Continent profile · latest data 2024 · 14 countries

South America energy mix & electricity

In 2024, South America generated 1.32 PWh of electricity, 4% of the global total. Hydropower was the largest source (52.8%), followed by natural gas (15.1%) and wind power (10.8%). Renewables supplied 76.8% versus 33.8% globally, and low-carbon sources including nuclear 78.8%.

Hydro 52.8%Gas 15.1%Wind 10.8%Solar 7.6%Bioenergy 5.5%Coal 3.2%Oil 2.9%Nuclear 2%

Renewable electricity

76.8%

+13.6 pp in 10 yrs

Low-carbon incl. nuclear

78.8%

Carbon intensity

167g/kWh

World 458 g

Electricity per person

3,031kWh

World 3,860 kWh

Generation

1.32PWh

+185 TWh vs 2014

Electricity by source in 2024

South America electricity mix 2024

Source	TWh	Share	10-yr Δ pp
Hydro	697	52.8%	−3.8
Gas	200	15.1%	−6.4
Wind	143	10.8%	+9.5
Solar	101	7.6%	+7.6
Bioenergy	73	5.5%	+0.3
Coal	42	3.2%	−2.2
Oil	38	2.9%	−5.2
Nuclear	26	2%	+0.2
Other renewables	0	0%	0

South America in context

Since 2014, wind power has grown the most (+128 TWh), followed by solar power (+100 TWh). Oil declined by 53.5 TWh over the same period. The renewable share rose by 13.6 percentage points over the decade. Average carbon intensity is 167 g CO₂e/kWh, down 93 g from 2014. Coal’s share peaked at 5.6% in 2015 and stands at 3.2% today.

Within this group, Paraguay has the highest renewable share (100%) and Guyana the lowest (2.9%). The three largest producers, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, account for about 75% of all generation in South America, so their choices largely set the regional trend.

Electricity generation since 2000

Electricity generation by source

Renewables and carbon intensity

Renewable share of electricity (%)

Carbon intensity (g CO₂e/kWh)

Solar and wind share since 2000 (%)

Primary energy consumption

All energy used across transport, heat, industry and power. Fossil fuels supply 61.3% and renewables 37.8% of the total.

Primary energy by source (TWh, substitution method)

Countries in South America ranked by renewable share

Sorted by renewable share of electricity; click any column to re-sort. Small systems below 1 TWh are listed here but left out of the world rankings.

#	Country	Renewable %	Low-carbon %	gCO₂/kWh	kWh / person	Generation TWh
1	Paraguay	100%	100%	25	6,467	45.4
2	Uruguay	97.8%	97.8%	80	3,528	11.9
3	Venezuela	91.1%	91.1%	86	2,821	80.1
4	Brazil	86.6%	88.7%	110	3,527	751
5	Ecuador	79.4%	79.4%	159	2,001	36.6
6	Colombia	77%	77%	187	1,691	90.4
7	Chile	66.4%	66.4%	289	4,456	88.5
8	French Guiana	65.3%	65.3%	245	3,230	1
9	Peru	63.7%	63.7%	238	1,748	60.4
10	Suriname	52.9%	52.9%	322	2,743	1.7
11	Bolivia	36.1%	36.1%	481	1,083	13.6
12	Argentina	34.6%	41.6%	346	3,340	153
13	Guyana	2.9%	2.9%	645	1,661	1.4
14	Falkland Islands	0%	0%	1,000	2,859	0

South America energy: frequently asked questions

What share of electricity in South America is renewable?

76.8% in 2024: hydro 52.8%, wind 10.8%, solar 7.6%, and bioenergy 5.5%.

What is the largest source of electricity in South America?

Hydropower, with 52.8% of generation in 2024.

What is the carbon intensity of electricity in South America?

About 167 g CO₂-equivalent per kWh in 2024.

How much electricity is generated per person in South America?

About 3,031 kWh per person per year (2024).

How much electricity in South America comes from solar and wind?

Solar supplied 7.6% and wind 10.8% in 2024, 18.5% combined, up from 1.4% ten years earlier.

Other regions & groups

World 34%Africa 25%Asia 27%Europe 42%North America 29%Oceania 41%European Union (EU-27) 48%High-income countries 31%Upper-middle-income countries 34%Lower-middle-income countries 26%Low-income countries 64%

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