Electricity in Djibouti in 2023
In 2023, electricity consumption in Djibouti presents a significant reliance on imported power sources, with net imports accounting for more than 70% of its electricity. The country generates its own electricity primarily from fossil fuels, which make up about 18% of its electricity production. On the clean energy front, Djibouti has made some progress, with wind power representing just shy of 10% of its total electricity generation. Unfortunately, beyond wind, there is close to no domestic low-carbon electricity generation, highlighting a critical area for improvement in its pursuit of cleaner energy sources.
Data sources used on this page include EIA, Ember and Enerdata. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Djibouti?
Recent trends indicate a concerning decline in overall electricity consumption in Djibouti. In 2023, the average electricity consumption per person was 616 kWh, which represents a drop from the previous high of 786 kWh per person in 2012. This decline of 170 kWh per person points to either reduced access or reduced use, both of which could hinder economic development and living standards. Additionally, Djibouti’s low-carbon generation has seen a slight decrease, from a record of 62 kWh per person in 2021 to 61 kWh in 2023. This stagnation in clean energy growth suggests an urgent need for the country to prioritize low-carbon development to ensure a sustainable future.
Suggestions
Djibouti has a significant opportunity to expand its low-carbon electricity generation by leveraging solar and potentially nuclear energy. Examining successful regions, countries like Lebanon and Cyprus generate more than 20% of their electricity from solar power, while others like France and Slovakia have demonstrated the potential of nuclear energy, with over 60% of their electricity coming from that source. Djibouti can learn from these examples by increasing its investment in solar infrastructure and exploring partnerships or international aid to introduce nuclear power, thereby reducing reliance on imports and fossil fuels and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change and air pollution.
History
The journey of low-carbon electricity in Djibouti began fairly recently. In the early 2020s, wind power emerged as a clean energy source for the country, albeit with modest growth. 2021 saw a positive development with an increase of 0.1 TWh in wind electricity generation, a promising step at the time. However, the subsequent years have shown stagnation, with 2022 and 2023 witnessing no additional growth in wind power. This lack of continued expansion in wind energy underlines the need for Djibouti to adopt more proactive measures to diversify and enhance its low-carbon electricity generation capabilities to meet global environmental standards and local energy demands.
