Photo: Photo taken by Government of Kiribati employee in the course of their work · CC BY 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 16 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Kiribati: Energy
Where does a country’s electricity come from, and who can get it?
Kiribati is placed 92nd of 165 countries on energy in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Carbon Intensity of Electricity 500 (2024); Renewable Share of Electricity Generation 25 (2024).
Share
Energy
92nd
of 165 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Kiribati on energy — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
500
Carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated)
Lower is better
Kiribati: 500. Across the 165 countries in this edition, values run from 23.73 (Bhutan) to 1,306 (Turkmenistan); the world median is 433.75.
- World median
- 433.75
- Best in Micronesia
- 500 Kiribati
25
Renewables (% of electricity generated)
Higher is better
Kiribati: 25. Across the 165 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 100 (Paraguay); the world median is 32.06.
- World median
- 32.06
- Best in Micronesia
- 25 Kiribati
Key 3 of 3
World Energy Trilemma Index
World Energy Council
2023 edition · data for 2023 · Express reuse grant (no Creative Commons licence named)
No reading
Trilemma score (0–100)
Higher is better
World Energy Council publishes no 2023 figure for Kiribati, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 126 countries in this edition, values run from 27.7 (Niger) to 83.2 (Denmark); the world median is 63.8.
- World median
- 63.8
02Over time
Which way Kiribati is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Carbon Intensity of Electricity
Carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated) · lower is better
KiribatiWorld median
Kiribati fell from 700 in 2000 to 500 in 2024; the world median went from 540.34 to 433.75.
Every year’s figures
Year Kiribati World median 2024 500 433.7 2023 500 452.7 2022 500 476.3 2021 500 469.0 2020 500 482.0 2019 500 488.2 2018 667 500.4 2017 667 506.3 2016 667 521.9 2015 667 524.8 2014 667 522.3 2013 667 508.8 2012 650 525.4 2011 650 521.4 2010 650 515.5 2009 650 533.6 2008 650 517.2 2007 667 535.3 2006 667 537.5 2005 650 521.4 2004 650 523.1 2003 650 543.1 2002 650 551.3 2001 650 559.3 2000 700 540.3 Renewable Share of Electricity Generation
Renewables (% of electricity generated) · higher is better
KiribatiWorld median
Kiribati rose from 0 in 2000 to 25 in 2024; the world median went from 15.61 to 32.06.
Every year’s figures
Year Kiribati World median 2024 25 32.062 2023 25 28.000 2022 25 28.881 2021 25 28.286 2020 25 27.125 2019 25 26.296 2018 0 25.505 2017 0 24.023 2016 0 22.218 2015 0 21.915 2014 0 21.151 2013 0 21.593 2012 0 19.869 2011 0 18.584 2010 0 18.572 2009 0 17.886 2008 0 15.923 2007 0 15.586 2006 0 15.392 2005 0 16.438 2004 0 16.445 2003 0 16.339 2002 0 13.826 2001 0 14.023 2000 0 15.612
03In context
Kiribati beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 165 countries on energy, never a place within the region.
Kiribati and Micronesia
Kiribati has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 165; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Carbon Intensity of ElectricityCarbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated) | Renewable Share of Electricity GenerationRenewables (% of electricity generated) | World Energy Trilemma IndexTrilemma score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiribati | 92nd | 500 | 25 | — |
 Nauru | 105th | 540 | 20 | — |
 Guam | 133rd | 605.38 | 8.602 | — |
 Marshall Islands | not placed | — | — | — |
 Micronesia | not placed | — | — | — |
 Northern Mariana Islands | not placed | — | — | — |
 Palau | not placed | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Micronesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 165.
Placed either side on energy
The countries immediately above and below Kiribati in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Kiribati is ahead of the world, and behind
20 more statistics filed under energy, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median3
Statistics on which Kiribati does better than the middle country measured.
Wind and Solar Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 5.279255.279▲ Improved since 2014
Kiribati: 25 · world median 5.279 · Wind and solar (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 69.12; higher is better.
CO₂ Emissions per CapitaGlobal Carbon Project · 2024 · world median 3.210.5393.21No real change since 2014
Kiribati: 0.539 · world median 3.21 · Fossil CO₂ (tonnes per person). Global Carbon Project, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.054 to 41.27; lower is better.
Position 176th of 210 · derived, 1st = worst.
Firms Owning or Sharing a GeneratorWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 24.8524.5124.85No earlier reading
Kiribati: 24.51 · world median 24.85 · Firms owning or sharing a generator (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.158 to 90.51; lower is better.
Behind the world median5
Statistics on which Kiribati does worse than the middle country measured.
Low-Carbon Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 37.322537.32▲ Improved since 2014
Kiribati: 25 · world median 37.32 · Low-carbon sources (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Position 99th of 162 · derived.
Access to ElectricityWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 10097.7100▲ Improved since 2014
Kiribati: 97.7 · world median 100 · Population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 5.4 to 100; higher is better.
Energy Intensity of GDP (PPP)EIA · 2024 · world median 2.7383.4862.738No real change since 2014
Kiribati: 3.486 · world median 2.738 · Energy use per dollar of GDP (thousand Btu per US$ at PPP). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.666 to 17.45; lower is better.
Firms Identifying Electricity as a Major ConstraintWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 25.7741.7725.77No earlier reading
Kiribati: 41.77 · world median 25.77 · Firms rating electricity a major or very severe constraint (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 84.77; lower is better.
Position 41st of 179 · derived, 1st = worst.
