Global GridThe United Arab Emirates' energy mix and electricity
🇦🇪 In 2024, the United Arab Emirates generated 177 TWh of electricity. The largest source was gas at 68%, followed by nuclear (23%) and solar (8.6%). In total, 32% came from low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) and 68% from fossil fuels.
On average, each kilowatt hour produced about 468 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂), close to the world average of 458 grams in 2025. That makes the United Arab Emirates the 86th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Electricity demand was 177 TWh. The United Arab Emirates exported 0.24 TWh more electricity than it imported.
Since 2000, electricity generation has grown by 344%, from 39.9 TWh. The low-carbon share went from 0% to 32%. The biggest rise was in nuclear, from 0% to 23% of generation. The biggest fall was in gas, from 100% to 68%. Carbon intensity fell from 677 to 468 grams per kWh.
Live, hour-by-hour figures for the United Arab Emirates are not connected yet. The dashboard shows its yearly figures, energy mix since 2000 and interconnector trade.
Energy mix in 2024
- Gas 68%
- Nuclear 23%
- Solar 8.6%
- Wind 0.1%
- Bioenergy 0.1%
| Source | Share | Generated |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | 68% | 121 TWh |
| Nuclear | 23% | 40.5 TWh |
| Solar | 8.6% | 15.2 TWh |
| Wind | 0.1% | 0.18 TWh |
| Bioenergy | 0.1% | 0.18 TWh |
Total energy mix in 2024
Electricity is only part of the energy the United Arab Emirates uses: fuel for transport, heating and industry counts too. In 2024, the United Arab Emirates used 1,520 TWh of energy in all (primary energy). The largest source was gas at 47%, followed by oil (42%) and nuclear (6.5%). Fossil fuels made up 91% and low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) 8.9%.
- Gas 47%
- Oil 42%
- Nuclear 6.5%
- Solar 2.4%
- Coal 2%
| Source | Share of all energy |
|---|---|
| Gas | 47% |
| Oil | 42% |
| Nuclear | 6.5% |
| Solar | 2.4% |
| Coal | 2% |
Primary energy, with nuclear and renewable electricity counted as the fuel a power station would need to make it (the "substitution method"). Here "other renewables" is the Energy Institute's "geothermal, biomass and other" power generation, and biofuels are liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Source: Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0).
Energy security score
Strong. The United Arab Emirates ranks 65th of 158 countries and 11th of 46 in Asia. The score shows how well a country could keep electricity affordable and on if fuel supplies were disrupted.
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Produces its own energy In 2024, the United Arab Emirates produced energy equal to 187% of all the energy it used (100% or more scores full marks). | 100 |
| Variety of power sources How evenly generation is spread across nine sources. The largest, gas, made 68%. | 53 |
| Little reliance on imported power The United Arab Emirates exported more electricity than it imported, so it scores full marks. | 100 |
| Low-carbon power Nuclear and renewables made 32% of generation. | 32 |
| Low gas and oil use Gas and oil made 68% of generation; the score is 100 minus that share. | 32 |
The five measures are weighted 30%, 20%, 20%, 15% and 15%. How the score works.
Oil and gas pipelines
Global Energy Monitor lists 3,014 km of oil and gas pipelines operating in the United Arab Emirates, 708 km being built and 0 km proposed (lengths measured along the mapped routes; a pipeline crossing borders counts in full for each country). For liquefied natural gas (LNG), shipped by sea, it lists 2 import terminals operating (0 more being built or proposed) and 3 export terminals operating (2 more being built or proposed).
See them on the interactive map · Pipelines around the world
How it has changed
| Year | Generated | Low-carbon | Fossil | CO₂ g/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 39.9 TWh | 0% | 100% | 677 |
| 2005 | 60.7 TWh | 0% | 100% | 677 |
| 2010 | 94.0 TWh | 0% | 100% | 677 |
| 2015 | 127 TWh | 0% | 100% | 675 |
| 2020 | 137 TWh | 5% | 96% | 646 |
| 2023 | 168 TWh | 30% | 71% | 484 |
| 2024 | 177 TWh | 32% | 68% | 468 |
Questions about the United Arab Emirates' energy
What is the United Arab Emirates' energy mix?
In 2024, the United Arab Emirates' electricity came from gas 68%, nuclear 23% and solar 8.6%. Counting all the energy it uses, including fuel for transport and heating, the mix in 2024 was gas 47%, oil 42%, nuclear 6.5% and solar 2.4%.
How much of the United Arab Emirates' electricity is renewable?
8.8% of its electricity came from renewables in 2024 (solar 8.6%). Including nuclear power, 32% of its electricity was low-carbon.
What is the United Arab Emirates' main source of electricity?
Gas, which made 68% of its electricity in 2024.
How clean is the United Arab Emirates' electricity?
About 468 grams of CO₂ for each kilowatt hour in 2024, close to the world average of 458 grams. It ranks 86th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Does the United Arab Emirates import electricity?
It is a net exporter: in 2024 it exported 0.24 TWh more electricity than it imported.
How secure is the United Arab Emirates' energy supply?
Global Grid's energy security score for the United Arab Emirates is 70 out of 100 (strong), 65th of 158 countries. It looks at how much of its own energy it produces, how varied its power sources are, its reliance on imported power and its use of low-carbon power, gas and oil.
Other countries in Middle East
Sources: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0), figures up to 2024; energy production and use by source from the Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0), 2024; pipelines and LNG terminals from Global Energy Monitor's Global Oil Infrastructure Tracker (June 2026 release) and Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker (November 2025 release) (CC BY 4.0). Ember's latest-year figures are first estimates and may be revised. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).