Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 16 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Denmark: Energy
Where does a country’s electricity come from, and who can get it?
Denmark is placed joint 8th of 165 countries on energy in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Carbon Intensity of Electricity 132.17 (2024); Renewable Share of Electricity Generation 89.23 (2024).
Share
Energy
joint8th
of 165 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Denmark on energy — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
132.17
Carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated)
Lower is better
Denmark: 132.17. Across the 165 countries in this edition, values run from 23.73 (Bhutan) to 1,306 (Turkmenistan); the world median is 433.75.
- World median
- 433.75
- Best in Northern Europe
- 27.82 Iceland
89.23
Renewables (% of electricity generated)
Higher is better
Denmark: 89.23. Across the 165 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 100 (Paraguay); the world median is 32.06.
- World median
- 32.06
- Best in Northern Europe
- 100 Iceland
Key 3 of 3
World Energy Trilemma Index
World Energy Council
2023 edition · data for 2023 · Express reuse grant (no Creative Commons licence named)
83.2
Trilemma score (0–100)
Higher is better
Ranked 1st of 99 by World Energy Council
Denmark: 83.2. Across the 126 countries in this edition, values run from 27.7 (Niger) to 83.2 (Denmark); the world median is 63.8.
- World median
- 63.8
- Best in Northern Europe
- 83.2 Denmark
- Land neighbours
- Germany 80.2
02Over time
Which way Denmark is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Carbon Intensity of Electricity
Carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated) · lower is better
DenmarkWorld median
Denmark fell from 627.95 in 2000 to 132.17 in 2024; the world median went from 540.34 to 433.75.
Every year’s figures
Year Denmark World median 2024 132.2 433.7 2023 152.6 452.7 2022 203.8 476.3 2021 223.1 469.0 2020 188.7 482.0 2019 204.2 488.2 2018 297.1 500.4 2017 282.5 506.3 2016 360.7 521.9 2015 313.7 524.8 2014 400.2 522.3 2013 472.6 508.8 2012 431.4 525.4 2011 486.7 521.4 2010 540.3 515.5 2009 583.0 533.6 2008 577.2 517.2 2007 597.0 535.3 2006 635.5 537.5 2005 552.8 521.4 2004 581.2 523.1 2003 651.5 543.1 2002 618.7 551.3 2001 630.6 559.3 2000 628.0 540.3 Renewable Share of Electricity Generation
Renewables (% of electricity generated) · higher is better
DenmarkWorld median
Denmark rose from 15.54 in 2000 to 89.23 in 2024; the world median went from 15.61 to 32.06.
Every year’s figures
Year Denmark World median 2024 89.2 32.062 2023 86.4 28.000 2022 80.9 28.881 2021 79.3 28.286 2020 82.1 27.125 2019 78.6 26.296 2018 68.7 25.505 2017 70.6 24.023 2016 60.5 22.218 2015 65.8 21.915 2014 56.1 21.151 2013 46.1 21.593 2012 48.5 19.869 2011 40.4 18.584 2010 32.1 18.572 2009 27.8 17.886 2008 27.7 15.923 2007 26.3 15.586 2006 20.2 15.392 2005 27.2 16.438 2004 23.7 16.445 2003 17.6 16.339 2002 17.4 13.826 2001 15.6 14.023 2000 15.5 15.612
03In context
Denmark beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 165 countries on energy, never a place within the region.
Denmark and the countries it borders
Standing among all 165; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Carbon Intensity of ElectricityCarbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated) | Renewable Share of Electricity GenerationRenewables (% of electricity generated) | World Energy Trilemma IndexTrilemma score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | =8th | 132.17 | 89.23 | 83.2 |
 Germany | not placed | — | — | 80.2 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Northern Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 165.
Placed either side on energy
The countries immediately above and below Denmark in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Denmark is ahead of the world, and behind
25 more statistics filed under energy, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median7
Statistics on which Denmark does better than the middle country measured.
RISE Renewable Energy Policy ScoreESMAP · 2023 · world median 33.2689.5233.26No real change since 2013
Denmark: 89.52 · world median 33.26 · Renewable energy policy score (0–100). World Bank Group (ESMAP), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.056 to 89.52; higher is better.
