In 2024, Bolivia's electricity generation is predominantly reliant on fossil fuels, with more than 60% coming from gas alone, making up the lion's share of the overall fossil category. Low-carbon or clean sources of electricity account for almost two-fifths of the total generation. Among these sustainable options, hydropower is the most significant, contributing nearly a third. Wind power, biofuels, and solar energy make up smaller portions, each contributing just a few percentage points to Bolivia’s clean electricity mix. This mix highlights an area ripe for development, particularly in diversifying and expanding the low-carbon energy sectors, to ensure a cleaner, greener future.
Is Electricity Growing in Bolivia?
Electricity consumption in Bolivia is on an upward trajectory, as evidenced by the increase from 975 kWh per person in 2023 to 1009 kWh per person in 2024. This reflects a growing demand and a healthy sign of electrification expanding within the country. Notably, the consumption of low-carbon electricity has also seen an increase. The latest figures show a rise to 383 kWh per person from the previous record of 350 kWh per person in 2021. This growth of 33 kWh per person is encouraging and speaks to the potential for Bolivia to increasingly embrace and integrate clean energy solutions into its electricity grid.
Suggestions
To further boost low-carbon electricity generation, Bolivia can learn from countries with successful clean energy strategies. Uruguay's considerable reliance on wind energy, at 28%, serves as a fine example for Bolivia, considering the geographic and climatic similarities. Meanwhile, Chile has made impressive strides with solar, producing 22% of its electricity from this source, showcasing how sun-rich Bolivia could also enhance its solar capacity. Moreover, Denmark's leadership in wind energy with more than half of its electricity coming from this source illustrates how strategic investments and policy focus can transform a country’s electricity landscape towards cleaner options. Such models offer a practical blueprint for Bolivia to decrease its dependence on fossil fuels and increase its share of low-carbon electricity.
History
The history of Bolivia’s low-carbon electricity generation reflects a series of fluctuations primarily impacted by hydropower. In the early years, particularly the 1990s, there were increments and decrements, maintaining the status quo without substantial growth. Moving into the 2000s and 2010s, a similar pattern of ups and downs ensued. However, the period from 2017 onwards shows more consistent positive changes, especially in 2019 with a significant increase of 0.6 TWh in hydropower. While the advancements in recent years hint at progress, the introduction of wind energy into the mix around 2022 marks a positive development towards diversification of low-carbon sources. This background underscores the potential for transformative change, if coupled with sustained efforts towards expanding both hydropower and newer clean technologies like solar and wind.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.