Iran vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared
Iran generated 399 TWh of electricity in 2025 and the United Kingdom 294 TWh, according to Ember. Gas was the largest source in both, at 73.3% in Iran and 31.3% in the United Kingdom. Each kWh generated emitted 656 gCO2/kWh in Iran and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.
Who is bigger and who is cleaner? Iran is the bigger electricity producer, generating 1.4 times as much as the United Kingdom in 2025 (399 TWh against 294 TWh). The United Kingdom has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 218 gCO2/kWh against 656 gCO2/kWh in Iran in 2025.
Why this comparison: both among the 20 largest electricity users.
Open this comparison in the interactive tool to add more countries or change the metric.
Key Facts
- Gas supplied 73.3% of Iran's electricity in 2025, against 31.3% in the United Kingdom.
- Iran's electricity was 3.0 times as carbon intensive as the United Kingdom's in 2025, at 656 gCO2/kWh against 218 gCO2/kWh.
- Electricity demand rose 20% in Iran between 2020 and 2025, while it fell 4% in the United Kingdom.
- Carbon intensity rose 4% in Iran between 2020 and 2025, while it fell 10% in the United Kingdom.
- Low carbon sources supplied 5.2% of Iran's electricity in 2025 and 64.2% of the United Kingdom's.
- Electricity demand in 2025 was 397 TWh in Iran and 312 TWh in the United Kingdom.
Key Figures, 2025
Ember annual statistics| Measure | Iran | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Total generation | 399 TWh | 294 TWh |
| Electricity demand | 397 TWh | 312 TWh |
| Demand per person | 4.28 MWh | 4.62 MWh |
| Carbon intensity | 656 gCO2/kWh | 218 gCO2/kWh |
| Power sector emissions | 262 MtCO2 | 64.0 MtCO2 |
| Low carbon share | 5.2% | 64.2% |
| Largest source | Gas 73.3% | Gas 31.3% |
Generation Mix, 2025
Share of generationCarbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025
Ember annual statistics| Year | Iran | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 577 gCO2/kWh | 694 gCO2/kWh |
| 1986 | 568 gCO2/kWh | 721 gCO2/kWh |
| 1987 | 561 gCO2/kWh | 737 gCO2/kWh |
| 1988 | 565 gCO2/kWh | 710 gCO2/kWh |
| 1989 | 597 gCO2/kWh | 689 gCO2/kWh |
| 1990 | 599 gCO2/kWh | 705 gCO2/kWh |
| 1991 | 625 gCO2/kWh | 700 gCO2/kWh |
| 1992 | 595 gCO2/kWh | 665 gCO2/kWh |
| 1993 | 592 gCO2/kWh | 608 gCO2/kWh |
| 1994 | 629 gCO2/kWh | 589 gCO2/kWh |
| 1995 | 619 gCO2/kWh | 579 gCO2/kWh |
| 1996 | 619 gCO2/kWh | 557 gCO2/kWh |
| 1997 | 645 gCO2/kWh | 512 gCO2/kWh |
| 1998 | 641 gCO2/kWh | 510 gCO2/kWh |
| 1999 | 659 gCO2/kWh | 492 gCO2/kWh |
| 2000 | 667 gCO2/kWh | 522 gCO2/kWh |
| 2001 | 668 gCO2/kWh | 529 gCO2/kWh |
| 2002 | 652 gCO2/kWh | 521 gCO2/kWh |
| 2003 | 649 gCO2/kWh | 537 gCO2/kWh |
| 2004 | 642 gCO2/kWh | 536 gCO2/kWh |
