Guyana energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Guyana produced 1.4 TWh of electricity in 2024. Oil provides 96.4% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
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 | 1.33 | 96.4% | +0.4 |
| Solar | 0.02 | 1.4% | +1.5 |
| Bioenergy | 0.02 | 1.4% | −2.6 |
| Gas | 0.01 | 0.7% | +0.7 |
| Total | 1.38 | 100% |
Guyana: electricity in context
Power plants in Guyana produced 1.4 TWh of electricity in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Equatorial Guinea. Oil provides 96.4% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
The renewable share stood at 2.9%, placing Guyana 145th of 158 ranked countries (in the bottom quarter). That is 31 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for South America (76.8%). Generating one kWh emits about 645 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). This is one of the more carbon-intensive grids in the world. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Guyana is 136th of 158.
Since 2014, the fastest-growing source has been oil: its output rose by 370 GWh, lifting its share by 0.4 percentage points. In share terms the biggest gainer was solar power (up 1.5 percentage points). Taken together, the renewable share fell by 1.1 percentage points over the decade. Total generation grew by 380 GWh over the same period.
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Solar (1.4%) and wind (0%) now add up to 1.4% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 24 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh.
Generation per person is 1,661 kWh a year, 43% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Guyana 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
Guyana against the world and South America averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 13,494 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Guyana
The 5 power plants recorded in Guyana add up to 0.1 GW of capacity, 78% of it Oil. The largest is Kingston 11 at 36 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 | Kingston 11 | Oil | 36 | — | Guyana Power & Light |
| 2 | Skeldon | Biomass | 30 | 2008 | Guyana Power & Light |
| 3 | Vreed en Hoop | Oil | 26 | — | Guyana Power & Light |
| 4 | Kingston 1 | Oil | 22 | — | Guyana Power & Light |
| 5 | Versailles Power Station | Oil | 22 | — | Guyana Power & Light |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 5 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Guyana
11 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 6 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 103 MW under construction or planned.
How does Guyana compare?
Guyana 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guyana | 2.9% | 2.9% | 97.1% | 645 | 1,661 | 1.4 | — | |
| Brazil | 86.6% | 88.7% | 11.3% | 110 | 3,527 | 751 | Compare | |
| Venezuela | 91.1% | 91.1% | 8.9% | 86 | 2,821 | 80.1 | Compare | |
| Suriname | 52.9% | 52.9% | 47.1% | 322 | 2,743 | 1.7 | Compare | |
| French Guiana | 65.3% | 65.3% | 34.7% | 245 | 3,230 | 1 | 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 | |
| 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 Guyana
Guyana energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Guyana is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Guyana?
How clean is the electricity in Guyana?
Does Guyana have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Guyana use per person?
How much solar power does Guyana 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 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.