French Guiana energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in French Guiana reached 980 GWh in 2023. More than half of it, 53.1%, came from hydropower; oil was a distant second with 34.7%.
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 2023
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 0.52 | 53.1% | −2 |
| Oil | 0.34 | 34.7% | −4.6 |
| Solar | 0.06 | 6.1% | +1.6 |
| Bioenergy | 0.06 | 6.1% | +5 |
| Total | 0.98 | 100% |
French Guiana: electricity in context
Electricity generation in French Guiana reached 980 GWh in 2023. That is similar to Afghanistan. More than half of it, 53.1%, came from hydropower; oil was a distant second with 34.7%.
Renewables supplied 65.3% of the electricity. This puts it 32 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for South America (76.8%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 245 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. The grid is comfortably cleaner than the world average.
The decade’s big winner is bioenergy, up 50 GWh between 2013 and 2023 (plus 5 percentage points of the mix). Taken together, the renewable share rose by 4.6 percentage points over the decade. Total generation grew by 90 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 270 to 245 g/kWh, a 9% cut.
Wind and solar together provided 6.1% of electricity (solar 6.1%, wind 0%), compared with 17.3% worldwide. Per person, that is 198 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2011.
French Guiana generates 3,230 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 84% of the global average. French Guiana 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
French Guiana against the world and South America averages.
Power plants in French Guiana
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 6 utility-scale plants in French Guiana with a combined capacity of 0.3 GW. Hydro plants account for the largest slice (45% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Petit Saut (114 MW, Hydro). 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 | Petit Saut | Hydro | 114 | 1994 | Électricité de France |
| 2 | Dégrad des Cannes | Gas | 72 | — | Électricité de France |
| 3 | Dégrad des Cannes | Oil | 40 | — | Électricité de France |
| 4 | Kourou | Gas | 20 | — | Électricité de France |
| 5 | Toucan | Solar | 5 | — | — |
| 6 | Kourou | Biomass | 2 | — | Électricité de France |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 6 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: French Guiana
12 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 42 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 102 MW under construction or planned.
See them on the mapLargest solar & wind farms: French Guiana →
How does French Guiana compare?
French Guiana 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Guiana | 65.3% | 65.3% | 34.7% | 245 | 3,230 | 1 | — | |
| Brazil | 86.6% | 88.7% | 11.3% | 110 | 3,527 | 751 | Compare | |
| Suriname | 52.9% | 52.9% | 47.1% | 322 | 2,743 | 1.7 | Compare | |
| Guyana | 2.9% | 2.9% | 97.1% | 645 | 1,661 | 1.4 | Compare | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 0.1% | 0.1% | 99.9% | 682 | 6,334 | 9.6 | Compare | |
| Barbados | 9% | 9% | 91% | 595 | 3,930 | 1.1 | Compare | |
| Saint Lucia | 2.5% | 2.5% | 97.5% | 650 | 2,225 | 0.4 | Compare | |
| South America average | 76.8% | 78.8% | 21.2% | 167 | 3,031 | 1,321 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for French Guiana
French Guiana energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in French Guiana is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in French Guiana?
How clean is the electricity in French Guiana?
How much electricity does French Guiana use per person?
How much solar power does French Guiana produce?
More countries in South America
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 2023. 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.