Electricity in Cape Verde in 2022
In 2022, Cape Verde's electricity consumption was predominantly reliant on fossil fuels, which powered more than two-thirds of its electricity generation. Low-carbon sources contributed to the remaining portion of electricity, accounting for around 28%. Notably, wind and solar energy each contributed to half of Cape Verde's low-carbon electricity, equaling approximately 14% of the total electricity output per source. Despite the current dominance of fossil fuels, Cape Verde shows a promising foundation in solar and wind energy, which are essential in their transition towards more sustainable and clean electricity generation.
Suggestions
To further increase low-carbon electricity generation, Cape Verde can leverage its existing infrastructure in wind and solar energy. Expanding these sectors would bolster the country's clean energy capacity while reducing dependency on fossil fuels. Learning from successful models, such as Denmark's impressive 52% of electricity generated from wind, Cape Verde can implement policies and technologies to streamline further enhancement of wind energy. Furthermore, both Ireland and Uruguay have made significant strides in wind energy, generating approximately a third and almost a third of their respective electricity from wind. These examples demonstrate the potential to significantly expand Cape Verde's capacity by focusing on technologies the island already harnesses proficiently.
History
Historically, the journey of low-carbon electricity in Cape Verde has been marked by gradual developments, mainly in wind and more recently in solar energy. While for many years from the early 2000s, wind energy remained static without any recorded increases, solar showed growth in 2022 with a slight increase of 0.1 TWh. This slow but steady development highlights the need for Cape Verde to accelerate its investment and innovation in clean energy solutions, thus paving the path for a more sustainable electricity future. Such a commitment could result in achievements similar to other nations that have successfully expanded their use of low-carbon energy sources.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.