Oil share of electricity — all countries

Oil share of electricity — South America

Oil share of electricity in South America in 2023 — 2.88%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 1.95 pp.

2023 2.88% −0.71 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 8.43%2014
Period minimum 2.88%2023

Trend over time

2000–2023 · % of generation

Oil share of electricity — South America, 2000–202302.557.5102000200320062009201220152018202120232000: 4.82%2001: 5.07%2002: 5.03%2003: 4.77%2004: 5.21%2005: 5.28%2006: 5.48%2007: 6.95%2008: 7.84%2009: 6.9%2010: 7.37%2011: 6.98%2012: 7.51%2013: 7.67%2014: 8.43%2015: 8.25%2016: 6.96%2017: 4.82%2018: 4.36%2019: 2.92%2020: 3.01%2021: 4.43%2022: 3.59%2023: 2.88%
Change over the period: −1.95 pp Annual average: -0.08 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South America

South America 2.88%
World 2.51%
Oil share of electricity — South America, by year South America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 2.88 −0.71 pp
2022 3.59 −0.85 pp
2021 4.43 +1.43 pp
2020 3.01 +0.09 pp
2019 2.92 −1.44 pp
2018 4.36 −0.46 pp
2017 4.82 −2.14 pp
2016 6.96 −1.29 pp
2015 8.25 −0.18 pp
2014 8.43 +0.76 pp
2013 7.67 +0.16 pp
2012 7.51 +0.54 pp
2011 6.98 −0.39 pp
2010 7.37 +0.47 pp
2009 6.9 −0.94 pp
2008 7.84 +0.89 pp
2007 6.95 +1.47 pp
2006 5.48 +0.19 pp
2005 5.28 +0.07 pp
2004 5.21 +0.43 pp
2003 4.77 −0.25 pp
2002 5.03 −0.04 pp
2001 5.07 +0.24 pp
2000 4.82

About the indicator

The share of electricity generated from oil and petroleum products. In large power systems this share is close to zero: burning oil for electricity is expensive, and it is more profitable to send it to transport. It is high where there is no other choice — on islands and in isolated systems, to which diesel can be shipped but where a pipeline or a large hydro plant cannot be built. A high value therefore usually says not that a country is rich in oil but that it is isolated.

Important: Aggregates are weighted by generation in terawatt-hours and computed from 2000 onward. A high value usually means an isolated power system rather than oil wealth.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.