon Intensity

Gas, primarily in the form of natural gas, is a significant source of electricity generation worldwide. It is a fossil fuel, composed mainly of methane, and is extracted from beneath the Earth's surface. Natural gas is highly regarded for its efficiency and abundance, and it serves as a critical component of many nations' energy strategies. While its primary use is in electricity generation, natural gas is also pivotal in heating and as an industrial feedstock. Amidst a growing demand for energy, especially electricity, owing to factors like urbanization and digitalization, gas continues to be an important source of energy despite increasing calls for cleaner, more sustainable alternatives.

The process of generating electricity from gas involves burning it in a gas turbine to produce hot gases under high pressure. These gases rotate the blades of the turbine, which are connected to a generator, thus producing electricity. Sometimes, the waste heat from the gas turbine is used to produce steam, which can turn a steam turbine in a combined cycle setup, making the process more efficient. This versatility and efficiency in converting gas to electricity have made it a popular choice for power plants globally. However, as the world aims for more sustainable energy solutions, there's a rising emphasis on transitioning to low-carbon sources like solar, nuclear, and wind.

One of the primary disadvantages of natural gas as a source of electricity is its carbon intensity. Gas releases approximately 490 gCO2eq per kWh generated. While this is lower than coal (820 gCO2eq/kWh), it's still substantially higher than low-carbon options like wind (11 gCO2eq/kWh), nuclear (12 gCO2eq/kWh), or solar (45 gCO2eq/kWh). This significant emission of carbon dioxide contributes to climate change, posing a long-term challenge to environmental sustainability. The global push towards reducing carbon footprints urges the adoption of greener energy sources to ensure a cleaner future.

In addition to its carbon footprint, the burning of gas releases other air pollutants that can impact human health and the environment. These emissions include nitrogen oxides, which can contribute to the formation of smog and acid rain. Air quality deterioration can lead to serious health issues for populations living in close proximity to gas power plants. Meanwhile, solar, nuclear, and wind offer electricity generation with close to none of these adverse health impacts, presenting them as more favorable options for addressing both energy and environmental needs.

As the world shifts toward achieving more sustainable electricity generation, embracing low-carbon solutions such as solar and nuclear is imperative. Their low carbon footprints and minimal environmental impacts make them vital in the pursuit of a balanced and sustainable energy future. Across the globe, strategic investments and policy support in these areas are necessary to drive down emissions and ensure a steady transition to cleaner energy systems, meeting the growing demands effectively and responsibly.

