Japan Electricity Mix
Japan generated 23.6% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2025, below the world average of 33.8%. Each kilowatt-hour produced emitted about 477 grams of CO₂.
Data year 2025 · Source: Ember and Energy Institute via Our World in Data
How much electricity in Japan comes from renewables?
Renewable sources produced 23.6% of the electricity generated in Japan in 2025. The world average was 33.8% in 2025. That is up from 9.2% in 2000. That ranks Japan 122nd of 210 countries and territories by renewable share.
Electricity mix by source
Gas is the largest source of electricity in Japan, at 32.8% of generation, followed by coal at 32.1% and solar at 9.8%. Fossil fuels together supplied 67.3% and nuclear 9.1%.
Carbon intensity of electricity
Generating one kilowatt-hour of electricity in Japan emitted about 477 grams of CO₂ in 2025, close to the world average of 458 g. At that rate, a business using 10,000 kWh a year would be responsible for roughly 4,773 kg of CO₂ from electricity.
This is an estimate based on the generation mix. For a formal carbon report, use the grid factor published by the national energy or environment agency. Our guide to emission factors explains the difference.
How Japan compares
Countries closest to Japan when ranked by renewable share of electricity. See the full ranking, or the CO₂ emissions of Japan.
| # | Country | Renewables | Low-carbon | g CO₂/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | Dominican Republic | 23.8% | 23.8% | 537 |
| 121 | Papua New Guinea | 23.7% | 23.7% | 514 |
| 122 | Japan | 23.6% | 32.7% | 477 |
| 123 | Philippines | 23.3% | 23.3% | 588 |
| 124 | Mexico | 23.1% | 25.9% | 474 |
Frequently asked questions
What share of electricity in Japan is renewable?
23.6% in 2025. That is up from 9.2% in 2000. Counting nuclear as well, 32.7% of electricity came from low-carbon sources.
What is the main source of electricity in Japan?
Gas is the largest source of electricity in Japan, at 32.8% of generation, followed by coal at 32.1% and solar at 9.8%.
How clean is electricity in Japan?
Generating one kilowatt-hour emitted about 477 grams of CO₂ in 2025, close to the world average of 458 g.
Is renewable electricity growing in Japan?
The renewable share has risen by 14.4 percentage points, from 9.2% in 2000 to 23.6% in 2025.
About the data. Shares are percentages of the electricity generated inside the country in a year. Renewables are hydro, wind, solar, bioenergy and other renewable sources. Low-carbon adds nuclear. The latest year differs between countries and is shown on each page. Carbon intensity is an estimate of the CO₂ emitted per kilowatt-hour generated, including emissions over the life of each power source.
Source: Ember and the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy, processed by Our World in Data and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence.
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