Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels was 38.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in Sri Lanka, 2000–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 38.4% for share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 14.3% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in Sri Lanka peaked at 70.6% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 38.4%, in 2025.
Sri Lanka ranks 144th of 213 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 52.7% | — |
| 2001 | 53.2% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 61.1% | +14.8% |
| 2003 | 56.5% | -7.5% |
| 2004 | 63.3% | +12.0% |
| 2005 | 60.7% | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 50.7% | -16.3% |
| 2007 | 59.8% | +17.9% |
| 2008 | 58.1% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 60.4% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 46.5% | -22.9% |
| 2011 | 58.8% | +26.3% |
| 2012 | 70.6% | +20.1% |
| 2013 | 39.8% | -43.6% |
| 2014 | 60.6% | +52.3% |
| 2015 | 51.2% | -15.5% |
| 2016 | 67.0% | +30.8% |
| 2017 | 69.0% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 56.1% | -18.6% |
| 2019 | 66.2% | +18.0% |
| 2020 | 64.4% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 50.6% | -21.5% |
| 2022 | 49.7% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 51.4% | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 44.8% | -13.0% |
| 2025 | 38.4% | -14.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 38.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 73.2%, 52% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 38.4% is below the median for South Asia, which is 55.9%, 69% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 57.6% | 50.7% | 63.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.6% | 39.8% | 70.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.9% | 38.4% | 64.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More energy & mining data for Sri Lanka
- Primary energy from fossil nuclear renewables, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 17.8% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 1.7% (2025)
- Fuel exports 3.6% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 0.5% (2025)
- Gas production 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in Sri Lanka?
- Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in Sri Lanka was 38.4% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of electricity generation from fossil fuels recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 70.6% in 2012.
- What is the lowest share of electricity generation from fossil fuels recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.4% in 2025.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of electricity generation from fossil fuels?
- Sri Lanka ranks 144th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of electricity generation from fossil fuels rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Electricity generation from coal, oil, and gas, measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region.