Libya energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Libya produced 34.6 TWh of electricity in 2024. Natural gas dominates the mix with 74.5%, followed by oil at 25.4%.
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 | 25.78 | 74.5% | +20.8 |
| Oil | 8.8 | 25.4% | −20.8 |
| Solar | 0.01 | 0% | 0 |
| Total | 34.59 | 100% |
Libya: electricity in context
Power plants in Libya produced 34.6 TWh of electricity in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Ethiopia. Natural gas dominates the mix with 74.5%, followed by oil at 25.4%.
The renewable share stood at 0%, placing Libya 158th of 158 ranked countries (in the bottom quarter). That is 34 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Africa (24.7%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 827 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. That makes it one of the most carbon-intensive grids in the world. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Libya is 153rd of 158.
Over the past decade natural gas added more generation than any other source (+5.5 TWh since 2014, plus 20.8 percentage points of share). Meanwhile oil lost the most ground, down 8.7 TWh. Overall, the renewable share has barely moved over ten years (a change of under one percentage point). Carbon intensity, however, rose from 780 to 827 g/kWh (+6%).
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Wind and solar have barely started in Libya: combined, they produce less than 1% of the power.
Generation per person is 4,686 kWh a year, 1.2× the world average of 3,860 kWh. Libya 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
Libya against the world and Africa averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 29,554 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Libya
The 12 power plants recorded in Libya add up to 6.2 GW of capacity, 95% of it Gas. The largest is Az Zawiyah at 1,440 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 | Az Zawiyah | Gas | 1,440 | 2003 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 2 | North Benghazi Station 1 | Gas | 1,040 | 1979 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 3 | Al Khums | Gas | 1,000 | 1995 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 4 | Western Mountain Station- Ruwais | Gas | 624 | 2005 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 5 | Misrata | Gas | 500 | 2010 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 6 | Double Corner Power Station 1 | Gas | 480 | 2000 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 7 | Gulf of Sirte | Gas | 350 | 2016 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 8 | Zuenita | Gas | 335 | 1994 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 9 | West Tripoli | Oil | 185 | 1976 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 10 | South Tripoli | Gas | 147 | 1994 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 11 | Derna Steam Station | Oil | 65 | 1985 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
| 12 | Tobruk Steam Station | Oil | 65 | 1985 | General Electricity Company of Libya |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 12 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Libya
15 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 500 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 2.8 GW under construction or planned.
How does Libya compare?
Libya 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libya | 0% | 0% | 100% | 827 | 4,686 | 34.6 | — | |
| Chad | 5.4% | 5.4% | 94.6% | 622 | 18 | 0.4 | Compare | |
| Tunisia | 4% | 4% | 96% | 560 | 1,807 | 22.3 | Compare | |
| Egypt | 13% | 13% | 87% | 563 | 2,076 | 246 | Compare | |
| Niger | 3.2% | 3.2% | 96.8% | 674 | 35 | 1 | Compare | |
| Algeria | 1.1% | 1.1% | 98.9% | 633 | 2,058 | 96.4 | Compare | |
| Sudan | 79.7% | 79.7% | 20.3% | 154 | 293 | 14.8 | 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 Libya
Libya energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Libya is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Libya?
How clean is the electricity in Libya?
Does Libya have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Libya use per person?
How much solar power does Libya produce?
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.