Sierra Leone Electricity Mix: Renewable Share and Carbon Intensity (2024)

Sierra Leone Electricity Mix

Sierra Leone generated 95.2% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2024, above the world average of 33.8%. Each kilowatt-hour produced emitted about 48 grams of CO₂.

Data year 2024 · Source: Ember and Energy Institute via Our World in Data

95.2%Renewable share, 2024
95.2%Low-carbon share
48g CO₂ per kWh
#16Renewable share, of 210

How much electricity in Sierra Leone comes from renewables?

Renewable sources produced 95.2% of the electricity generated in Sierra Leone in 2024. The world average was 33.8% in 2025. That is up from 11.1% in 2000. That ranks Sierra Leone 16th of 210 countries and territories by renewable share.

SHARE OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES0%25%50%75%100%200020052010201520202025World95.2%

Electricity mix by source

Hydro is the largest source of electricity in Sierra Leone, at 85.7% of generation, followed by solar at 9.5% and oil at 4.8%. Fossil fuels together supplied 4.8%.

Hydro
85.7%
Solar
9.5%
Oil
4.8%

Carbon intensity of electricity

Generating one kilowatt-hour of electricity in Sierra Leone emitted about 48 grams of CO₂ in 2024, 90% below the world average of 458 g. At that rate, a business using 10,000 kWh a year would be responsible for roughly 476 kg of CO₂ from electricity.

This is an estimate based on the generation mix. For a formal carbon report, use the grid factor published by the national energy or environment agency. Our guide to emission factors explains the difference.

How Sierra Leone compares

Countries closest to Sierra Leone when ranked by renewable share of electricity. See the full ranking, or the CO₂ emissions of Sierra Leone.

#CountryRenewablesLow-carbong CO₂/kWh
14Eswatini96.7%96.7%131
15Malawi95.6%95.6%55
16Sierra Leone95.2%95.2%48
17Tajikistan94.4%94.4%73
18Luxembourg91.6%91.6%123

Frequently asked questions

What share of electricity in Sierra Leone is renewable?

95.2% in 2024. That is up from 11.1% in 2000. Counting nuclear as well, 95.2% of electricity came from low-carbon sources.

What is the main source of electricity in Sierra Leone?

Hydro is the largest source of electricity in Sierra Leone, at 85.7% of generation, followed by solar at 9.5% and oil at 4.8%.

How clean is electricity in Sierra Leone?

Generating one kilowatt-hour emitted about 48 grams of CO₂ in 2024, 90% below the world average of 458 g.

Is renewable electricity growing in Sierra Leone?

The renewable share has risen by 84.1 percentage points, from 11.1% in 2000 to 95.2% in 2024.

About the data. Shares are percentages of the electricity generated inside the country in a year. Renewables are hydro, wind, solar, bioenergy and other renewable sources. Low-carbon adds nuclear. The latest year differs between countries and is shown on each page. Carbon intensity is an estimate of the CO₂ emitted per kilowatt-hour generated, including emissions over the life of each power source.

Source: Ember and the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy, processed by Our World in Data and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence.

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