Country/Region kWh/person % TWh
Bahrain 22985.7 W 99.7% 36.1 TWh
Qatar 19636.9 W 99.8% 58.5 TWh
United Arab Emirates 11175.5 W 72.1% 118.9 TWh
Singapore 9492.0 W 92.1% 55.0 TWh
Brunei 9434.4 W 77.5% 4.3 TWh
Kuwait 9254.4 W 51.1% 44.8 TWh
Oman 7983.3 W 93.1% 40.3 TWh
Saudi Arabia 7968.0 W 62.7% 265.1 TWh
Trinidad & Tobago 6287.7 W 99.5% 9.4 TWh
Israel 5738.8 W 71.4% 53.1 TWh
United States 5429.4 W 42.4% 1864.9 TWh
Republic of China (Taiwan) 5253.1 W 42.4% 122.5 TWh
Russia 3700.4 W 44.4% 538.2 TWh
Libya 3654.7 W 74.4% 26.7 TWh
South Korea 3446.7 W 28.7% 178.4 TWh
Malta 3433.6 W 57.7% 1.8 TWh
Iran 3430.9 W 80.2% 310.9 TWh
Hong Kong SAR China 3197.7 W 48.3% 23.8 TWh
Belarus 2957.5 W 58.7% 27.0 TWh
Ireland 2913.4 W 42.7% 15.1 TWh
Japan 2786.7 W 33.9% 346.6 TWh
Canada 2506.9 W 15.7% 98.5 TWh
Azerbaijan 2486.9 W 87.7% 25.7 TWh
Netherlands 2433.6 W 36.0% 44.0 TWh
Greece 2100.0 W 37.6% 21.5 TWh
Malaysia 2060.0 W 36.9% 72.4 TWh
Algeria 2057.9 W 98.7% 95.0 TWh
Italy 1957.0 W 36.9% 116.4 TWh
Iraq 1939.5 W 57.0% 87.4 TWh
Thailand 1901.9 W 57.6% 136.4 TWh
Australia 1800.8 W 17.0% 47.6 TWh
Argentina 1750.3 W 51.1% 79.7 TWh
Uzbekistan 1739.0 W 78.3% 62.0 TWh
Mexico 1693.6 W 60.3% 219.7 TWh
Egypt 1674.1 W 81.7% 191.7 TWh
Tunisia 1622.1 W 84.8% 19.8 TWh
Kazakhstan 1616.8 W 27.5% 32.9 TWh
Jordan 1465.0 W 72.8% 16.5 TWh
Moldova 1415.0 W 66.4% 4.3 TWh
Puerto Rico 1347.9 W 23.3% 4.4 TWh
United Kingdom 1225.3 W 26.8% 84.2 TWh
Armenia 1195.9 W 39.8% 3.5 TWh
Belgium 1193.6 W 16.6% 14.0 TWh
Spain 1093.5 W 18.7% 52.4 TWh
EU 948.3 W 15.6% 427.3 TWh
Germany 936.2 W 15.8% 79.2 TWh
Latvia 881.9 W 21.9% 1.7 TWh
Croatia 852.2 W 17.1% 3.3 TWh
Jamaica 841.8 W 53.2% 2.4 TWh
The World 838.7 W 22.0% 6786.9 TWh
New Zealand 812.0 W 9.4% 4.2 TWh
Austria 778.7 W 9.1% 7.1 TWh
Peru 745.4 W 39.5% 25.2 TWh
Georgia 743.3 W 19.8% 2.8 TWh
Hungary 738.1 W 14.6% 7.2 TWh
Dominican Republic 735.1 W 31.4% 8.3 TWh
North Macedonia 727.5 W 19.9% 1.3 TWh
Turkey 725.1 W 18.5% 63.3 TWh
Panama 625.7 W 21.7% 2.8 TWh
Congo - Brazzaville 616.2 W 73.7% 3.8 TWh
Chile 615.5 W 13.6% 12.1 TWh
Bolivia 608.5 W 60.3% 7.5 TWh
Equatorial Guinea 579.1 W 68.2% 1.1 TWh
Poland 529.4 W 11.9% 20.5 TWh
Portugal 522.5 W 9.6% 5.5 TWh
Slovakia 487.5 W 9.2% 2.7 TWh
Romania 467.5 W 16.0% 8.9 TWh
Gabon 450.7 W 29.7% 1.1 TWh
Ghana 429.1 W 59.7% 14.5 TWh
Venezuela 428.6 W 14.6% 12.1 TWh
Bangladesh 408.7 W 56.7% 70.1 TWh
Macao SAR China 354.9 W 4.7% 0.3 TWh
Czechia 345.1 W 5.1% 3.7 TWh
Syria 342.8 W 38.3% 7.7 TWh
Serbia 320.4 W 5.8% 2.2 TWh
Colombia 318.1 W 19.0% 16.6 TWh
Norway 308.0 W 1.1% 1.7 TWh
France 287.5 W 3.4% 19.1 TWh
Slovenia 283.2 W 3.5% 0.6 TWh
Bulgaria 273.7 W 5.0% 1.9 TWh
Lithuania 266.3 W 6.1% 0.8 TWh
Côte d’Ivoire 245.5 W 68.7% 7.7 TWh
Myanmar (Burma) 237.0 W 50.7% 12.8 TWh
Brazil 227.1 W 6.3% 48.0 TWh
Indonesia 217.8 W 17.4% 61.2 TWh
Vietnam 215.5 W 7.0% 21.6 TWh
People's Republic of China 213.0 W 3.0% 303.0 TWh
Pakistan 183.6 W 24.8% 45.5 TWh
Cuba 183.3 W 13.2% 2.0 TWh
Ukraine 175.0 W 6.3% 7.2 TWh
Philippines 154.5 W 14.1% 17.8 TWh
Denmark 151.3 W 2.3% 0.9 TWh
Nigeria 135.6 W 77.0% 30.9 TWh
Tanzania 121.9 W 72.9% 8.1 TWh
Luxembourg 120.3 W 1.2% 0.1 TWh
Morocco 118.0 W 9.6% 4.5 TWh
Finland 117.8 W 0.8% 0.7 TWh
Barbados 106.3 W 2.7% 0.0 TWh
Mozambique 91.0 W 15.6% 3.1 TWh
Papua New Guinea 87.6 W 19.2% 0.9 TWh
Togo 70.9 W 32.7% 0.7 TWh
Cameroon 69.1 W 23.4% 2.0 TWh
Ecuador 56.2 W 3.0% 1.0 TWh
Benin 51.7 W 39.7% 0.7 TWh
Angola 45.4 W 9.3% 1.7 TWh
Switzerland 42.8 W 0.5% 0.4 TWh
Tajikistan 40.4 W 1.8% 0.4 TWh
India 39.7 W 2.8% 57.1 TWh
Suriname 31.8 W 0.9% 0.0 TWh
Kyrgyzstan 28.3 W 1.0% 0.2 TWh
Rwanda 15.8 W 20.4% 0.2 TWh
Sweden 15.2 W 0.1% 0.2 TWh
Estonia 14.6 W 0.2% 0.0 TWh
Yemen 14.0 W 17.9% 0.6 TWh
Guyana 12.1 W 0.7% 0.0 TWh
Bosnia & Herzegovina 3.1 W 0.1% 0.0 TWh
Niger 1.9 W 2.5% 0.1 TWh
Senegal 1.1 W 0.2% 0.0 TWh
Instagram Facebook X (Twitter)