Jamaica energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Jamaica produced 4.9 TWh of electricity in 2024. More than half of it, 56.9%, came from natural gas; oil was a distant second with 30.5%.
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 | 2.8 | 56.9% | +56.9 |
| Oil | 1.5 | 30.5% | −59.7 |
| Wind | 0.29 | 5.9% | +3.1 |
| Solar | 0.15 | 3% | +2.8 |
| Hydro | 0.12 | 2.4% | −0.9 |
| Bioenergy | 0.06 | 1.2% | −2.3 |
| Total | 4.92 | 100% |
Jamaica: electricity in context
Power plants in Jamaica produced 4.9 TWh of electricity in 2024. That is similar to Papua New Guinea. More than half of it, 56.9%, came from natural gas; oil was a distant second with 30.5%.
Renewables supplied 12.6% of the electricity, which ranks Jamaica 125th of 158 countries (in the bottom quarter). This puts it 21 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for North America (28.8%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 563 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average. On carbon intensity, Jamaica ranks 116th of 158 from the cleanest.
The decade’s big winner is natural gas, up 2.8 TWh between 2014 and 2024 (plus 56.9 percentage points of the mix). Meanwhile oil lost the most ground, down 2.3 TWh. Taken together, the renewable share rose by 2.7 percentage points over the decade. Total generation grew by 660 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 601 to 563 g/kWh, a 6% cut.
Coal has never been part of the power mix in Jamaica in any meaningful way.
Wind and solar together provided 8.9% of electricity (solar 3%, wind 5.9%), compared with 17.3% worldwide. Per person, that is 53 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Wind adds 102 kWh per person. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2018.
Jamaica generates 1,733 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 45% of the global average. Jamaica 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
Jamaica against the world and North America averages.
Power plants in Jamaica
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 10 utility-scale plants in Jamaica with a combined capacity of 0.8 GW. Oil plants account for the largest slice (76% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Old Harbour (348 MW, Oil). 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 | Old Harbour | Oil | 348 | — | Jamaica Public Service Company |
| 2 | Hunts Bay | Oil | 123 | 1992 | Jamaica Public Service Company |
| 3 | Bogue | Gas | 120 | — | Jamaica Public Service Company |
| 4 | West Kingston | Oil | 65 | 2013 | Jamaica Energy Partners |
| 5 | Rockfort | Oil | 64 | 1997 | Jamaica Private Power Company |
| 6 | Manchester | Wind | 39 | — | Wigton Wind Farm Ltd. |
| 7 | Content | Solar | 20 | — | — |
| 8 | Maggotty Hydro | Hydro | 6 | 1959 | Jamaica Public Service Company |
| 9 | Lower White River | Hydro | 5 | 1952 | Jamaica Public Service Company |
| 10 | Upper White River | Hydro | 4 | 1945 | Jamaica Public Service Company |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 10 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Jamaica
10 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 77 MW of solar and 99 MW of wind operating, plus 100 MW under construction or planned.
How does Jamaica compare?
Jamaica 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamaica | 12.6% | 12.6% | 87.4% | 563 | 1,733 | 4.9 | — | |
| Cayman Islands | 4.2% | 4.2% | 95.8% | 634 | 9,533 | 0.7 | Compare | |
| Cuba | 4% | 4% | 96% | 643 | 1,770 | 19.4 | Compare | |
| Haiti | 18.6% | 18.6% | 81.4% | 535 | 73 | 0.9 | Compare | |
| Bahamas | 0.9% | 0.9% | 99.1% | 653 | 5,607 | 2.3 | Compare | |
| Dominican Republic | 23.8% | 23.8% | 76.2% | 537 | 1,969 | 22.7 | Compare | |
| Nicaragua | 62.4% | 62.4% | 37.6% | 301 | 654 | 4.5 | Compare | |
| North America average | 28.8% | 44.7% | 55.3% | 369 | 9,025 | 5,534 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Jamaica
Jamaica energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Jamaica is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Jamaica?
How clean is the electricity in Jamaica?
Does Jamaica have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Jamaica use per person?
How much solar power does Jamaica produce?
More countries in North 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.