| 2005 | 636 gCO2/kWh | 535 gCO2/kWh |
| 2006 | 625 gCO2/kWh | 559 gCO2/kWh |
| 2007 | 631 gCO2/kWh | 556 gCO2/kWh |
| 2008 | 662 gCO2/kWh | 554 gCO2/kWh |
| 2009 | 667 gCO2/kWh | 505 gCO2/kWh |
| 2010 | 661 gCO2/kWh | 517 gCO2/kWh |
| 2011 | 654 gCO2/kWh | 500 gCO2/kWh |
| 2012 | 648 gCO2/kWh | 537 gCO2/kWh |
| 2013 | 634 gCO2/kWh | 507 gCO2/kWh |
| 2014 | 644 gCO2/kWh | 463 gCO2/kWh |
| 2015 | 651 gCO2/kWh | 398 gCO2/kWh |
| 2016 | 642 gCO2/kWh | 333 gCO2/kWh |
| 2017 | 642 gCO2/kWh | 302 gCO2/kWh |
| 2018 | 658 gCO2/kWh | 286 gCO2/kWh |
| 2019 | 605 gCO2/kWh | 268 gCO2/kWh |
| 2020 | 630 gCO2/kWh | 243 gCO2/kWh |
| 2021 | 658 gCO2/kWh | 267 gCO2/kWh |
| 2022 | 651 gCO2/kWh | 255 gCO2/kWh |
| 2023 | 638 gCO2/kWh | 236 gCO2/kWh |
| 2024 | 643 gCO2/kWh | 216 gCO2/kWh |
| 2025 | 656 gCO2/kWh | 218 gCO2/kWh |
Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025
Ember annual statistics| Year | Iran | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | n/a | n/a |
| 1986 | n/a | n/a |
| 1987 | n/a | n/a |
| 1988 | n/a | n/a |
| 1989 | n/a | n/a |
| 1990 | n/a | n/a |
| 1991 | n/a | n/a |
| 1992 | n/a | n/a |
| 1993 | n/a | n/a |
| 1994 | n/a | n/a |
| 1995 | n/a | n/a |
| 1996 | n/a | n/a |
| 1997 | n/a | n/a |
| 1998 | n/a | n/a |
| 1999 | n/a | n/a |
| 2000 | 1.79 MWh | 6.63 MWh |
| 2001 | 1.89 MWh | 6.67 MWh |
| 2002 | 2.04 MWh | 6.65 MWh |
| 2003 | 2.21 MWh | 6.69 MWh |
| 2004 | 2.32 MWh | 6.67 MWh |
| 2005 | 2.46 MWh | 6.71 MWh |
| 2006 | 2.63 MWh | 6.63 MWh |
| 2007 | 2.71 MWh | 6.53 MWh |
| 2008 | 2.76 MWh | 6.45 MWh |
| 2009 | 2.85 MWh | 6.07 MWh |
| 2010 | 3.00 MWh | 6.11 MWh |
| 2011 | 2.94 MWh | 5.89 MWh |
| 2012 | 3.04 MWh | 5.87 MWh |
| 2013 | 3.12 MWh | 5.79 MWh |
| 2014 | 3.31 MWh | 5.53 MWh |
| 2015 | 3.36 MWh | 5.51 MWh |
| 2016 | 3.39 MWh | 5.42 MWh |
| 2017 | 3.54 MWh | 5.32 MWh |
| 2018 | 3.58 MWh | 5.29 MWh |
| 2019 | 3.58 MWh | 5.19 MWh |
| 2020 | 3.77 MWh | 4.88 MWh |
| 2021 | 3.95 MWh | 4.92 MWh |
| 2022 | 4.03 MWh | 4.70 MWh |
| 2023 | 4.14 MWh | 4.60 MWh |
| 2024 | 4.30 MWh | 4.59 MWh |
| 2025 | 4.28 MWh | 4.62 MWh |
Iran history · United Kingdom history
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.
Related
Cite this page
World Power Monitor. (2025). Iran vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/iran-vs-united-kingdom/
World Power Monitor. Iran vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/iran-vs-united-kingdom/
@misc{wpm_compare_iran_vs_united_kingdom_2025,
title = {{Iran vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared}},
author = {{World Power Monitor}},
year = {2025},
note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/iran-vs-united-kingdom/}
} Permalink: https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/iran-vs-united-kingdom/
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