Electricity in Ecuador in 2023

The current energy landscape in Ecuador is characterized by a strong predominance of low-carbon electricity, notably hydropower. As of 2023, low-carbon sources account for almost three times the amount of electricity produced by fossil fuels, with hydropower being the dominant source. Low carbon and hydropower generation clocks in at 25.89 and 25.34 TWh respectively, whereas fossil-source energy amounts to only 9.12 TWh, with gas accounting for a little over a TWh in that amount. Despite this disparity favouring environmentally friendly energy, Ecuador still lags far behind the global average per capita consumption of 410 watts, implying a potential restriction on industrial growth and quality of life, especially in rural areas.

Suggestions

Ecuador can significantly augment its low-carbon electricity generation by examining the success stories of other nations. Countries similar to Ecuador have implemented a balanced mix of low-carbon energy sources to boost their energy portfolios. For instance, Brazil, a South American nation like Ecuador, generates vast amounts of electricity from wind energy — 94 TWh — demonstrating a great potential for this type of energy. Additionally, riding the wave of solar power, Chile, another South American country, has successfully harnessed solar energy, generating 16 TWh electricity. On the nuclear front, countries globally have demonstrated significant success; the US has generated a whopping 775 TWh through nuclear power. While Ecuador may not match such a scale, it can certainly learn from these examples and explore the untapped potential of wind, solar, and potentially, nuclear power.

History

Looking into the history of low-carbon electricity in Ecuador, the country has had a consistent focus on hydropower. The early years of the 1980s marked a startinificant drop in hydroelectricity production in 2009 (-2.1 TWh). However, the next decade saw a remarkable recovery and expansion with production peaking at 4.2 TWh in 2017 and 2019. The history demonstrates a clear proficiency in exploiting hydro resources. Today, the need of the hour is to replicate this success across other low-carbon sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear, to ensure a sustainable and clean electricity future for Ecuador.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources