Ghana energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Ghana produced 24.3 TWh of electricity in 2024. More than half of it, 61.4%, came from natural gas; hydropower was a distant second with 35.4%.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas | 14.91 | 61.4% | +40.1 |
| Hydro | 8.6 | 35.4% | −28 |
| Oil | 0.57 | 2.3% | −12.7 |
| Solar | 0.17 | 0.7% | +0.7 |
| Bioenergy | 0.02 | 0.1% | −0.1 |
| Total | 24.27 | 100% |
Ghana: electricity in context
Power plants in Ghana produced 24.3 TWh of electricity in 2024. That is similar to Tajikistan. More than half of it, 61.4%, came from natural gas; hydropower was a distant second with 35.4%.
36.2% of the country’s power came from renewable sources: 79th of 158 countries. This puts it 2 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Africa (24.7%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 469 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average. On carbon intensity, Ghana ranks 88th of 158 from the cleanest.
The decade’s big winner is natural gas, up 12.1 TWh between 2014 and 2024 (plus 40.1 percentage points of the mix). The biggest decline came from oil (−1.4 TWh). The net effect: renewables lost 27.4 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 11.2 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity, however, rose from 269 to 469 g/kWh (+74%).
Coal has never been part of the power mix in Ghana in any meaningful way.
Wind and solar remain marginal in Ghana, together supplying under 1% of electricity.
Ghana generates 705 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 18% of the global average. Ghana is a net exporter, selling 2.4 TWh more electricity abroad than it imports (11% of domestic 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
Ghana against the world and Africa averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 3,075 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Ghana
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 6 utility-scale plants in Ghana with a combined capacity of 2.1 GW. Hydro plants account for the largest slice (76% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Aksombo (1,038 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 | Aksombo | Hydro | 1,038 | 1961 | — |
| 2 | Bui | Hydro | 400 | 2013 | — |
| 3 | Takoradi 1 | Gas | 330 | — | — |
| 4 | Kpong | Hydro | 160 | 1982 | — |
| 5 | Tema | Gas | 160 | 2008 | — |
| 6 | Gomoa Onyadze | Solar | 20 | — | — |
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: Ghana
50 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 376 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 4.5 GW under construction or planned.
How does Ghana compare?
Ghana 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghana | 36.2% | 36.2% | 63.8% | 469 | 705 | 24.3 | — | |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 28.9% | 28.9% | 71.1% | 405 | 338 | 10.8 | Compare | |
| Burkina Faso | 17.2% | 17.2% | 82.8% | 562 | 72 | 1.7 | Compare | |
| Togo | 29.6% | 29.6% | 70.4% | 423 | 84 | 0.7 | Compare | |
| Benin | 4% | 4% | 96% | 584 | 70 | 1 | Compare | |
| Liberia | 54.4% | 54.4% | 45.6% | 316 | 102 | 0.6 | Compare | |
| Guinea | 75.2% | 75.2% | 24.8% | 181 | 273 | 4 | 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 Ghana
Ghana energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Ghana is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Ghana?
How clean is the electricity in Ghana?
Does Ghana have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Ghana use per person?
How much solar power does Ghana produce?
Does Ghana 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.