Tonga energy mix & electricity
In 2024, Tonga generated 70 GWh of electricity. Oil provides 85.7% 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 | 0.06 | 85.7% | −14.3 |
| Solar | 0.01 | 14.3% | +14.3 |
| Total | 0.07 | 100% |
Tonga: electricity in context
In 2024, Tonga generated 70 GWh of electricity. That puts it in the same league as Guinea-Bissau. Oil provides 85.7% of it. Few countries depend so heavily on a single source.
Renewables supplied 14.3% of the electricity. That is 19 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Oceania (41.4%). The carbon intensity of electricity is 571 g CO₂e/kWh; the global average is 458 g/kWh. The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average.
The net effect: renewables gained 14.3 percentage points of share since 2014. Total generation grew by 20 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 600 to 571 g/kWh, a 5% cut.
Solar (14.3%) and wind (0%) now add up to 14.3% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 96 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2017.
Generation per person is 672 kWh a year, 17% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Tonga 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
Tonga against the world and Oceania averages.
Solar & wind farms: Tonga
2 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 5 MW of solar and 1 MW of wind operating, plus 0 MW under construction or planned.
How does Tonga compare?
Tonga 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonga | 14.3% | 14.3% | 85.7% | 571 | 672 | 0.1 | — | |
| 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 | |
| Australia | 38.6% | 38.6% | 61.4% | 525 | 10,615 | 286 | 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 Tonga
Tonga energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Tonga is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Tonga?
How clean is the electricity in Tonga?
How much electricity does Tonga use per person?
How much solar power does Tonga 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.