In Georgia, currently, a considerable part of the electricity consumption comes from low-carbon sources. As of 2022, almost 70% of the nation's energy is derived from clean alternatives, with hydropower accounting for nearly all of this share. In stark contrast, fossil energy, specifically gas, makes up just over a fifth of Georgia's electricity consumption. Almost none of the electricity is generated from wind energy. Alongside this domestic production, Georgia's electricity consumption also includes net imports, which account for slightly more than 10%.
To further bolster its low-carbon electricity production, Georgia could consider following the examples of countries such as France, Ukraine, and Slovakia, where nuclear power comprises over half of the electricity generation. Similarly, Denmark has successfully harnessed wind energy for over half of its needs. Both these energy sources could be tapped into to increase Georgia's clean electricity generation. Given its success with hydropower, a focus on enhancing wind and nuclear power could balance its energy portfolio and push its low-carbon electricity generation to new heights.
The journey of Georgia's low-carbon energy predominantly revolves around hydropower. Starting from 1992, with an initial decline, Georgia's hydroelectric energy production seemingly faced fluctuations throughout decades. The early 2000s saw a noteworthy increase, which was followed by a mild drop in the mid-2000s. The turn of the decade in 2010 marked a significant upturn, with the largest increase in hydroelectric production observed. However, this was shortly followed by a slight setback in 2011 and 2012. Increase trend resumed and carried on until 2019 when another decrement was noted. Recent years, like 2021 and 2022, however, have shown promising improvement in the production of hydroelectric power in Georgia, indicating a possible return to a more stable growth pattern.