In 2024, Bolivia's electricity consumption paints a revealing picture of its current energy landscape. More than half of Bolivia's electricity comes from fossil sources, primarily gas, which contributes to about 60% of the total consumption. On the brighter side, low-carbon energy sources, including hydropower, wind, biofuels, and solar, together account for roughly 38% of electricity generation. Hydropower is the leading clean energy source, representing nearly 28% of the total electricity, followed by wind and biofuels, each at around 3.5%, and solar at almost 3%. While the transition towards low-carbon energy is visible, there remains substantial reliance on fossil fuels, underscoring the urgency of accelerating the shift towards a cleaner energy mix to reduce climate change and pollution impacts.
Is Electricity Growing in Bolivia?
Electricity consumption in Bolivia is on the rise, as indicated by the latest figures. The national average in 2024 reached 998 kWh per person, surpassing the previous year’s record of 975 kWh per person by 23 kWh. This incremental growth highlights a steady increase in demand for electricity. Encouragingly, low-carbon electricity generation also shows positive trends, with the recent figures reaching 379 kWh per person, a significant increase of 29 kWh from the previous record set in 2021. This upward trajectory in both total and low-carbon electricity generation is an optimistic sign for Bolivia, as it suggests improvements in energy accessibility and the adoption of cleaner energy sources.
Suggestions
To further promote low-carbon electricity generation, Bolivia can look towards strategies employed by successful regions. Given that regions like Denmark and Iowa generate around 52% and 63% of their electricity from wind, Bolivia could similarly enhance its wind energy infrastructure. Enhancing solar capacity is another strategic move, akin to Lebanon and Nevada which produce 31% and 27% of their electricity from solar, respectively. Additionally, exploring nuclear energy could offer a reliable and substantial increase in clean electricity, as evidenced by countries like France and Slovakia, where nuclear accounts for around 68% and 62% of electricity generation. Integrating these lessons could accelerate Bolivia's transition towards a sustainable energy future.
History
Considering the history of low-carbon electricity in Bolivia, hydropower has experienced a series of fluctuations over the years. In the early 2000s to mid-2010s, there were sporadic increases and decreases, marking a rather inconsistent growth pattern. Notably, 2017 to 2019 saw substantial positive increments in hydropower generation, signaling a more favorable period of growth. In recent years, there was a promising boost in 2024, adding 0.5 TWh to the grid, alongside a modest advancement in wind energy in 2022 with an increase of 0.3 TWh. This historical context underlines the potential that exists for solidifying and expanding low-carbon electricity outputs in Bolivia if further consistent investments in infrastructure are pursued.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.