Electricity in El Salvador in 2024
El Salvador has achieved a remarkable feat by generating more than 82% of its electricity from low-carbon sources, underscoring its commitment to sustainable development. Hydropower leads this green charge, contributing nearly a third of the country’s electricity, followed by significant inputs from geothermal energy at around 23% and solar power accounting for over 15%. Biofuels contribute a smaller but notable portion, rounding off a mix that ensures clean energy dominance. Imports, which can vary in carbon content, account for just over 10%, while fossil fuels contribute a minor 7%, and wind energy is at the start with a little over 1%. Despite these achievements, it's crucial for El Salvador to expand its electricity generation capabilities to offset increasing demands from sectors like transport, heating, and industry which are set to undergo electrification.
Suggestions
To further bolster its clean energy capabilities, El Salvador can focus on enhancing its solar electricity generation capacity. By investing in additional solar infrastructure, the country can make considerable gains towards self-sufficiency and clean energy reliance. Solar power, having already demonstrated its potential by contributing significantly, can be optimally harnessed in the sunny climate of El Salvador. Other avenues include looking into possible wind energy expansion, given its current negligible contribution but significant potential, and considering long-term plans for implementing nuclear energy to provide a stable and reliable low-carbon source.
History
The journey towards a predominantly low-carbon electricity generation in El Salvador has seen several pivotal developments over the decades. In the early 1980s, hydropower saw some fluctuations but remained a critical part of the energy mix. The 1990s had a mixed bag of increases and decreases, though saw the incorporation of biofuels in 2000. More recently, from the 2000s onwards, there was a steady push towards expanding hydropower, marked by periodic increases, most notably in the years 2010 and 2020. Solar energy made a significant entrance in 2020 with a healthy boost, marking a fresh direction towards diversified and sustainable low-carbon electricity generation. El Salvador’s energy policy evolution demonstrates a consistent emphasis on harnessing low-carbon resources to meet its electricity needs while minimizing carbon emissions.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.