Costa Rica's electricity consumption hit an impressive milestone in 2025, with close to 99% of its electricity derived from low-carbon sources. This highlights the country's strong commitment to sustainable and clean energy. Hydropower is the major contributor, accounting for more than three-quarters of the electricity mix. Wind and geothermal make notable contributions, together yielding over a fifth of Costa Rica’s clean energy. Conversely, fossil fuels now form a negligible fraction, providing just over 1% of the electricity. This strong reliance on low-carbon sources is an extraordinary achievement for the country. The ongoing challenge is to expand this electricity supply well beyond current levels, electrifying sectors such as transport, heating, and industry that are still largely fossil-fuel dependent.
Data sources used on this page include EIA, Ember, IEA and World Bank. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Costa Rica?
Electricity consumption in Costa Rica has seen modest growth, as the average consumption per person climbed to 2552 kWh in 2025. This is a small yet positive increase from the 2021 record of 2516 kWh/person. While the latest numbers show an increase of 37 kWh/person in total electricity consumption, low-carbon electricity has had a minimal rise of 4 kWh/person compared to its historic high in 2021. Such stagnant growth in low-carbon electricity generation is concerning, especially given the substantial electrification demands of the near future. It indicates the need for a more aggressive pursuit of increasing the clean electricity share to meet both current and upcoming needs sustainably.
Suggestions
To address the growing electricity demand while maintaining environmental integrity, Costa Rica is well-placed to expand its existing wind power capacity. With wind energy already proving to be a significant contributor to the nation’s clean energy profile, further investments in this sector can be capital-efficient and environmentally beneficial. Additionally, exploring the potential of solar energy, alongside the proper incorporation of nuclear energy into Costa Rica's clean energy framework, can provide a reliable and consistent electricity supply. These strategies can foster significant increases in low-carbon electricity generation, accelerating the country's transition towards a greener economy while assuring a robust supply to meet both current and future electricity needs.
History
Costa Rica has had a dynamic history of increasing low-carbon electricity generation, emphasizing the growth of hydropower and geothermal energy over the decades. In the early 1980s, hydropower saw steady gains, and the trend of periodic increases continued into the late 1990s and early 2000s, with occasional fluctuations. By 2015, expansion efforts led to substantial hydropower growth. During the late 2010s, wind power also began to flourish and geothermal energy saw a boost in 2019, solidifying its place in the energy mix. Into the 2020s, hydropower faced occasional challenges but made a remarkable comeback in 2025. This persistent focus on enhancing low-carbon electricity generation ensures Costa Rica's energy system remains clean, secure, and increasingly capable of meeting the demands of electrifying more sectors.
