Nauru energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in Nauru reached 50 GWh in 2024. Oil provides 80% 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 | 0.04 | 80% | −20 |
| Solar | 0.01 | 20% | +20 |
| Total | 0.05 | 100% |
Nauru: electricity in context
Electricity generation in Nauru reached 50 GWh in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Oil provides 80% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
20% of the country’s power came from renewable sources. That is 14 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Oceania (41.4%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 600 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. This is one of the more carbon-intensive grids in the world.
The net effect: renewables gained 20 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 20 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 667 to 600 g/kWh, a 10% cut.
Solar (20%) and wind (0%) now add up to 20% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 836 kWh of solar electricity a year, 2.5× the global average. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2024.
Generation per person is 4,178 kWh a year, close to the world average of 3,860 kWh. Nauru 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
Nauru against the world and Oceania averages.
Solar & wind farms: Nauru
1 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 6 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 0 MW under construction or planned.
How does Nauru compare?
Nauru 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nauru | 20% | 20% | 80% | 600 | 4,178 | 0.1 | — | |
| Fiji | 63.5% | 63.5% | 36.5% | 278 | 1,238 | 1.2 | Compare | |
| Papua New Guinea | 23.7% | 23.7% | 76.3% | 514 | 447 | 4.7 | Compare | |
| New Caledonia | 26.9% | 26.9% | 73.1% | 561 | 10,661 | 3.1 | Compare | |
| Guam | 8.6% | 8.6% | 91.4% | 608 | 11,085 | 1.9 | Compare | |
| New Zealand | 88.5% | 88.5% | 11.5% | 93 | 8,252 | 43.3 | Compare | |
| Timor-Leste | 0% | 0% | 100% | 667 | 364 | 0.5 | Compare | |
| Oceania average | 41.4% | 41.4% | 58.6% | 495 | 7,331 | 338 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Nauru
Nauru energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Nauru is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Nauru?
How clean is the electricity in Nauru?
How much electricity does Nauru use per person?
How much solar power does Nauru produce?
More countries in Oceania
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.