Maldives energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in the Maldives reached 850 GWh in 2024. Oil provides 92.9% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
The power system is very small (under 1 TWh a year), so it is not included in share-based world rankings. A single plant can change its mix dramatically from one year to the next.
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 | 0.79 | 92.9% | −5.2 |
| Solar | 0.06 | 7.1% | +5.2 |
| Total | 0.85 | 100% |
Maldives: electricity in context
Electricity generation in the Maldives reached 850 GWh in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Haiti. Oil provides 92.9% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
7.1% of the country’s power came from renewable sources. That is 27 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Asia (27.3%). Generating one kWh emits about 612 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). This is one of the more carbon-intensive grids in the world.
Since 2014, oil has added the most generation in absolute terms (+260 GWh), yet its share of the mix fell by 5.2 percentage points because other sources grew even faster. In share terms the biggest gainer was solar power (up 5.2 percentage points). The net effect: renewables gained 5.2 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 310 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 648 to 612 g/kWh, a 6% cut.
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Solar (7.1%) and wind (0%) now add up to 7.1% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 114 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2014.
Generation per person is 1,611 kWh a year, 42% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. The Maldives 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
Maldives against the world and Asia averages.
Solar & wind farms: Maldives
5 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 2 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 125 MW under construction or planned.
How does Maldives compare?
Maldives 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maldives | 7.1% | 7.1% | 92.9% | 612 | 1,611 | 0.9 | — | |
| Sri Lanka | 61.6% | 61.6% | 38.4% | 329 | 743 | 17.3 | Compare | |
| India | 24.1% | 26.7% | 73.3% | 670 | 1,422 | 2,082 | Compare | |
| Seychelles | 15.9% | 15.9% | 84.1% | 556 | 4,830 | 0.6 | Compare | |
| Oman | 4.5% | 4.5% | 95.5% | 544 | 9,617 | 52.8 | Compare | |
| Somalia | 20.9% | 20.9% | 79.1% | 512 | 23 | 0.4 | Compare | |
| Bangladesh | 2.1% | 2.1% | 97.9% | 696 | 589 | 103 | 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 Maldives
Maldives energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in the Maldives is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in the Maldives?
How clean is the electricity in the Maldives?
How much electricity does the Maldives use per person?
How much solar power does the Maldives 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.