El Salvador vs Jamaica: Electricity Compared
El Salvador generated 6.53 TWh of electricity in 2024 and Jamaica 4.92 TWh, according to Ember. El Salvador's largest source was hydro (32.6%); Jamaica's was gas (56.9%). Each kWh generated emitted 114 gCO2/kWh in El Salvador and 562 gCO2/kWh in Jamaica. These are Ember annual statistics for 2024, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.
Ember's latest annual figures for Jamaica are for 2024, while El Salvador has figures to 2025, so this comparison uses 2024 for both.
Why this comparison: similar electricity demand on the same continent.
Key Facts
- Gas supplied 56.9% of Jamaica's electricity in 2024, against none in El Salvador.
- Jamaica's electricity was 4.9 times as carbon intensive as El Salvador's in 2024, at 562 gCO2/kWh against 114 gCO2/kWh.
- Electricity demand rose 6% in Jamaica between 2019 and 2024, while it fell 17% in El Salvador.
- Low carbon sources supplied 90.8% of El Salvador's electricity in 2024 and 12.6% of Jamaica's.
- Electricity demand in 2024 was 6.20 TWh in El Salvador and 4.92 TWh in Jamaica.
Key Figures, 2024
Ember annual statistics| Measure | El Salvador | Jamaica |
|---|---|---|
| Total generation | 6.53 TWh | 4.92 TWh |
| Electricity demand | 6.20 TWh | 4.92 TWh |
| Demand per person | 0.98 MWh | 1.73 MWh |
| Carbon intensity | 114 gCO2/kWh | 562 gCO2/kWh |
| Power sector emissions | 0.74 MtCO2 | 2.77 MtCO2 |
| Low carbon share | 90.8% | 12.6% |
| Largest source | Hydro 32.6% | Gas 56.9% |
Generation Mix, 2024
Share of generation| Source | El Salvador | Jamaica |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | 0.0% | 56.9% |
| Hydro | 32.6% | 2.4% |
| Other fossil | 9.2% | 30.5% |
| Other renewables | 24.2% | 0.0% |
| Solar | 19.2% | 3.1% |
| Bioenergy | 12.7% | 1.2% |
| Wind | 2.1% | 5.9% |
Carbon Intensity, 2000 to 2025
Ember annual statisticsAnnual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
| Year | El Salvador | Jamaica |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 308 gCO2/kWh | 635 gCO2/kWh |
| 2001 | 321 gCO2/kWh | 641 gCO2/kWh |
| 2002 | 342 gCO2/kWh | 646 gCO2/kWh |
| 2003 | 307 gCO2/kWh | 644 gCO2/kWh |
| 2004 | 330 gCO2/kWh | 640 gCO2/kWh |
| 2005 | 305 gCO2/kWh | 637 gCO2/kWh |
| 2006 | 295 gCO2/kWh | 636 gCO2/kWh |
| 2007 | 306 gCO2/kWh | 629 gCO2/kWh |
| 2008 | 268 gCO2/kWh | 621 gCO2/kWh |
| 2009 | 309 gCO2/kWh | 616 gCO2/kWh |
| 2010 | 255 gCO2/kWh | 615 gCO2/kWh |
| 2011 | 268 gCO2/kWh | 608 gCO2/kWh |
| 2012 | 288 gCO2/kWh | 601 gCO2/kWh |
| 2013 | 289 gCO2/kWh | 606 gCO2/kWh |
| 2014 | 293 gCO2/kWh | 602 gCO2/kWh |
| 2015 | 310 gCO2/kWh | 600 gCO2/kWh |
| 2016 | 307 gCO2/kWh | 588 gCO2/kWh |
| 2017 | 213 gCO2/kWh | 581 gCO2/kWh |
| 2018 | 196 gCO2/kWh | 563 gCO2/kWh |
| 2019 | 236 gCO2/kWh | 571 gCO2/kWh |
| 2020 | 152 gCO2/kWh | 554 gCO2/kWh |
| 2021 | 145 gCO2/kWh | 557 gCO2/kWh |
| 2022 | 113 gCO2/kWh | 562 gCO2/kWh |
| 2023 | 135 gCO2/kWh | 565 gCO2/kWh |
| 2024 | 114 gCO2/kWh | 562 gCO2/kWh |
| 2025 | 111 gCO2/kWh | n/a |
Demand per Person, 2000 to 2025
Ember annual statisticsAnnual statistics through 2025, MWh
| Year | El Salvador | Jamaica |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.73 MWh | 2.60 MWh |
| 2001 | 0.74 MWh | 2.59 MWh |
| 2002 | 0.80 MWh | 2.64 MWh |
| 2003 | 0.83 MWh | 2.70 MWh |
| 2004 | 0.87 MWh | 2.71 MWh |
| 2005 | 0.90 MWh | 2.78 MWh |
| 2006 | 0.95 MWh | 2.78 MWh |
| 2007 | 0.99 MWh | 2.23 MWh |
| 2008 | 1.01 MWh | 1.55 MWh |
| 2009 | 0.99 MWh | 1.61 MWh |
| 2010 | 1.01 MWh | 1.57 MWh |
| 2011 | 1.03 MWh | 1.58 MWh |
| 2012 | 1.05 MWh | 1.56 MWh |
| 2013 | 1.06 MWh | 1.54 MWh |
| 2014 | 1.08 MWh | 1.53 MWh |
| 2015 | 1.13 MWh | 1.53 MWh |
| 2016 | 1.15 MWh | 1.60 MWh |
| 2017 | 1.15 MWh | 1.56 MWh |
| 2018 | 1.16 MWh | 1.40 MWh |
| 2019 | 1.20 MWh | 1.64 MWh |
| 2020 | 1.13 MWh | 1.51 MWh |
| 2021 | 1.34 MWh | 1.53 MWh |
| 2022 | 1.15 MWh | 1.58 MWh |
| 2023 | 0.89 MWh | 1.68 MWh |
| 2024 | 0.98 MWh | 1.73 MWh |
| 2025 | 0.98 MWh | n/a |
El Salvador history · Jamaica history
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2024.