Cabo Verde energy mix & electricity
In 2024, Cabo Verde generated 520 GWh of electricity. Oil dominates the mix with 69.2%, followed by wind power at 15.4% and solar power at 15.4%.
The power system is very small (under 1 TWh a year), so it is not included in share-based world rankings. A single plant can change its mix dramatically from one year to the next.
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 | 0.36 | 69.2% | −9.8 |
| Wind | 0.08 | 15.4% | −3.2 |
| Solar | 0.08 | 15.4% | +13.1 |
| Total | 0.52 | 100% |
Cabo Verde: electricity in context
In 2024, Cabo Verde generated 520 GWh of electricity. That puts it in the same league as Gambia. Oil dominates the mix with 69.2%, followed by wind power at 15.4% and solar power at 15.4%.
Renewables supplied 30.8% of the electricity. That is 3 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Africa (24.7%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 462 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average.
The decade’s big winner is solar power, up 70 GWh between 2014 and 2024 (plus 13.1 percentage points of the mix). The net effect: renewables gained 9.8 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 90 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 512 to 462 g/kWh, a 10% cut.
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Solar (15.4%) and wind (15.4%) now add up to 30.8% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 152 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Wind adds 152 kWh per person. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2011.
Generation per person is 991 kWh a year, 26% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Cabo Verde does not trade electricity with other countries: the grid is not interconnected with any neighbour.
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
Cabo Verde against the world and Africa averages.
Power plants in Cabo Verde
The 4 power plants recorded in Cabo Verde add up to 0.1 GW of capacity, 95% of it Oil. The largest is Palmarejo at 66 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 | Palmarejo | Oil | 66 | — | — |
| 2 | Palmeira Electra | Oil | 12 | — | — |
| 3 | Praia | Oil | 10 | — | — |
| 4 | Praia | Solar | 5 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 4 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Cabo Verde
12 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 9 MW of solar and 39 MW of wind operating, plus 35 MW under construction or planned.
How does Cabo Verde compare?
Cabo Verde 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabo Verde | 30.8% | 30.8% | 69.2% | 462 | 991 | 0.5 | — | |
| Gambia | 0% | 0% | 100% | 667 | 185 | 0.5 | Compare | |
| Senegal | 19.8% | 19.8% | 80.2% | 540 | 412 | 7.6 | Compare | |
| Mauritania | 22.7% | 22.7% | 77.3% | 512 | 400 | 2.1 | Compare | |
| Guinea | 75.2% | 75.2% | 24.8% | 181 | 273 | 4 | Compare | |
| Liberia | 54.4% | 54.4% | 45.6% | 316 | 102 | 0.6 | Compare | |
| Mali | 19.5% | 19.5% | 80.5% | 539 | 243 | 6 | 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 Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Cabo Verde is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Cabo Verde?
How clean is the electricity in Cabo Verde?
How much electricity does Cabo Verde use per person?
How much solar power does Cabo Verde produce?
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.