French Polynesia energy mix & electricity
Power plants in French Polynesia produced 720 GWh of electricity in 2024. Oil dominates the mix with 65.3%, followed by hydropower at 26.4% and solar power at 8.3%.
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 | 0.47 | 65.3% | −5.3 |
| Hydro | 0.19 | 26.4% | +1.4 |
| Solar | 0.06 | 8.3% | +3.9 |
| Total | 0.72 | 100% |
French Polynesia: electricity in context
Power plants in French Polynesia produced 720 GWh of electricity in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Cayman Islands. Oil dominates the mix with 65.3%, followed by hydropower at 26.4% and solar power at 8.3%.
Renewables supplied 34.7% of the electricity. That is almost exactly the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Oceania (41.4%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 431 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. That makes the grid somewhat cleaner than the world average.
The decade’s big winner is solar power, up 30 GWh between 2014 and 2024 (plus 3.9 percentage points of the mix). The net effect: renewables gained 5.3 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 40 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 471 to 431 g/kWh, a 9% cut.
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Solar (8.3%) and wind (0%) now add up to 8.3% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 213 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2011.
Generation per person is 2,555 kWh a year, 66% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. French Polynesia 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 Polynesia against the world and Oceania averages.
Solar & wind farms: French Polynesia
3 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 19 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 9 MW under construction or planned.
See them on the mapLargest solar & wind farms: French Polynesia →
How does French Polynesia compare?
French Polynesia 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 Polynesia | 34.7% | 34.7% | 65.3% | 431 | 2,555 | 0.7 | — | |
| 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 | |
| Mexico | 23.1% | 25.9% | 74.1% | 474 | 2,705 | 357 | Compare | |
| Guatemala | 68.3% | 68.3% | 31.7% | 301 | 858 | 15.8 | Compare | |
| El Salvador | 86.5% | 86.5% | 13.5% | 139 | 1,015 | 6.5 | 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 French Polynesia
French Polynesia energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in French Polynesia is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in French Polynesia?
How clean is the electricity in French Polynesia?
How much electricity does French Polynesia use per person?
How much solar power does French Polynesia 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.