Wind and Solar Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 5.27969.125.279No real change since 2014
Denmark: 69.12 · world median 5.279 · Wind and solar (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 69.12; higher is better.
RISE Energy Efficiency Policy ScoreESMAP · 2023 · world median 48.2383.7848.23No real change since 2013
Denmark: 83.78 · world median 48.23 · Energy efficiency policy score (0–100). World Bank Group (ESMAP), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.975 to 95.93; higher is better.
Low-Carbon Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 37.3289.2337.32▲ Improved since 2014
Denmark: 89.23 · world median 37.32 · Low-carbon sources (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 162 · derived.
Firms Identifying Electricity as a Major ConstraintWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 25.777.65525.77No earlier reading
Denmark: 7.655 · world median 25.77 · Firms rating electricity a major or very severe constraint (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 84.77; lower is better.
Position 153rd of 179 · derived, 1st = worst.
Energy Intensity of GDP (PPP)EIA · 2024 · world median 2.7381.6262.738▲ Improved since 2014
Denmark: 1.626 · world median 2.738 · Energy use per dollar of GDP (thousand Btu per US$ at PPP). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.666 to 17.45; lower is better.
Firms Owning or Sharing a GeneratorWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 24.8512.8824.85No earlier reading
Denmark: 12.88 · world median 24.85 · Firms owning or sharing a generator (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.158 to 90.51; lower is better.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which Denmark does worse than the middle country measured.
CO₂ Emissions per CapitaGlobal Carbon Project · 2024 · world median 3.214.7463.21▲ Improved since 2014
Denmark: 4.746 · world median 3.21 · Fossil CO₂ (tonnes per person). Global Carbon Project, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.054 to 41.27; lower is better.
Position 72nd of 210 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coal Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 04.9720▲ Improved since 2014
Denmark: 4.972 · world median 0 · Coal (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 98.25; lower is better.
Level with the median, or no median to compare3
Access to ElectricityWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 100100100▼ Worsened since 2014
Denmark: 100 · world median 100 · Population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 5.4 to 100; higher is better.
Access to Electricity, RuralWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 100100100▼ Worsened since 2014
Denmark: 100 · world median 100 · Rural population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.7 to 100; higher is better.
Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · 2024 · world median 100100100No real change since 2016
Denmark: 100 · world median 100 · Primary schools with access to electricity (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.246 to 100; higher is better.
No better end13
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Operating Wind Power CapacityGlobal Energy Monitor · 2026 · world median 1005,003100No earlier reading
Denmark: 5,003 · world median 100 · Wind farm capacity in operation (megawatts). Global Energy Monitor, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 542,758.
Solar Electricity Installed CapacityEIA · 2024 · world median 0.1443.9450.144Moved since 2014
Denmark: 3.945 · world median 0.144 · Solar generating capacity installed (gigawatts). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 886.66.
Solar Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 3.04910.743.049Moved since 2014
Denmark: 10.74 · world median 3.049 · Solar (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 50.
Net Electricity Imports (share of generation)Ember · 2024 · world median 010.540No real change since 2014
Denmark: 10.54 · world median 0 · Net electricity imports (% of domestic generation). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -70.16 to 707.07.
Crude Oil ProductionEIA · 2025 · world median 071.810Moved since 2015
Denmark: 71.81 · world median 0 · Crude oil produced (thousand barrels per day). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 13,586.
Primary Energy Consumption per CapitaEIA · 2024 · world median 49.596.449.5Moved since 2014
Denmark: 96.4 · world median 49.5 · Energy use per person (million Btu). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.95 to 766.07.
Natural Gas ProductionEIA · 2024 · world median 02.250No real change since 2014
Denmark: 2.25 · world median 0 · Dry natural gas produced (billion cubic metres). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1,069.
Primary Energy ProductionEIA · 2024 · world median 0.0770.3540.077Moved since 2014
Denmark: 0.354 · world median 0.077 · Primary energy produced (quadrillion Btu). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 130.76.
