Over the past year, from August 2024 to July 2025, Argentina's electricity consumption has been characterized by a balanced mix of energy sources, with a slight preference for fossil fuels. More than half of the electricity consumed, about 53%, comes from fossil fuels, primarily gas, which alone accounts for nearly 51% of the total electricity generation. The low-carbon or clean energy sources are responsible for nearly 46% of the electricity mix, with hydropower being the most significant contributor at approximately 23%. Wind follows with about 12%, and nuclear power adds a vital 6%. Solar energy, while still a smaller portion of the overall picture at roughly 3%, continues to represent a critical area for future growth. Biofuels contribute a little over 1%, and net imports and oil make up the remainder of the electricity mix.
Is Electricity Growing in Argentina?
Despite the diverse energy setup, Argentina's total electricity consumption per person has experienced a decline from previous highs. The latest consumption figure stands at approximately 3162 kWh per person, which is lower than the record level of around 3569 kWh per person seen in 2016. This decline indicates a reduction of roughly 408 kWh per person compared to the previous record. On the brighter side, the consumption of low-carbon electricity has recently reached a new peak of 1449 kWh per person, surpassing the previous high of 1293 kWh per person set in 2023. This increase of 156 kWh per person in low-carbon electricity consumption is an encouraging trend, highlighting progress in clean energy generation even as overall consumption falls short of prior highs.
Suggestions
To further increase its clean electricity generation, Argentina should expand its wind energy capacities, leveraging the success it already enjoys in this sector. The country might also strive to emulate successful regions like Iowa and South Dakota, where wind power constitutes more than 60% of the electricity mix. Additionally, Argentina could benefit from lessons learned in countries like France and Slovakia, where nuclear energy contributes significantly to electricity generation, with rates as high as 69% and 64%, respectively. Argentina could also look to regions like Chile, where solar power is increasingly a substantial part of energy generation, reflecting the potential growth for solar power within Argentina itself. Such strategic expansions and adaptations can significantly bolster Argentina's capacity for clean and sustainable electricity in the coming years.
History
Argentina's history with low-carbon electricity has seen both growth and setbacks over the decades. In the early 1980s and into the 1990s, hydropower saw a notable increase, with gains of up to 9 TWh, though it also underwent declines, as seen with a 6.7 TWh drop in 1988 and similar reductions in later years. Despite occasional decreases, hydropower continued to play an essential role, with notable boosts in 2000 and 2023. More recently, in 2020, wind energy saw a promising increase of 4.4 TWh, signaling the potential for more significant contributions from this energy source. Hydropower has remained somewhat volatile, with fluctuations like the 5.6 TWh reduction in 2024 followed by a 9 TWh gain in 2025. These trends demonstrate the dynamic nature of Argentina's clean electricity generation and underscore the necessity for consistent growth and diversification toward sustainable energy sources such as solar and nuclear power.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.