Lebanon energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Lebanon produced 5.3 TWh of electricity in 2024. More than half of it, 56.2%, came from oil; solar power was a distant second with 30%.
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 | 3 | 56.2% | −42.7 |
| Solar | 1.6 | 30% | +29.9 |
| Hydro | 0.7 | 13.1% | +12.1 |
| Bioenergy | 0.03 | 0.6% | +0.6 |
| Wind | 0.01 | 0.2% | +0.1 |
| Total | 5.34 | 100% |
Lebanon: electricity in context
Power plants in Lebanon produced 5.3 TWh of electricity in 2024. That is similar to Yemen. More than half of it, 56.2%, came from oil; solar power was a distant second with 30%.
Renewables supplied 43.8% of the electricity, which ranks Lebanon 68th of 158 countries. This puts it 10 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Asia (27.3%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 390 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. That makes the grid somewhat cleaner than the world average. On carbon intensity, Lebanon ranks 77th of 158 from the cleanest.
Since 2014, the fastest-growing source has been solar power: its output rose by 1.6 TWh, lifting its share by 29.9 percentage points. The biggest decline came from oil (−14.8 TWh). Taken together, the renewable share rose by 42.7 percentage points over the decade. Total generation shrank by 12.6 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 651 to 390 g/kWh, a 40% cut.
Coal has never been part of the power mix in Lebanon in any meaningful way.
Wind and solar together provided 30.2% of electricity (solar 30%, wind 0.2%), compared with 17.3% worldwide. Per person, that is 276 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2021.
Lebanon generates 920 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 24% of the global average. Lebanon 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
Lebanon against the world and Asia averages.
Power plants in Lebanon
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 7 utility-scale plants in Lebanon with a combined capacity of 2.1 GW. Oil plants account for the largest slice (55% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Zouk 1 (643 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 | Zouk 1 | Oil | 643 | 1984 | — |
| 2 | Deir Ammar | Gas | 470 | 1998 | — |
| 3 | Zahrani | Gas | 470 | 1998 | — |
| 4 | Jieh 1 | Oil | 348 | 1971 | — |
| 5 | Hreishi | Oil | 70 | 1983 | — |
| 6 | Baalback | Oil | 35 | 1996 | — |
| 7 | Sour | Oil | 35 | 1996 | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 7 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Lebanon
18 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 5 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 220 MW under construction or planned.
How does Lebanon compare?
Lebanon 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon | 43.8% | 43.8% | 56.2% | 390 | 920 | 5.3 | — | |
| Israel | 16.9% | 16.9% | 83.1% | 493 | 8,627 | 82.1 | Compare | |
| Syria | 3.5% | 3.5% | 96.5% | 706 | 1,008 | 24.9 | Compare | |
| Palestine | 39.4% | 39.4% | 60.6% | 414 | 180 | 1 | Compare | |
| Cyprus | 27.8% | 27.8% | 72.3% | 489 | 4,312 | 5.9 | Compare | |
| Jordan | 24.1% | 24.1% | 75.9% | 530 | 2,049 | 23.7 | Compare | |
| Türkiye | 43.3% | 43.3% | 56.7% | 475 | 4,036 | 354 | Compare | |
| Asia average | 27.3% | 32.1% | 67.9% | 573 | 3,749 | 18,015 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Lebanon
Lebanon energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Lebanon is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Lebanon?
How clean is the electricity in Lebanon?
Does Lebanon have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Lebanon use per person?
How much solar power does Lebanon produce?
More countries in Asia
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.