In 2022, the entirety of Bahamas' electricity consumption came from fossil energy sources. This means that 100% of the electricity consumed was generated using fossil fuels such as oil, coal, or natural gas. There was close to no presence of low-carbon or clean energy sources like nuclear, wind, or solar. This heavy reliance on fossil fuels contributes significantly to climate change and air pollution, posing serious environmental and health risks for the country.
To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Bahamas can look to the examples of other successful countries. For instance, Uruguay generates 36% of its electricity from wind, demonstrating how wind energy can be harnessed in a smaller nation. Similarly, Greece generates 22% of its electricity from both wind and solar power, showing the feasibility of combining multiple clean energy sources. Incorporating solar power is another viable option for Bahamas, especially given its sunny climate, as shown by Chile and Jordan, which generate 21% and 15% of their electricity from solar energy respectively. To further diversify its energy mix, Bahamas could also consider nuclear energy, drawing inspiration from France, which generates 67% of its electricity from nuclear reactors.
Throughout the last decades of the 21st century, Bahamas has seen no significant adoption of low-carbon electricity generation. There are no records of incremental changes or the introduction of clean energy sources. This establishes a historical trend of reliance on fossil fuels without diversifying into greener alternatives. Moving forward, the country has the opportunity to draw lessons from other nations and initiate a shift towards sustainable energy to mitigate the impacts of climate change and improve air quality.