Energy intensity in Iceland
Iceland: Energy intensity was 5.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
5.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
2nd
of 166 countries
All-time high
6.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 2012
All-time low
1.91 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 1980
Years of data
58
1965–2022
Energy intensity in Iceland, 1965–2022
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per dollar.
Analysis
The most recent figure for energy intensity in Iceland is 5.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in Iceland peaked at 6.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2012 and was at its lowest, 1.91 kilowatt-hours per dollar, in 1980.
That places Iceland 2nd out of 166 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 58 years of available data.
Energy intensity in Iceland, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per dollar | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 2.33 kilowatt-hours per dollar | — |
| 1966 | 2.29 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 2.26 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 2.55 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +12.5% |
| 1969 | 2.36 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.2% |
| 1970 | 2.45 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.9% |
| 1971 | 2.36 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.9% |
| 1972 | 2.42 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 2.67 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +10.5% |
| 1974 | 2.37 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -11.2% |
| 1975 | 2.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.5% |
| 1976 | 2.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.8% |
| 1977 | 2.1 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.7% |
| 1978 | 2.08 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 2.07 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 1.91 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.5% |
| 1981 | 1.98 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 1.94 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 2.04 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 2.06 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 1.99 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.7% |
| 1986 | 1.99 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.92 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.5% |
| 1988 | 2.01 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.0% |
| 1989 | 2.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 2.17 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 2.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 2.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.8% |
| 1993 | 2.3 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 2.25 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 2.38 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 2.42 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 2.41 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 2.68 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +11.2% |
| 1999 | 3.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +20.3% |
| 2000 | 3.37 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 3.37 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 3.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 3.33 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 3.24 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 3.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 3.95 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +24.4% |
| 2007 | 4.49 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +13.5% |
| 2008 | 5.14 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +14.6% |
| 2009 | 5.93 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +15.3% |
| 2010 | 5.8 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 5.89 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 6.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 6.08 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 5.99 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 5.7 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.8% |
| 2016 | 5.47 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 5.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 5.8 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 5.55 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 5.63 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 5.45 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 5.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.8% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 5.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.01 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 5.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 5.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.9732 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 5.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.36 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.26 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.55 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 5 |
| 1970s | 2.3 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.07 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.67 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1980s | 2 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.91 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.42 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 2.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.94 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 5.93 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.79 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 5.44 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 6.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 5.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 5.63 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 1 USSR 5.87 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 3 Turkmenistan 4.68 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 4 Trinidad and Tobago 4.61 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 5 North Korea 4.49 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
More energy & mining data for Iceland
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -4.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0002 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 9.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in Iceland?
- Energy intensity in Iceland was 5.35 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 6.23 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2012.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.91 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1980.
- How does Iceland rank for energy intensity?
- Iceland ranks 2nd out of 166 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per international-$ of GDP.