Samoa energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Samoa produced 160 GWh of electricity in 2024. Oil dominates the mix with 56.3%, followed by hydropower at 18.8% and solar power at 18.8%.
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 | 0.09 | 56.3% | −20.7 |
| Hydro | 0.03 | 18.8% | −4.3 |
| Solar | 0.03 | 18.8% | +18.8 |
| Bioenergy | 0.01 | 6.3% | +6.3 |
| Total | 0.16 | 100% |
Samoa: electricity in context
Power plants in Samoa produced 160 GWh of electricity in 2024. That puts it in the same league as British Virgin Islands. Oil dominates the mix with 56.3%, followed by hydropower at 18.8% and solar power at 18.8%.
The renewable share stood at 43.8%. That is 10 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Oceania (41.4%). Generating one kWh emits about 375 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). That makes the grid somewhat cleaner than the world average.
Since 2014, the fastest-growing source has been solar power: its output rose by 30 GWh, lifting its share by 18.8 percentage points. The net effect: renewables gained 20.7 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 30 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 538 to 375 g/kWh, a 30% cut.
Coal has essentially never been burned for electricity here: its share has stayed below 1% throughout the record.
Solar (18.8%) and wind (0%) now add up to 18.8% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 138 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2015.
Generation per person is 734 kWh a year, 19% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Samoa 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
Samoa against the world and Oceania averages.
Solar & wind farms: Samoa
3 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 8 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 0 MW under construction or planned.
How does Samoa compare?
Samoa 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samoa | 43.8% | 43.8% | 56.3% | 375 | 734 | 0.2 | — | |
| Fiji | 63.5% | 63.5% | 36.5% | 278 | 1,238 | 1.2 | Compare | |
| New Caledonia | 26.9% | 26.9% | 73.1% | 561 | 10,661 | 3.1 | Compare | |
| New Zealand | 88.5% | 88.5% | 11.5% | 93 | 8,252 | 43.3 | Compare | |
| French Polynesia | 34.7% | 34.7% | 65.3% | 431 | 2,555 | 0.7 | Compare | |
| Papua New Guinea | 23.7% | 23.7% | 76.3% | 514 | 447 | 4.7 | Compare | |
| Guam | 8.6% | 8.6% | 91.4% | 608 | 11,085 | 1.9 | 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 Samoa
Samoa energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Samoa is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Samoa?
How clean is the electricity in Samoa?
How much electricity does Samoa use per person?
How much solar power does Samoa 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.