In 2023, the electricity consumption landscape in Congo - Brazzaville reveals a significant reliance on fossil fuels, with around 79% of electricity being generated from this source. Remarkably, natural gas accounts for nearly 74% of the total electricity generation, highlighting its dominant role among fossil-based sources. Low-carbon energy sources, on the other hand, represent just over a fifth of the total electricity mix. The hydropower sector carries the entire low-carbon contribution, accounting for nearly 21% of generation. Despite the reliance on hydropower as a clean energy source, the predominance of fossil fuels in the electricity supply illustrates a critical opportunity for transformation towards cleaner sources, particularly to mitigate the environmental impact of fossil-based energy.
Is Electricity Growing in Congo - Brazzaville?
Electricity consumption in terms of per capita usage has shown a modest increase in Congo - Brazzaville. In 2023, consumption per person reached 836 kWh, marking a small growth from 815 kWh recorded in 2022. This demonstrates a slight upward trend in electricity use among the population. However, the generation of low-carbon electricity has not seen a parallel increase. The latest figure shows 173 kWh/person, a decline from a previous high of 226 kWh/person in 2018. This downturn in low-carbon generation is concerning given the pressing need to enhance clean energy capacity amid growing electricity demands.
Suggestions
To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Congo - Brazzaville could benefit from adopting strategies from countries that have successfully transitioned to higher shares of clean energy. Countries like Lebanon and Chile have significantly embraced solar energy, achieving about 31% and 22% of their respective electricity from solar sources. Similarly, Morocco has excelled in harnessing wind energy, contributing approximately 21% of its electricity mix. Learning from these examples, Congo - Brazzaville could explore both solar and wind energy to complement and expand its current hydropower capacity. Concurrently, there’s an untapped potential in nuclear energy as observed from countries like France and Slovakia, where nuclear power constitutes more than half of their electricity generation, fostering a stable and sustainable low-carbon energy framework.
History
The history of low-carbon electricity in Congo - Brazzaville indicates a fluctuating but generally limited increase in hydropower capacity over the decades. In the early 1980s, there were consistent annual increments of 0.1 TWh, stimulating growth in low-carbon output. However, the 1990s faced setbacks with declines recorded in 1992, 1993, 1998, and 1999. Recoveries in hydropower generation restarted in the early 2000s and late 2010s, marked by noteworthy growths particularly in 2011 and 2012. Still, the 2019 decline indicates a need for more sustained and strategic development of hydropower alongside leveraging other clean energy resources to break the cycle of stagnation. Successfully integrating these strategies would ensure a robust and growing low-carbon electricity sector beneficial for future generational needs.