Electricity in Argentina in 2023/2024

Currently in Argentina, electricity generation is divided between low-carbon and fossil sources, with low-carbon sources slightly leading. From August 2023 to July 2024, clean energy sources, such as hydropower, wind, nuclear, solar, and biofuels, made up slightly more than half of the electricity generation in the country, approximately 51%. Hydropower is the most significant contributor among the clean energy sources, accounting for more than a quarter of the electricity mix. Wind and nuclear energy follow, contributing around 11% and 8% respectively. Solar and biofuels contribute smaller shares, generating approximately 2% and close to 1.5% each. On the other hand, fossil fuels still play a significant role, providing around 48% of the electricity, with natural gas being the dominant source among them, accounting for nearly 44%, while oil contributes a minimal share of just over 3%.

Suggestions

Argentina can increase its low-carbon electricity generation primarily by expanding its wind power capacity, which is already a substantial part of the country's energy mix. Taking inspiration from countries like Denmark and Uruguay, where wind power contributes about 59% and 36% respectively, Argentina has the potential to significantly increase its wind energy output. Furthermore, Argentina can boost its nuclear energy output by looking at successful examples from countries with significant nuclear contributions such as France and Slovakia, with nuclear contributing 67% and 60% of their electricity generation, respectively. Expanding nuclear capacity, similar to these countries, could significantly bolster Argentina’s clean energy mix. Additionally, Argentina should also consider increasing solar energy capacity by learning from Greece and Chile, where solar power accounts for just over 20% of electricity generation.

History

Historically, Argentina’s pursuit of low-carbon electricity has seen various developments, particularly with hydropower and wind energy, while nuclear energy has remained a consistent contributor. In the early 1980s and the 1990s, hydropower experienced moderate advancements with notable increases of around 4 to 5 TWh, although there were also fluctuations with declines in certain years. Notably, between 1999 and 2007, hydropower saw a decline, highlighting the need for more stable clean energy sources such as nuclear. The 2019 and 2020 expansions in wind energy by approximately 4 and 4.4 TWh show promising growth and an increasing focus on wind as a sustainable source of electricity. In 2023/2024, there was a significant increase of 11 TWh in hydropower, underscoring the potential of improving and developing infrastructure for low-carbon electricity to enhance the stability and sustainability of Argentina’s energy supply.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources