In 2022, just over half of electricity consumption in the Faroe Islands came from fossil fuels, while low-carbon sources supplied almost 46%. Hydropower provided about 27% of electricity and wind nearly 19%, together accounting for the entire reported clean electricity share. This gives the islands a substantial low-carbon foundation, but replacing the remaining fossil-based electricity would help reduce climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Faroe Islands?

Electricity consumption per person is growing strongly. In 2022, it reached about 8,900 kWh, exceeding the previous record of roughly 8,100 kWh in 2021 by 821 kWh, or about 10%. Low-carbon electricity generation also set a new per-person record, reaching about 4,100 kWh—187 kWh, or nearly 5%, above the previous high in 2015. Both records are encouraging, although clean generation needs to accelerate further to supply growing electricity demand and displace fossil fuels.

Suggestions

The Faroe Islands should build on their existing wind generation by expanding wind capacity alongside grid improvements and storage. Nearby Denmark, where wind supplies 59% of electricity, offers a particularly relevant example, while Ireland’s 34% wind share provides another useful island comparison. Solar should also be considered as a complementary clean source: Denmark’s 15% solar share offers a more geographically relevant reference than sunnier regions. Nuclear deserves consideration in long-term electricity planning as well, drawing on Finland, where it supplies 37% of electricity, and France, where it provides about two-thirds. These examples demonstrate several routes toward a larger, more diverse low-carbon electricity supply, with local assessments guiding suitable projects.

History

The historical figures supplied show no recorded year-to-year change at the stated precision for the listed low-carbon sources. During the 2000s, the selected hydropower and wind entries all show changes of 0 TWh; the same applies to the listed entries from 2010 through 2016. The biofuels entry for 2021 and both wind and hydropower entries for 2022 also show 0 TWh changes. These rounded figures do not establish that generation was completely unchanged, nor do they describe every intervening year. They therefore provide limited evidence about the pace of historical expansion, highlighting the value of more precise annual data for tracking future clean electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade