Share of Electricity Production by Source
Data, Graphs, and Maps
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Science, Geography, Mathematics
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Our World in Data
What it is
- This interactive chart shows data on global electricity production by source (coal, oil, gas, solar, wind, hydropower, nuclear, and other renewables).
- The graph represents the data by the proportion of total production contributed by each source.
- The site contains an additional tab, which presents the data in a table view, by country, comparing 1985 data to 2020 data, and users can choose to view one country's electricity production breakdowns at at time or global data all at once on the chart.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Data is represented in multiple ways through graphs and tables.
- Data is available for download.
- The user can choose which country they would like to see represented and data goes back multiple decades, showing a change over time.
Prerequisites
- Students should be able to read line graphs to understand the data.
- Students should understand the difference between renewable and nonrenewable energy.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Have students analyze the change in the primary electricity sources over time for different countries. Can they notice trends of increased renewables?
- Students can work in partners to discuss the thoughts and observations they notice when reviewing the data.
- Students can research energy production further to determine why certain countries rely more heavily on certain resources.
From the scientist review
The resource evaluates share of electricity production in the world. Electricity mix data of BP was used. However, this is appropriate. Hence, students can explore the chart to visualize units of energy produced in different countries. This resource is suitable for teaching.
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