Barbados currently relies heavily on fossil fuels for its electricity consumption, with more than nine-tenths of its electricity generated from fossil energy sources. This means that only a small fraction, a little over 8%, comes from low-carbon energy, specifically solar energy, which makes up the entire low-carbon segment. Gas contributes less than 3% of the total electricity consumption. The predominance of fossil fuels in the energy mix highlights a significant opportunity for expansion in cleaner, more sustainable sources of electricity like solar and nuclear, to not only combat the negative impacts of fossil fuels such as climate change and air pollution but also to increase energy security and sustainability.

Data sources used on this page include EIA and Ember. More about data sources →

Is Electricity Growing in Barbados?

Barbados's electricity consumption per person in 2023 stands at 3897 kWh, which is slightly lower than a previous peak of 3972 kWh per person in 2012. This reflects a small decline of 76 kWh per person and suggests stagnation in overall electricity growth, which is concerning given the increasing demand for electrification and technological advancements like AI. In contrast, low-carbon electricity generation per person has seen a positive shift, increasing to 319 kWh from a previous high of 284 kWh in 2021, marking a 35 kWh increase. This improvement in low-carbon electricity is promising, yet it still represents a minor fraction of total consumption, underlining the need for an urgent push towards greater low-carbon generation.

Suggestions

To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Barbados can learn from regions that have successfully integrated significant portions of clean energy into their electricity mix. For example, considering nuclear energy, France and Slovakia are exemplary, with more than two-thirds of their electricity generated from nuclear power. This signifies the potential of nuclear power to provide a stable, substantial source of low-carbon electricity. On the solar front, regions like Nevada, Chile, and Lebanon have shown significant solar contributions ranging from 24% to 31%. Barbados can capitalize on its abundant sunshine to expand its solar capacity, while also considering the benefits of diversifying with nuclear, ensuring a more stable, clean energy supply in the long term.

History

Historically, changes in low-carbon electricity generation in Barbados have been modest. Starting from 2021, solar energy saw a slight increase of 0.1 TWh, which remained unchanged in 2022 and 2023. This stagnation over the past few years indicates a missed opportunity to further develop solar capacity, especially given the island's favorable conditions for solar energy deployment. There has been a lack of significant progression in low-carbon electricity, which emphasizes the need for Barbados to strategize and implement more aggressive policies and investments aimed at expanding its low-carbon generation, particularly focusing on solar and nuclear energy, to drive a sustainable energy future.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade