Iceland energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Iceland produced 19.1 TWh of electricity in 2024. More than half of it, 70.7%, came from hydropower; geothermal and other renewables was a distant second with 29.2%.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 13.46 | 70.7% | +0.2 |
| Other renewables | 5.57 | 29.2% | −0.2 |
| Wind | 0.01 | 0.1% | 0 |
| Solar | 0.01 | 0.1% | +0.1 |
| Total | 19.05 | 100% |
Iceland: electricity in context
Power plants in Iceland produced 19.1 TWh of electricity in 2024. That is similar to Cuba. More than half of it, 70.7%, came from hydropower; geothermal and other renewables was a distant second with 29.2%.
The renewable share stood at 100%, placing Iceland 1st of 158 ranked countries (among the very top). This puts it 66 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Europe (41.6%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 28 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. Few grids anywhere are this clean. On carbon intensity, Iceland ranks 8th of 158 from the cleanest.
Over the past decade hydropower added more generation than any other source (+910 GWh since 2014, plus 0.2 percentage points of share). Overall, the renewable share has barely moved over ten years (a change of under one percentage point).
Coal has never been part of the power mix in Iceland in any meaningful way.
Wind and solar remain marginal in Iceland, together supplying under 1% of electricity.
Iceland generates 48,424 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 12.5 times the global average. Iceland 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 1985. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
Iceland against the world and Europe averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Renewables supply 80.5% of primary energy and fossil fuels 19.5% (2024). Per person, that is 159,680 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Substitution method: non-fossil electricity is converted to the primary energy a fossil plant would have needed.
Power plants in Iceland
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 20 utility-scale plants in Iceland with a combined capacity of 2.5 GW. Hydro plants account for the largest slice (77% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Fljótsdalsvirkjun (Kárahnjúkar ) (690 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 | Fljótsdalsvirkjun (Kárahnjúkar ) | Hydro | 690 | 2008 | Landsvirkjun |
| 2 | Búrfell | Hydro | 270 | 1969 | Landsvirkjun |
| 3 | Hellisheiði | Geothermal | 213 | 2006 | Orkuveita Reykjavíkur |
| 4 | Hrauneyjafoss | Hydro | 210 | 1981 | Landsvirkjun |
| 5 | Blanda | Hydro | 150 | 1991 | Landsvirkjun |
| 6 | Sigalda | Hydro | 150 | 1977 | Sigölduvirkjun |
| 7 | Nesjavellir | Geothermal | 120 | 1998 | Orkuveita Reykjavíkur |
| 8 | Sultartangi | Hydro | 120 | 1999 | Landsvirkjun |
| 9 | Reykjanes | Geothermal | 100 | 1977 | HS Orka |
| 10 | Búðarháls | Hydro | 95 | — | Landsvirkjun |
| 11 | Vatnsfell | Hydro | 90 | 2001 | Landsvirkjun |
| 12 | Svartsengi | Geothermal | 76 | 1977 | HS Orka |
| 13 | Krafla | Geothermal | 60 | 1977 | Landsvirkjun |
| 14 | Írafoss | Hydro | 48 | — | Landsvirkjun |
| 15 | Lagarfoss | Hydro | 27 | 1975 | Rafmagnsveitur ríkisins NA |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 20 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Iceland
3 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 0 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 558 MW under construction or planned.
How does Iceland compare?
Iceland 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland | 100% | 100% | 0% | 28 | 48,424 | 19.1 | — | |
| Faroe Islands | 46.9% | 46.9% | 53.1% | 347 | 8,952 | 0.5 | Compare | |
| Greenland | 83.3% | 83.3% | 16.7% | 150 | 10,740 | 0.6 | Compare | |
| Norway | 99% | 99% | 1% | 28 | 28,598 | 161 | Compare | |
| Ireland | 48.1% | 48.1% | 51.9% | 257 | 5,831 | 31 | Compare | |
| United Kingdom | 52% | 64.4% | 35.6% | 217 | 4,203 | 292 | Compare | |
| Sweden | 71.2% | 98.8% | 1.2% | 35 | 16,019 | 171 | Compare | |
| Europe average | 41.6% | 62% | 38% | 271 | 6,203 | 4,626 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Iceland
Iceland energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Iceland is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Iceland?
How clean is the electricity in Iceland?
Does Iceland have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Iceland use per person?
How much solar power does Iceland produce?
More countries in Europe
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.