Electricity in Barbados in 2021
As of 2021, Barbados remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels for its electricity generation, with close to 93% of its energy coming from these traditional sources. Low-carbon electricity, which includes solar power, makes up just over 7% of its total electricity consumption. Solar energy is particularly noteworthy, since it constitutes the entirety of the nation's low-carbon electricity generation. It is also essential to note that the island state has become energetically self-reliant when it comes to electricity, importing or exporting none from other nations or regions.
Suggestions
Orienting Barbados towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future would involve capitalizing on its abundant natural resources. Notably, the country can take lessons from nations like Denmark and Uruguay, which generate 52% and 32% of their electricity from wind, respectively. Given Barbados' geographic location and climate, the nation has the potential to significantly increase its low-carbon electricity generation through the expansion of wind and solar power. In addition, considering Barbados' size, adopting small modular reactors as France or Slovakia, where nuclear power generation stands at around 60%, could also be a viable option for reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
History
Looking back, Barbados embarked on its journey towards low-carbon electricity relatively recently. Up until 2014, the nation's electricity generation did not involve any low-carbon sources. The following years saw the introduction and steady growth of solar power into the national grid. While the increments each year were not particularly monumental, the persistence has led to solar now constituting 7.48% of the electricity consumption in Barbados. The progress, although notable, has been slow and speaks to the importance of exploring and implementing additional low-carbon sources such as wind and potentially nuclear power. Despite challenges, the steady rise of solar power over the years signals Barbados' capacity for and dedication to transitioning towards more environmentally friendly electricity generation.