CLASSIFICATION OF COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD BY ENERGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MODELS
Abstract
This article presents a comprehensive classification of countries worldwide according to energy–economic development models based on an analysis of the relationship between economic development and the characteristics of electric power systems over the period 2000–2024. The study covers more than 200 countries and territories, ensuring the representativeness of the results and enabling a long-term assessment of the global energy landscape. The methodological framework is based on a system of indicators reflecting key aspects of the interaction between the economy and the energy sector, including GDP generation efficiency, the share of renewable energy sources in electricity generation, gross domestic product per capita, and electricity generation per capita. To ensure the robustness and comparability of the analysis, indicators characterized by highly skewed distributions were subjected to logarithmic transformation and subsequent standardization. The k-means clustering method was applied to identify typical energy–economic development models by grouping countries according to similarities in their economic and energy characteristics. As a result of the clustering analysis, five relatively stable development models were identified, reflecting different combinations of income levels, electrification scales, economic generation efficiency, and the role of renewable energy sources. The analysis of intertemporal dynamics demonstrates that transformations of energy–economic development models exhibit an asymmetric pattern. Transitions to higher development classes are selective and occur primarily through industrial energy-intensive economies and transitional renewable-oriented economies, whereas countries with the lowest levels of electrification display high inertia and persistent structural constraints. These findings highlight the strong interdependence between energy system transformation, overall socioeconomic development, and institutional capacity. The obtained results enabled the formulation of a unified classification of countries based on energy–economic development models, including characteristic ranges of key indicators for each class. The proposed typology provides an analytical basis for comparative assessments of national energy systems, identification of structural strengths and weaknesses, and the development of differentiated energy policy approaches and sustainable development strategies tailored to the specific conditions of distinct country groups.
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