Primary Schools with ElectricityUIS · 2024 · world median 10087.63100▲ Improved since 2020
Kiribati: 87.63 · world median 100 · Primary schools with access to electricity (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.246 to 100; higher is better.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Coal Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 000No real change since 2014
Kiribati: 0 · world median 0 · Coal (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 98.25; lower is better.
No better end11
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Solar Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 3.049253.049Moved since 2014
Kiribati: 25 · world median 3.049 · Solar (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 50.
Photovoltaic Power Potential (PVOUT)World Bank Group (ESMAP), data by Solargis · 2020 · world median 4.2734.8234.273No earlier reading
Kiribati: 4.823 · world median 4.273 · Practical solar power potential (kWh per kWp per day, long-term average). World Bank Group (ESMAP), data by Solargis, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.513 to 5.379.
Nuclear Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 000No real change since 2014
Kiribati: 0 · world median 0 · Nuclear (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 67.4.
Net Electricity Imports (share of generation)Ember · 2024 · world median 000No real change since 2014
Kiribati: 0 · world median 0 · Net electricity imports (% of domestic generation). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -70.16 to 707.07.
Natural Gas ProductionEIA · 2024 · world median 000No real change since 2014
Kiribati: 0 · world median 0 · Dry natural gas produced (billion cubic metres). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1,069.
Crude Oil ProductionEIA · 2025 · world median 000No real change since 2015
Kiribati: 0 · world median 0 · Crude oil produced (thousand barrels per day). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 13,586.
Gas Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 2.58502.585Moved since 2014
Kiribati: 0 · world median 2.585 · Natural gas (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 99.97.
Primary Energy Consumption per CapitaEIA · 2024 · world median 49.59.12149.5No real change since 2014
Kiribati: 9.121 · world median 49.5 · Energy use per person (million Btu). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.95 to 766.07.
Hydro Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 12.85012.85No real change since 2014
Kiribati: 0 · world median 12.85 · Hydropower (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100.
Solar Electricity Installed CapacityEIA · 2024 · world median 0.1440.0020.144Moved since 2014
Kiribati: 0.002 · world median 0.144 · Solar generating capacity installed (gigawatts). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 886.66.
Primary Energy ProductionEIA · 2024 · world median 0.07700.077Moved since 2014
Kiribati: 0 · world median 0.077 · Primary energy produced (quadrillion Btu). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 130.76.
No current reading for Kiribati
Access to Electricity, Rural (last 2020), Operating Coal Power Capacity, Operating Wind Power Capacity, RISE Clean Cooking Policy Score, RISE Electricity Access Policy Score, RISE Energy Efficiency Policy Score, RISE Renewable Energy Policy Score and World Energy Trilemma Index. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Energy among Kiribati’s 12 topics
Energy is Kiribati’s 5th best-placed topic of 12. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Poverty & Inequality12th of 1592/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties29th of 1983/4 keys
- Gender & Equality47th of 1832/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience101st of 1933/4 keys
- Energy92nd of 1652/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge116th of 1983/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture126th of 1842/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing141st of 2004/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital139th of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions157th of 1942/4 keys
- Digital & Technology173rd of 1983/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation162nd of 1762/4 keys
No standing on Work & Labour, Environment & Sustainability, Peace & Security, Mobility & Trade: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on energy
The three countries placed highest of 165, and the leaders Kiribati can most readily be measured against.
1
BhutanSouthern Asia
1st of 165 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: VIkramjit Kakati derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
NorwayNorthern Europe
2nd of 165 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
UgandaEastern Africa
3rd of 165 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Oceania
New Zealand11th3/3 keysHighest in Micronesia
Kiribati92nd2/3 keys
Positions out of 165 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Kiribati on energy: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Kiribati rank on energy?
Kiribati is placed 92nd of 165 countries on Energy in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 3 key statistics (Carbon Intensity of Electricity and Renewable Share of Electricity Generation). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Carbon Intensity of Electricity figure for Kiribati?
500 in 2024 (carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated)), according to Ember. The world median in the same edition was 433.75.
What is the latest Renewable Share of Electricity Generation figure for Kiribati?
25 in 2024 (renewables (% of electricity generated)), according to Ember. The world median in the same edition was 32.06.
How have Kiribati’s energy figures changed?
Carbon Intensity of Electricity fell from 700 in 2000 to 500 in 2024; Renewable Share of Electricity Generation rose from 0 in 2000 to 25 in 2024.
Which energy statistics are missing for Kiribati?
No current reading is published for Kiribati on Access to Electricity, Rural, Operating Coal Power Capacity, Operating Wind Power Capacity, RISE Clean Cooking Policy Score, RISE Electricity Access Policy Score, RISE Energy Efficiency Policy Score, RISE Renewable Energy Policy Score and World Energy Trilemma Index. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
This is deliberately the electricity and energy-system subject, not an infrastructure one: roads, railways, ports, water and telecommunications would each need a global series this site does not hold. Emissions are under Environment & Sustainability. Access to electricity is published here in full but takes no part in any ranking — more than half the world’s countries now report 100%, and a position derived from that would read “1, 1, 1 … 123”, which is noise rather than information.
How the Energy standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The energy method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Carbon Intensity of Electricity — Ember, CC BY 4.0
- Renewable Share of Electricity Generation — Ember, CC BY 4.0
- World Energy Trilemma Index — World Energy Council, Express reuse grant (no Creative Commons licence named)
The other 20 statistics on this page come from 6 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Kiribati’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Kiribati: Energy — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/kiribati/energy