Gas Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 2.5852.5852.585Moved since 2014
Denmark: 2.585 · world median 2.585 · Natural gas (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 99.97.
Operating Coal Power CapacityGlobal Energy Monitor · 2026 · world median 525411525No earlier reading
Denmark: 411 · world median 525 · Coal-fired capacity in operation (megawatts). Global Energy Monitor, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1,263,101.
Nuclear Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 000No real change since 2014
Denmark: 0 · world median 0 · Nuclear (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 67.4.
Hydro Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 12.850.05712.85No real change since 2014
Denmark: 0.057 · world median 12.85 · Hydropower (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100.
Photovoltaic Power Potential (PVOUT)World Bank Group (ESMAP), data by Solargis · 2020 · world median 4.2732.8434.273No earlier reading
Denmark: 2.843 · world median 4.273 · Practical solar power potential (kWh per kWp per day, long-term average). World Bank Group (ESMAP), data by Solargis, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.513 to 5.379.
No current reading for Denmark
RISE Clean Cooking Policy Score and RISE Electricity Access Policy Score. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Energy among Denmark’s 16 topics
Energy is Denmark’s 6th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Governance & Institutions1st of 1944/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties2nd of 1984/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital3rd of 1963/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience3rd of 1934/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation6th of 1764/4 keys
- Energyjoint 8th of 1653/3 keys
- Food & Agriculture10th of 1844/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 18th of 1984/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade17th of 1774/4 keys
- Peace & Security20th of 1774/4 keys
- Work & Labour21st of 1824/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality22nd of 1593/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing33rd of 2003/4 keys
- Gender & Equality31st of 1834/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge36th of 1983/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 139th of 1864/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on energy
The three countries placed highest of 165, and the leaders Denmark can most readily be measured against.
1
BhutanSouthern Asia
1st of 165 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: VIkramjit Kakati derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
NorwayNorthern Europe
2nd of 165 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
UgandaEastern Africa
3rd of 165 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Europe
Norway2nd3/3 keysThis page
Denmark=8th3/3 keys
Positions out of 165 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Denmark on energy: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Denmark rank on energy?
Denmark is placed joint 8th of 165 countries on Energy in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Carbon Intensity of Electricity, Renewable Share of Electricity Generation and World Energy Trilemma Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Carbon Intensity of Electricity figure for Denmark?
132.17 in 2024 (carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated)), according to Ember. The world median in the same edition was 433.75.
What is the latest Renewable Share of Electricity Generation figure for Denmark?
89.23 in 2024 (renewables (% of electricity generated)), according to Ember. The world median in the same edition was 32.06.
How does Denmark compare with Germany on energy?
Germany is not placed on Energy, holding too few of its key statistics, and Denmark joint 8th. World Energy Trilemma Index: Germany 80.2, Denmark 83.2.
How have Denmark’s energy figures changed?
Carbon Intensity of Electricity fell from 627.95 in 2000 to 132.17 in 2024; Renewable Share of Electricity Generation rose from 15.54 in 2000 to 89.23 in 2024.
Which energy statistics are missing for Denmark?
No current reading is published for Denmark on RISE Clean Cooking Policy Score and RISE Electricity Access Policy Score. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
This is deliberately the electricity and energy-system subject, not an infrastructure one: roads, railways, ports, water and telecommunications would each need a global series this site does not hold. Emissions are under Environment & Sustainability. Access to electricity is published here in full but takes no part in any ranking — more than half the world’s countries now report 100%, and a position derived from that would read “1, 1, 1 … 123”, which is noise rather than information.
How the Energy standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The energy method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Carbon Intensity of Electricity — Ember, CC BY 4.0
- Renewable Share of Electricity Generation — Ember, CC BY 4.0
- World Energy Trilemma Index — World Energy Council, Express reuse grant (no Creative Commons licence named)
The other 25 statistics on this page come from 8 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Denmark’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Denmark (banner) — User:Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bhutan — VIkramjit Kakati derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Norway — Ximonic , Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Uganda — Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Denmark: Energy — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/denmark/energy