Suriname energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Suriname produced 1.7 TWh of electricity in 2024. More than half of it, 51.7%, came from hydropower; oil was a distant second with 46%.
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 | 0.9 | 51.7% | +21.5 |
| Oil | 0.8 | 46% | −23.3 |
| Gas | 0.02 | 1.1% | +0.6 |
| Solar | 0.01 | 0.6% | +0.6 |
| Bioenergy | 0.01 | 0.6% | +0.6 |
| Total | 1.74 | 100% |
Suriname: electricity in context
Power plants in Suriname produced 1.7 TWh of electricity in 2024. That is similar to Burkina Faso. More than half of it, 51.7%, came from hydropower; oil was a distant second with 46%.
52.9% of the country’s power came from renewable sources: 57th of 158 countries. This puts it 19 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for South America (76.8%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 322 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. That makes the grid somewhat cleaner than the world average. On carbon intensity, Suriname ranks 66th of 158 from the cleanest.
Over the past decade hydropower added more generation than any other source (+350 GWh since 2014, plus 21.5 percentage points of share). The biggest decline came from oil (−460 GWh). Taken together, the renewable share rose by 22.7 percentage points over the decade. Total generation shrank by 80 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 467 to 322 g/kWh, a 31% cut.
Coal has never been part of the power mix in Suriname in any meaningful way.
Wind and solar remain marginal in Suriname, together supplying under 1% of electricity.
Suriname generates 2,743 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 71% of the global average. Suriname 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
Suriname against the world and South America averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 17,847 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Suriname
The WRI Global Power Plant Database lists 1 utility-scale plants in Suriname with a combined capacity of 0 GW. Solar plants account for the largest slice (100% of listed capacity). The biggest single plant is Rosebel (5 MW, Solar). 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 | Rosebel | Solar | 5 | — | — |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 1 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Suriname
4 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 8 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 75 MW under construction or planned.
How does Suriname compare?
Suriname 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suriname | 52.9% | 52.9% | 47.1% | 322 | 2,743 | 1.7 | — | |
| Brazil | 86.6% | 88.7% | 11.3% | 110 | 3,527 | 751 | Compare | |
| Guyana | 2.9% | 2.9% | 97.1% | 645 | 1,661 | 1.4 | Compare | |
| French Guiana | 65.3% | 65.3% | 34.7% | 245 | 3,230 | 1 | Compare | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 0.1% | 0.1% | 99.9% | 682 | 6,334 | 9.6 | Compare | |
| Barbados | 9% | 9% | 91% | 595 | 3,930 | 1.1 | Compare | |
| Venezuela | 91.1% | 91.1% | 8.9% | 86 | 2,821 | 80.1 | Compare | |
| South America average | 76.8% | 78.8% | 21.2% | 167 | 3,031 | 1,321 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Suriname
Suriname energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Suriname is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Suriname?
How clean is the electricity in Suriname?
Does Suriname have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Suriname use per person?
How much solar power does Suriname produce?
More countries in South America
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.