El Salvador vs Nicaragua: Electricity Compared
El Salvador generated 6.53 TWh of electricity in 2024 and Nicaragua 4.52 TWh, according to Ember. El Salvador's largest source was hydro (32.6%); Nicaragua's was other fossil (37.6%). Each kWh generated emitted 114 gCO2/kWh in El Salvador and 300 gCO2/kWh in Nicaragua. These are Ember annual statistics for 2024, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.
Ember's latest annual figures for Nicaragua 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
- Other fossil supplied 37.6% of Nicaragua's electricity in 2024, against 9.2% in El Salvador.
- Nicaragua's electricity was 2.6 times as carbon intensive as El Salvador's in 2024, at 300 gCO2/kWh against 114 gCO2/kWh.
- Electricity demand rose 8% in Nicaragua 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 62.4% of Nicaragua's.
- Electricity demand in 2024 was 6.20 TWh in El Salvador and 5.42 TWh in Nicaragua.
Key Figures, 2024
Ember annual statistics| Measure | El Salvador | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| Total generation | 6.53 TWh | 4.52 TWh |
| Electricity demand | 6.20 TWh | 5.42 TWh |
| Demand per person | 0.98 MWh | 0.78 MWh |
| Carbon intensity | 114 gCO2/kWh | 300 gCO2/kWh |
| Power sector emissions | 0.74 MtCO2 | 1.36 MtCO2 |
| Low carbon share | 90.8% | 62.4% |
| Largest source | Hydro 32.6% | Other fossil 37.6% |
Generation Mix, 2024
Share of generation| Source | El Salvador | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| Other fossil | 9.2% | 37.6% |
| Hydro | 32.6% | 14.4% |
| Other renewables | 24.2% | 15.3% |
| Bioenergy | 12.7% | 19.7% |
| Solar | 19.2% | 0.7% |
| Wind | 2.1% | 12.4% |
Carbon Intensity, 2000 to 2025
Ember annual statisticsAnnual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
| Year | El Salvador | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 308 gCO2/kWh | 535 gCO2/kWh |
| 2001 | 321 gCO2/kWh | 540 gCO2/kWh |
| 2002 | 342 gCO2/kWh | 510 gCO2/kWh |
| 2003 | 307 gCO2/kWh | 499 gCO2/kWh |
| 2004 | 330 gCO2/kWh | 496 gCO2/kWh |
| 2005 | 305 gCO2/kWh | 455 gCO2/kWh |
| 2006 | 295 gCO2/kWh | 489 gCO2/kWh |
| 2007 | 306 gCO2/kWh | 500 gCO2/kWh |
| 2008 | 268 gCO2/kWh | 454 gCO2/kWh |
| 2009 | 309 gCO2/kWh | 484 gCO2/kWh |
| 2010 | 255 gCO2/kWh | 446 gCO2/kWh |
| 2011 | 268 gCO2/kWh | 462 gCO2/kWh |
| 2012 | 288 gCO2/kWh | 409 gCO2/kWh |
| 2013 | 289 gCO2/kWh | 349 gCO2/kWh |
| 2014 | 293 gCO2/kWh | 337 gCO2/kWh |
| 2015 | 310 gCO2/kWh | 358 gCO2/kWh |
| 2016 | 307 gCO2/kWh | 348 gCO2/kWh |
| 2017 | 213 gCO2/kWh | 332 gCO2/kWh |
| 2018 | 196 gCO2/kWh | 314 gCO2/kWh |
| 2019 | 236 gCO2/kWh | 332 gCO2/kWh |
| 2020 | 152 gCO2/kWh | 252 gCO2/kWh |
| 2021 | 145 gCO2/kWh | 260 gCO2/kWh |
| 2022 | 113 gCO2/kWh | 291 gCO2/kWh |
| 2023 | 135 gCO2/kWh | 300 gCO2/kWh |
| 2024 | 114 gCO2/kWh | 300 gCO2/kWh |
| 2025 | 111 gCO2/kWh | n/a |
Demand per Person, 2000 to 2025
Ember annual statisticsAnnual statistics through 2025, MWh
| Year | El Salvador | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.73 MWh | 0.48 MWh |
| 2001 | 0.74 MWh | 0.49 MWh |
| 2002 | 0.80 MWh | 0.50 MWh |
| 2003 | 0.83 MWh | 0.52 MWh |
| 2004 | 0.87 MWh | 0.53 MWh |
| 2005 | 0.90 MWh | 0.54 MWh |
| 2006 | 0.95 MWh | 0.59 MWh |
| 2007 | 0.99 MWh | 0.59 MWh |
| 2008 | 1.01 MWh | 0.61 MWh |
| 2009 | 0.99 MWh | 0.61 MWh |
| 2010 | 1.01 MWh | 0.63 MWh |
| 2011 | 1.03 MWh | 0.65 MWh |
| 2012 | 1.05 MWh | 0.69 MWh |
| 2013 | 1.06 MWh | 0.70 MWh |
| 2014 | 1.08 MWh | 0.73 MWh |
| 2015 | 1.13 MWh | 0.75 MWh |
| 2016 | 1.15 MWh | 0.77 MWh |
| 2017 | 1.15 MWh | 0.77 MWh |
| 2018 | 1.16 MWh | 0.76 MWh |
| 2019 | 1.20 MWh | 0.77 MWh |
| 2020 | 1.13 MWh | 0.74 MWh |
| 2021 | 1.34 MWh | 0.78 MWh |
| 2022 | 1.15 MWh | 0.80 MWh |
| 2023 | 0.89 MWh | 0.78 MWh |
| 2024 | 0.98 MWh | 0.78 MWh |
| 2025 | 0.98 MWh | n/a |
El Salvador history · Nicaragua history
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2024.