In 2023, low-carbon sources supplied more than half of Belize’s electricity consumption, at about 55%. Hydropower provided almost a third of the total, biofuels about a fifth, and solar just over 1%. Fossil fuels supplied around 7%, while net imports accounted for the remaining 38%. Because the sources of imported electricity are not specified, that share cannot be classified as either low-carbon or fossil electricity from these data.

Is Electricity Growing in Belize?

Belize’s electricity consumption per person remained well below its previous peak in 2023. It reached about 1,780 kWh per person, roughly 560 kWh—or 24%—below the 2019 record. Low-carbon electricity generation was also below its peak, at about 970 kWh per person compared with nearly 1,170 kWh in 2019, a decline of around 17%. These figures do not establish whether electricity grew in the latest year, but they show a concerning shortfall from past records. Expanding clean electricity would help Belize meet additional demand from electrification and emerging digital uses.

Suggestions

Solar offers Belize a clear opportunity to increase domestic low-carbon electricity generation from its current small share. Nearby El Salvador generates about 17% of its electricity from solar, while the US state of Hawaii generates about 23%, offering useful examples for expanding solar in tropical settings. Rooftop installations, larger solar projects, storage, and grid improvements could support this growth. Belize could also assess suitable wind resources, drawing lessons from Costa Rica, where wind supplies about 14% of electricity. Nuclear should be considered in long-term clean electricity planning, including through regional cooperation: France generates about two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, demonstrating its potential to provide substantial low-carbon output. These examples offer lessons rather than targets that Belize must copy directly.

History

Belize’s recorded low-carbon electricity growth has largely come in intermittent steps. Hydropower generation increased by about 0.1 TWh in both 2000 and 2006. The early 2010s brought further gains: hydro and biofuels each added about 0.1 TWh in 2010, followed by another biofuels increase in 2012. In 2013, hydro gained about 0.1 TWh while biofuels fell by roughly the same amount. Many other listed years show no change at the reported precision, indicating limited recorded momentum. More recently, hydropower declined by about 0.1 TWh in 2021 before recovering the same amount in 2022. That recovery was welcome, but sustained expansion—especially of solar alongside other clean electricity sources—would provide a stronger foundation for future growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade