In 2022, Chad's electricity consumption was extremely low, with almost no electricity generated from either low-carbon or fossil fuel sources. This is far below the global average of 3606 watts/person. The lack of significant electricity generation has profound implications, including limited access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and clean water. Additionally, the dependance on non-electrical energy sources like biomass for cooking and heating often leads to deforestation and health issues from indoor air pollution. Overall, the low level of electricity generation severely hampers Chad's economic development and quality of life.
To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Chad can look at successful examples from around the world. Countries like India and Brazil, which share some similarities in terms of development needs, have made significant strides in wind and solar power, generating around 92 TWh and 97 TWh from wind, and 125 TWh and 61 TWh from solar, respectively. Learning from these countries, Chad could invest in wind and solar energy projects, leveraging its abundant sunlight and suitable wind conditions. Additionally, nuclear power has proven to be a reliable and clean energy source in various countries, from large economies like the United States (790 TWh) to smaller ones like Slovakia (18 TWh). By adopting best practices from these nations, Chad can begin to build a diversified, reliable, and sustainable electricity grid.
The history of low-carbon electricity generation in Chad is notably stagnant. From 2012 to 2022, there has been no recorded change in the generation of electricity from biofuels or wind energy. Each year from 2012 through 2022 showed zero change in electricity generation from these sources. This decade-long trend indicates a lack of policy initiatives or investments in low-carbon electricity generation. Consequently, Chad remains heavily reliant on traditional biomass and is missing out on the environmental and economic benefits that cleaner energy sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear can provide.