Cook Islands energy mix & electricity
Power plants in the Cook Islands produced 40 GWh of electricity in 2024. Oil dominates the mix with 50%, followed by solar power at 50%.
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 | 0.02 | 50% | −50 |
| Solar | 0.02 | 50% | +50 |
| Total | 0.04 | 100% |
Cook Islands: electricity in context
Power plants in the Cook Islands produced 40 GWh of electricity in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Kiribati. Oil dominates the mix with 50%, followed by solar power at 50%.
50% of the country’s power came from renewable sources. That is 16 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Oceania (41.4%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 250 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. That makes the grid comfortably cleaner than the global average.
Solar (50%) and wind (0%) now add up to 50% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 1,455 kWh of solar electricity a year, 4.3× the global average. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2017.
Generation per person is 2,909 kWh a year, 75% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. The Cook Islands 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
Cook Islands against the world and Oceania averages.
Solar & wind farms: Cook Islands
1 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 1 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 0 MW under construction or planned.
See them on the mapLargest solar & wind farms: Cook Islands →
How does Cook Islands compare?
Cook Islands 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook Islands | 50% | 50% | 50% | 250 | 2,909 | 0 | — | |
| French Polynesia | 34.7% | 34.7% | 65.3% | 431 | 2,555 | 0.7 | Compare | |
| Fiji | 63.5% | 63.5% | 36.5% | 278 | 1,238 | 1.2 | Compare | |
| New Zealand | 88.5% | 88.5% | 11.5% | 93 | 8,252 | 43.3 | Compare | |
| New Caledonia | 26.9% | 26.9% | 73.1% | 561 | 10,661 | 3.1 | Compare | |
| Papua New Guinea | 23.7% | 23.7% | 76.3% | 514 | 447 | 4.7 | Compare | |
| Australia | 38.6% | 38.6% | 61.4% | 525 | 10,615 | 286 | Compare | |
| Oceania average | 41.4% | 41.4% | 58.6% | 495 | 7,331 | 338 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Cook Islands
Cook Islands energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in the Cook Islands is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in the Cook Islands?
How clean is the electricity in the Cook Islands?
How much electricity does the Cook Islands use per person?
How much solar power does the Cook Islands produce?
More countries in Oceania
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.