Malaysia energy mix & electricity
In 2025, Malaysia generated 201 TWh of electricity. The biggest single contributor is coal with 44.6%; natural gas adds 33.8% and hydropower 17.5%.
Electricity generation by source in 2025
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coal | 89.6 | 44.6% | +2.3 |
| Gas | 67.89 | 33.8% | −12.8 |
| Hydro | 35.24 | 17.5% | +8.3 |
| Solar | 4.51 | 2.2% | +2.1 |
| Oil | 2.07 | 1% | −0.1 |
| Bioenergy | 1.78 | 0.9% | +0.4 |
| Total | 201 | 100% |
Malaysia: electricity in context
In 2025, Malaysia generated 201 TWh of electricity. That is about 0.6% of the world total, in the same league as Pakistan. The biggest single contributor is coal with 44.6%; natural gas adds 33.8% and hydropower 17.5%.
Renewables supplied 20.7% of the electricity, which ranks Malaysia 107th of 158 countries. That is 13 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Asia (27.3%). Generating one kWh emits about 602 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). This is one of the more carbon-intensive grids in the world. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Malaysia is 126th of 158.
Over the past decade coal added more generation than any other source (+26.1 TWh since 2015, plus 2.3 percentage points of share). In share terms the biggest gainer was hydropower (up 8.3 percentage points). Natural gas moved the other way, falling by 2.1 TWh. The net effect: renewables gained 10.7 percentage points of share since 2015. Total generation grew by 51 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 669 to 602 g/kWh, a 10% cut.
Coal remains the backbone of the system at 44.6% of generation (15th-highest coal share of 81 coal-using countries), and its share has changed little in a decade.
Solar (2.2%) and wind (0%) now add up to 2.2% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 125 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh.
Generation per person is 5,589 kWh a year, 1.4× the world average of 3,860 kWh. Imports and exports roughly cancel out.
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
Malaysia against the world and Asia averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Renewables supply 8.3% of primary energy and fossil fuels 91.7% (2024). Per person, that is 38,866 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Substitution method: non-fossil electricity is converted to the primary energy a fossil plant would have needed.
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Malaysia
The 55 power plants recorded in Malaysia add up to 28.8 GW of capacity, 46% of it Gas. The largest is Manjung power station at 4,180 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 | Manjung power station | Coal | 4,180 | 2009 | TNB Janamanjung Sdn Bhd |
| 2 | Tanjung Bin power station | Coal | 3,244 | 2010 | Malakoff Bhd |
| 3 | Kapar Energy Ventures (KEV) | Gas | 2,420 | — | — |
| 4 | Tg. Bin Energy | Coal | 2,100 | 2016 | — |
| 5 | Sultan Aziz power station | Coal | 1,600 | 1996 | Kapar Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd |
| 6 | Jimah power station | Coal | 1,400 | 2009 | Jimah Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd |
| 7 | Segari | Gas | 1,303 | — | — |
| 8 | Paka | Gas | 1,136 | — | — |
| 9 | TNB Prai | Gas | 1,071 | — | — |
| 10 | Connought Bridge | Gas | 828 | — | — |
| 11 | YTL Paka | Gas | 780 | — | — |
| 12 | Genting Sanyen | Gas | 762 | — | — |
| 13 | Tuanku Jaafar (PDI) | Gas | 714 | — | — |
| 14 | Tyanku Jaafar (PDII) | Gas | 708 | — | — |
| 15 | Teknologi Tenaga Perlis Consortium | Gas | 650 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 55 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Malaysia
186 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 2.7 GW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 11.1 GW under construction or planned.
How does Malaysia compare?
Malaysia 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | 20.7% | 20.7% | 79.3% | 602 | 5,589 | 201 | — | |
| Indonesia | 18.1% | 18.1% | 81.9% | 680 | 1,311 | 372 | Compare | |
| Thailand | 16.6% | 16.6% | 83.4% | 546 | 2,628 | 188 | Compare | |
| Brunei | 0.2% | 0.2% | 99.8% | 892 | 12,016 | 5.6 | Compare | |
| Singapore | 5.5% | 5.5% | 94.5% | 497 | 10,246 | 60.2 | Compare | |
| Cambodia | 40.9% | 40.9% | 59.1% | 499 | 995 | 17.8 | Compare | |
| Philippines | 23.3% | 23.3% | 76.7% | 588 | 1,054 | 123 | 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 Malaysia
Malaysia energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Malaysia is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Malaysia?
How clean is the electricity in Malaysia?
Does Malaysia have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Malaysia use per person?
How much solar power does Malaysia produce?
Does Malaysia import electricity?
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 2025. 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.