Data Methodology

This guide details the data methodology used by Ember to produce datasets on global electricity generation, net imports, demand, installed power capacity, and emissions from 2000 to 2021.

• Ember tracks five core electricity datasets: generation (TWh), net imports (TWh), demand (TWh), installed power generation capacity (GW), and emissions from electricity generation (Mt CO2e).
• Global fuel data is categorized into nine types: Bioenergy, Coal, Gas, Hydro, Nuclear, Other Fossil, Other Renewables, Solar, and Wind. In European datasets, Coal is further divided into Hard Coal and Lignite.
• To estimate the latest annual generation when data is unavailable, Ember applies absolute changes from annualised monthly data to historical annual values, using 2019 as a reference point due to COVID-19 pandemic anomalies.
• Thermal generation is disaggregated using a hierarchy of sources: first using IEA monthly electricity generation statistics ratios, then BP's statistical review of world energy, and finally capacity ratios.
• Installed capacity data is primarily sourced from Global Energy Monitor (GEM) for coal and gas (plants > 50 MW), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) for non-fossil generation, and the World Resources Institute (WRI) for Other Fossil capacity where other sources are insufficient.
• Emissions are calculated using IPCC 5th Assessment Report Annex 3 (2014) factors, which include full lifecycle emissions and upstream methane, converted to CO2 equivalent over 100 years.
• Ember identifies several caveats in emissions reporting, including the fact that IPCC factors may overestimate current wind and solar intensities due to efficiency improvements, and may not capture the higher short-term potency of methane (x86 vs x21).
• Bioenergy is included in 'renewable' categories to align with EU legislation and governmental targets, though Ember notes its climate impact depends on feedstock and advocates for minimizing large-scale bioenergy in power sectors.

APA

Ember (n.d.). Data Methodology. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Methodology-GER22-PDF-844-KB.pdf

Chicago

Ember. Data Methodology. n.d. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Methodology-GER22-PDF-844-KB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Data Methodology |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Methodology-GER22-PDF-844-KB.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{embernddata, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Data Methodology}}, institution = {Ember}, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2022/03/Methodology-GER22-PDF-844-KB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }