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Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

Costa Rica vs Panama: Electricity Compared

Costa Rica generated 11.0 TWh of electricity in 2024 and Panama 13.4 TWh, according to Ember. Hydro was the largest source in both, at 72.7% in Costa Rica and 53.1% in Panama. Each kWh generated emitted 26 gCO2/kWh in Costa Rica and 220 gCO2/kWh in Panama. These are Ember annual statistics for 2024, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Who is bigger and who is cleaner? Panama is the bigger electricity producer, generating 1.2 times as much as Costa Rica in 2024 (13.4 TWh against 11.0 TWh). Costa Rica has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 26 gCO2/kWh against 220 gCO2/kWh in Panama in 2024.

Ember's latest annual figures for Panama are for 2024, while Costa Rica has figures to 2025, so this comparison uses 2024 for both.

Why this comparison: similar electricity demand on the same continent.

Open this comparison in the interactive tool to add more countries or change the metric.

Key Facts

  • Gas supplied 20.9% of Panama's electricity in 2024, against none in Costa Rica.
  • Panama's electricity was 8.5 times as carbon intensive as Costa Rica's in 2024, at 220 gCO2/kWh against 26 gCO2/kWh.
  • Low carbon sources supplied 99.9% of Costa Rica's electricity in 2024 and 68.0% of Panama's.
  • Electricity demand in 2024 was 11.2 TWh in Costa Rica and 13.3 TWh in Panama.

Key Figures, 2024

Ember annual statistics
Measure Costa Rica Panama
Total generation11.0 TWh13.4 TWh
Electricity demand11.2 TWh13.3 TWh
Demand per person2.19 MWh2.94 MWh
Carbon intensity26 gCO2/kWh220 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions0.28 MtCO22.96 MtCO2
Low carbon share99.9%68.0%
Largest sourceHydro 72.7%Hydro 53.1%

Generation Mix, 2024

Share of generation
Source Costa Rica Panama
Hydro 72.7% 53.1%
Gas 0.0% 20.9%
Other renewables 14.5% 0.0%
Wind 11.3% 7.2%
Other fossil 0.1% 7.5%
Solar 0.8% 7.4%
Coal 0.0% 3.7%
Bioenergy 0.6% 0.4%

Carbon Intensity, 2000 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in Costa Rica and Panama, 2000 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Costa Rica and Panama each year from 2000 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2024 it was 26 gCO2/kWh in Costa Rica and 220 gCO2/kWh in Panama. 0 100 200 300 400 200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in Costa Rica and Panama each year from 2000 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2024 it was 26 gCO2/kWh in Costa Rica and 220 gCO2/kWh in Panama.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in Costa Rica and Panama, 2000 to 2025
YearCosta RicaPanama
200031 gCO2/kWh213 gCO2/kWh
200135 gCO2/kWh347 gCO2/kWh
200237 gCO2/kWh249 gCO2/kWh
200340 gCO2/kWh335 gCO2/kWh
200431 gCO2/kWh240 gCO2/kWh
200548 gCO2/kWh251 gCO2/kWh
200666 gCO2/kWh277 gCO2/kWh
200778 gCO2/kWh292 gCO2/kWh
200873 gCO2/kWh265 gCO2/kWh
200958 gCO2/kWh299 gCO2/kWh
201070 gCO2/kWh297 gCO2/kWh
201184 gCO2/kWh337 gCO2/kWh
201280 gCO2/kWh276 gCO2/kWh
2013103 gCO2/kWh308 gCO2/kWh
201493 gCO2/kWh320 gCO2/kWh
201534 gCO2/kWh258 gCO2/kWh
201638 gCO2/kWh248 gCO2/kWh
201729 gCO2/kWh206 gCO2/kWh
201835 gCO2/kWh170 gCO2/kWh
201932 gCO2/kWh325 gCO2/kWh
202028 gCO2/kWh181 gCO2/kWh
202127 gCO2/kWh161 gCO2/kWh
202225 gCO2/kWh170 gCO2/kWh
202325 gCO2/kWh266 gCO2/kWh
202426 gCO2/kWh220 gCO2/kWh
202525 gCO2/kWhn/a

Demand per Person, 2000 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in Costa Rica and Panama, 2000 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in Costa Rica and Panama each year from 2000 to 2025, in MWh. In 2024 it was 2.19 MWh in Costa Rica and 2.94 MWh in Panama. 0.0 0.8 1.5 2.3 3.0 200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in Costa Rica and Panama each year from 2000 to 2025, in MWh. In 2024 it was 2.19 MWh in Costa Rica and 2.94 MWh in Panama.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in Costa Rica and Panama, 2000 to 2025
YearCosta RicaPanama
20001.62 MWh1.66 MWh
20011.66 MWh1.64 MWh
20021.72 MWh1.69 MWh
20031.74 MWh1.69 MWh
20041.84 MWh1.73 MWh
20051.92 MWh1.74 MWh
20062.02 MWh1.76 MWh
20072.09 MWh1.84 MWh
20082.10 MWh1.86 MWh
20092.06 MWh1.93 MWh
20102.09 MWh2.04 MWh
20112.11 MWh2.13 MWh
20122.17 MWh2.28 MWh
20132.17 MWh2.34 MWh
20142.18 MWh2.41 MWh
20152.21 MWh2.57 MWh
20162.27 MWh2.61 MWh
20172.26 MWh2.62 MWh
20182.26 MWh2.61 MWh
20192.29 MWh2.67 MWh
20202.23 MWh2.44 MWh
20212.32 MWh2.69 MWh
20222.31 MWh2.71 MWh
20232.36 MWh2.91 MWh
20242.19 MWh2.94 MWh
20252.42 MWhn/a

Costa Rica history · Panama history

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2024.

Cite this page
APA 7

World Power Monitor. (2024). Costa Rica vs Panama: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/costa-rica-vs-panama/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. Costa Rica vs Panama: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2024. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/costa-rica-vs-panama/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_costa_rica_vs_panama_2024,
  title = {{Costa Rica vs Panama: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2024},
  note = {Data as of 2024. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/costa-rica-vs-panama/}
}

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