Namibia energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in Namibia reached 1.6 TWh in 2024. More than half of it, 61%, came from hydropower; solar power was a distant second with 35.4%.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 1 | 61% | −36.4 |
| Solar | 0.58 | 35.4% | +33.4 |
| Coal | 0.04 | 2.4% | +2.4 |
| Wind | 0.02 | 1.2% | +1.2 |
| Total | 1.64 | 100% |
Namibia: electricity in context
Electricity generation in Namibia reached 1.6 TWh in 2024. That is similar to Guadeloupe. More than half of it, 61%, came from hydropower; solar power was a distant second with 35.4%.
The renewable share stood at 97.6%, placing Namibia 11th of 158 ranked countries (in the top quarter). This puts it 64 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Africa (24.7%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 49 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. Few grids anywhere are this clean. On carbon intensity, Namibia ranks 13th of 158 from the cleanest.
The decade’s big winner is solar power, up 550 GWh between 2014 and 2024 (plus 33.4 percentage points of the mix). Hydropower moved the other way, falling by 490 GWh. The net effect: renewables lost 1.8 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 110 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity, however, rose from 33 to 49 g/kWh (+49%).
Coal supplies 2.4% of electricity. That is 2.4 percentage points more than in 2014. The peak was 10.8% in 2008.
Wind and solar together provided 36.6% of electricity (solar 35.4%, wind 1.2%), compared with 17.3% worldwide. Per person, that is 191 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2013.
Namibia generates 541 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 14% of the global average. Imports cover around 59% of demand: Namibia bought 2.4 TWh more electricity than it exported.
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
Namibia against the world and Africa averages.
Power plants in Namibia
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 13 utility-scale plants in Namibia with a combined capacity of 0.5 GW. Hydro plants account for the largest slice (48% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Ruacana (240 MW, Hydro). 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 | Ruacana | Hydro | 240 | — | — |
| 2 | Van Eck | Coal | 120 | — | — |
| 3 | Arandis | Solar | 50 | — | — |
| 4 | Paratus (Walvis) | Oil | 26 | — | — |
| 5 | Anixas | Oil | 24 | — | — |
| 6 | Langer-Heinrich | Oil | 10 | — | — |
| 7 | Otjikoto | Solar | 7 | — | — |
| 8 | Aussenkehr | Solar | 5 | — | — |
| 9 | Ohorongo | Solar | 5 | — | — |
| 10 | Osona | Solar | 5 | — | — |
| 11 | Otjiwarongo Pv | Solar | 5 | — | — |
| 12 | Omburu | Solar | 5 | — | — |
| 13 | Namibia Breweries | Solar | 1 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 13 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Namibia
84 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 277 MW of solar and 6 MW of wind operating, plus 21.9 GW under construction or planned.
How does Namibia compare?
Namibia 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namibia | 97.6% | 97.6% | 2.4% | 49 | 541 | 1.6 | — | |
| South Africa | 13.6% | 17.8% | 82.2% | 699 | 3,749 | 243 | Compare | |
| Zambia | 87.5% | 87.5% | 12.5% | 120 | 925 | 19.7 | Compare | |
| Angola | 73.7% | 73.7% | 26.3% | 185 | 412 | 15.6 | Compare | |
| Botswana | 0.3% | 0.3% | 99.7% | 851 | 1,361 | 3.4 | Compare | |
| Zimbabwe | 57.1% | 57.1% | 42.9% | 384 | 617 | 10.3 | Compare | |
| Eswatini | 96.7% | 96.7% | 3.3% | 131 | 491 | 0.6 | 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 Namibia
Namibia energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Namibia is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Namibia?
How clean is the electricity in Namibia?
Does Namibia have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Namibia use per person?
How much solar power does Namibia produce?
Does Namibia import electricity?
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.