Electricity in Burkina Faso in 2023
As of 2023, Burkina Faso's electricity consumption is characterized by a significant reliance on net imports and fossil fuels, together adding up to slightly more than 3 TWh. This total includes 1.58 TWh from net imports, and 1.43 TWh generated from fossil fuels, indicating a predominant dependence on non-domestic and fossil energy sources. On the clean energy side, the country's generation is strikingly low, with low-carbon energy contributing a close to negligible share of electricity. Compared to the global average of 3781 kWh/person, Burkina Faso's electricity usage stands at merely 144 kWh/person. This substantial gap suggests numerous challenges, such as limited support for industrial growth, restricted access to modern amenities, and the potential hindrance of economic advancement, all crucially linked to the nation's low levels of electricity generation.
Is Electricity Growing in Burkina Faso?
Recent years have shown a concerning stagnation in Burkina Faso's electricity development. In 2023, the electricity consumption per person decreased slightly from the previous high of 147 kWh/person recorded in 2021, down to 144 kWh/person. This -3 kWh/person change signifies a subtle decline, rather than growth. Similarly, low-carbon electricity showed a small drop in its generation per person, from the prior record of 14 kWh/person in 2021 to 13 kWh/person in 2023. Undoubtedly, this represents an urgent need for policies that can promote a more robust increase in Burundi's clean energy generation, addressing both climate impacts and enhancing energy security.
Suggestions
To enhance its low-carbon electricity production, Burkina Faso can look towards successful strategies implemented in other regions. Given its below-equatorial location and abundant sunlight, focusing on solar energy could be especially suitable. Large-scale solar projects can draw inspiration from India and China, which have each shown impressive solar outputs of 154 TWh and 1025 TWh, respectively. Additionally, exploring nuclear energy, as seen in countries like France and the United States with significant nuclear outputs, holds great promise. Implementing technologies and policies to support such growth in solar and nuclear energy will not only meet current demands but also foster sustainable development in the long term.
History
Taking a look at the history of low-carbon electricity in Burkina Faso, there has been gradual, albeit limited, progress, mostly within the last few decades. Initially, occurrences of hydroelectric generation were sporadic with a few increases noted in 1996, 1999, and later in 2016, each contributing just 0.1 TWh. The exploration of other low-carbon sources began around 2018 when small but significant introductions of solar and biofuels were made, each contributing an additional 0.1 TWh. This history highlights a slow progression towards diversification of the clean electricity sources. It also underscores the importance of ramping up these efforts, learning from global strategies, and leveraging both hydro and solar to further galvanize Burkina Faso's green energy transition.