Vanuatu energy mix & electricity
Electricity generation in Vanuatu reached 80 GWh in 2023. Oil dominates the mix with 75%, followed by hydropower at 12.5% and solar power at 12.5%.
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 2023
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 | 75% | −10.7 |
| Hydro | 0.01 | 12.5% | +12.5 |
| Solar | 0.01 | 12.5% | +12.5 |
| Total | 0.08 | 100% |
Vanuatu: electricity in context
Electricity generation in Vanuatu reached 80 GWh in 2023. That puts it in the same league as Guinea-Bissau. Oil dominates the mix with 75%, followed by hydropower at 12.5% and solar power at 12.5%.
Renewables supplied 25% of the electricity. That is 9 points below the world average of 33.8%. It is also below the average for Oceania (41.4%). Generating one kWh emits about 500 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average.
The net effect: renewables gained 10.7 percentage points of share since 2013. Total generation grew by 10 GWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 571 to 500 g/kWh, a 13% cut.
Solar (12.5%) and wind (0%) now add up to 12.5% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 31 kWh of solar electricity a year, versus a global average of 338 kWh. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2018.
Generation per person is 250 kWh a year, 6% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Vanuatu 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
Vanuatu against the world and Oceania averages.
Solar & wind farms: Vanuatu
2 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 0 MW of solar and 3 MW of wind operating, plus 4 MW under construction or planned.
How does Vanuatu compare?
Vanuatu 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanuatu | 25% | 25% | 75% | 500 | 250 | 0.1 | — | |
| New Caledonia | 26.9% | 26.9% | 73.1% | 561 | 10,661 | 3.1 | Compare | |
| 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 Zealand | 88.5% | 88.5% | 11.5% | 93 | 8,252 | 43.3 | Compare | |
| Australia | 38.6% | 38.6% | 61.4% | 525 | 10,615 | 286 | 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 Vanuatu
Vanuatu energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Vanuatu is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Vanuatu?
How clean is the electricity in Vanuatu?
How much electricity does Vanuatu use per person?
How much solar power does Vanuatu 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 2023. 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.