Electricity in Bangladesh in 2023

Bangladesh's electricity consumption in 2023 reveals a significant dependency on fossil fuels, with 73.62 TWh of electricity being generated from these non-renewable sources. In comparison, the low-carbon energy generated amounts to a mere 1.32 TWh, a fraction of the total energy produced. More than half of the country's electricity is sourced from gas, amounting to 48.14 TWh, followed by coal contributing 10.38 TWh. Bangladesh also relies on net imports for their power supply, accounting for 8.24 TWh. Given the global average electricity consumption is 410 watts per person, Bangladesh's dominance of fossil energy sources not only propagates carbon emissions but also portrays the nation's underutilisation of its capacity for electricity generation. This low level of electricity generation raises concerns about energy security and can hamper the nation's development and economic growth.

Suggestions

To enhance low-carbon electricity generation, Bangladesh could turn to the best practices of countries leading in clean energy production. Notably, countries like China, the United States, and India have successfully harnessed the potential of wind and solar energy, generating electricity in excess of 900 TWh, 400 TWh, and 100 TWh respectively. Bangladesh, being a country with an abundance of sunlight and wind in certain regions, could learn from these countries and significantly benefit from investment in wind and solar infrastructure. Despite the predominance of nuclear energy in countries such as the United States and France, Bangladesh should prioritize expanding facilities for wind and solar energy due to their relative safety, lower establishment cost, and unlimited source.

History

Bangladesh's history of low-carbon electricity generation depicts an almost exclusive reliance on hydro power starting in the 1980s with a moderate increase of 0.2 TWh in 1982. Over the years, the country has experienced fluctuating trends with incremental generation in some years such as 1984, 1986, and 1996 and decreases in others like 1985, 1993, and 1995. The biggest decrease occurred in 1995, with a drop-off of 0.5 TWh. In more recent years, the trend has remained inconsistent, notably experiencing a fall in electricity generation in 2014, 2016 and again in 2019. The most recent data, however, shows promise with the introduction of solar energy in 2022 contributing a slight increase of 0.2 TWh in the electricity generation. However, the trend reveals that Bangladesh has a long way to go when it comes to fully utilizing low-carbon energy sources for electricity generation.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources