Burkina Faso energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in Burkina Faso reached 1.7 TWh in 2024. Oil provides 82.8% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
Electricity generation by source in 2024
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | 1.4 | 82.8% | −5.8 |
| Solar | 0.11 | 6.5% | +5.4 |
| Hydro | 0.09 | 5.3% | −4.9 |
| Bioenergy | 0.09 | 5.3% | +5.3 |
| Total | 1.69 | 100% |
Burkina Faso: electricity in context
Electricity generation in Burkina Faso reached 1.7 TWh in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Guadeloupe. Oil provides 82.8% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
17.2% of the country’s power came from renewable sources: 115th of 158 countries. That is 17 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Africa (24.7%). Generating one kWh emits about 562 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Burkina Faso is 115th of 158.
Since 2014, oil has added the most generation in absolute terms (+620 GWh), yet its share of the mix fell by 5.8 percentage points because other sources grew even faster. In share terms the biggest gainer was solar power (up 5.4 percentage points). The net effect: renewables gained 5.8 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 810 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 580 to 562 g/kWh, a 3% cut.
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Solar (6.5%) and wind (0%) now add up to 6.5% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2010.
Generation per person is 72 kWh a year, 2% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Burkina Faso is a net importer of electricity, buying 1.5 TWh more than it sells, about 47% of its demand.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 2000. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
Burkina Faso against the world and Africa averages.
Power plants in Burkina Faso
The 7 power plants recorded in Burkina Faso add up to 0.2 GW of capacity, 64% of it Oil. The largest is Kossodo at 64 MW. The database was last updated in 2021, so newer wind and solar farms and rooftop PV are under-represented.
Largest power plants
| # | Plant | Fuel | Capacity MW | Commissioned | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kossodo | Oil | 64 | — | Société Nationale d'électricité du Burkina Faso |
| 2 | Ouaga | Oil | 59 | — | Société Nationale d'électricité du Burkina Faso |
| 3 | Zagtouli | Solar | 33 | — | — |
| 4 | Bobo | Oil | 24 | — | Société Nationale d'électricité du Burkina Faso |
| 5 | Essakane | Solar | 20 | — | — |
| 6 | Bagre | Hydro | 16 | — | Société Nationale d'électricité du Burkina Faso |
| 7 | Kompienga | Hydro | 14 | — | Société Nationale d'électricité du Burkina Faso |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 7 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Burkina Faso
18 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 219 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 435 MW under construction or planned.
See them on the mapLargest solar & wind farms: Burkina Faso →
How does Burkina Faso compare?
Burkina Faso next to 6 neighbouring countries, plus regional and world averages. Click a column to sort; use “Compare” for full side-by-side charts.
| Country | Renewable % | Low-carbon % | Fossil % | gCO₂/kWh | kWh / person | Generation TWh | Mix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burkina Faso | 17.2% | 17.2% | 82.8% | 562 | 72 | 1.7 | — | |
| Mali | 19.5% | 19.5% | 80.5% | 539 | 243 | 6 | Compare | |
| Ghana | 36.2% | 36.2% | 63.8% | 469 | 705 | 24.3 | Compare | |
| Benin | 4% | 4% | 96% | 584 | 70 | 1 | Compare | |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 28.9% | 28.9% | 71.1% | 405 | 338 | 10.8 | Compare | |
| Togo | 29.6% | 29.6% | 70.4% | 423 | 84 | 0.7 | Compare | |
| Niger | 3.2% | 3.2% | 96.8% | 674 | 35 | 1 | Compare | |
| Africa average | 24.7% | 25.5% | 74.5% | 544 | 635 | 962 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Burkina Faso is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Burkina Faso?
How clean is the electricity in Burkina Faso?
Does Burkina Faso have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Burkina Faso use per person?
How much solar power does Burkina Faso produce?
Does Burkina Faso import electricity?
More countries in Africa
Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries
- World Resources Institute: Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0) — power plant locations and capacity
Electricity data: Ember and Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0); latest year 2024. Power plants: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). Rankings exclude systems under 1 TWh and values older than 2020. Figures may be revised by the original publishers.