Electricity in Côte d’Ivoire in 2021

Côte d’Ivoire's electricity consumption as of 2021 is relatively low but skewed towards fossil energy sources. The country generated a total of close to 20 TWh energy that year, with more than half of the total (7.67 TWh) derived from fossil fuels, and a significant portion (5.51 TWh) from gas. Low-carbon energy trailed behind with the equivalent of 3.31 TWh, almost entirely comprising hydropower, which accounted for 3.3 TWh. Fossil fuel and gas constitute the bulk of the country's electricity generation, leaving it behind the global average of 410 watts per person from clean energy sources. This discrepancy potentially means that the nation may lag in terms of sustainable growth and green economy potentials due to its still substantial reliance on fossil energy resources.

Suggestions

To increase its low-carbon electricity generation, Côte d’Ivoire can examine practices employed in other countries. Notably, Brazil, with its comparable tropical climate, generates a significant amount of wind energy (94 TWh). Similarly, India, a developing country with a varied climate like Côte d’Ivoire, produces substantial solar (120 TWh) and wind (93 TWh) energy. These countries demonstrate the potential that lies in harnessing wind and solar power as substantial contributors to a nation's electricity pool, limiting reliance on fossil energy and moving towards cleaner, more sustainable sources.

History

In terms of low-carbon electricity generation history, Côte d’Ivoire has been consistently relying on hydropower. Since the early 1980s, there's been a series of slight fluctuations in hydroelectric generation, both positive and negative. For instance, while there was an increase of 0.4 TWh in 1981, by 1983 and 1984, there were reductions of 0.6 and 0.7 respectively. Despite these fluctuations over the decades, notable increases have been recorded since 2017. This recent trend signifies that hydropower has remained a consistent low-carbon energy source for Côte d’Ivoire for decades. However, efforts are needed to expand into other low-carbon energy sources such as wind and solar to boost the country's clean energy capacity.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources