In 2023, Ghana's electricity consumption was mainly driven by fossil fuels, making up a significant 61% of its energy sources. This reliance is primarily due to gas, which accounts for nearly 60% of the total electricity generation. Low-carbon energy, which includes clean and sustainable sources, contributed to about 39% of the overall electricity. Amongst these low-carbon sources, hydropower was the dominant player, generating just under 38%. This shows that while Ghana incorporates a notable amount of clean electricity, it is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, which contribute to environmental pollution and climate change.
Data sources used on this page include EIA, Ember and IEA. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Ghana?
The demand for electricity in Ghana has seen a steady increase, with the latest consumption figure reaching 719 kWh per person, up from a previous record of 700 kWh per person in 2022. This growth, however, hasn't coincided with growth in low-carbon electricity generation, which is concerning. The latest low-carbon electricity generation in Ghana stands at 277 kWh per person, which pales in comparison to historical records from as far back as 1980, when it was 444 kWh per person. This decline of over 160 kWh per person represents a missed opportunity in capitalizing on clean energy sources that other regions have been able to seize.
Suggestions
To bolster its clean electricity generation, Ghana could look towards sustainable models like solar and nuclear energy, which have proven successful across various regions. For instance, countries like France and Slovakia have effectively harnessed nuclear energy to account for 70% and 66% of their electricity generation, respectively. Meanwhile, regions such as Nevada and California have made significant advances with solar, contributing 33% and 29% to their electricity mix. Learning from these examples, Ghana could expand its solar and potentially nuclear infrastructure, subsequently increasing its share of low-carbon electricity while reducing dependency on fossil fuels.
History
The history of low-carbon electricity generation in Ghana has seen its fair share of ups and downs, especially in hydropower production. In the early 1980s, there was a significant decline in hydropower with reductions of up to 2.3 TWh in 1983, followed by fluctuations throughout the subsequent decades. Some years saw positivity, such as 2008, with an impressive increase of 2.5 TWh, while other periods like 2015 experienced declines again, dropping by 2.5 TWh. Recently, the trend showed some recovery with modest increases of 1 TWh in 2023. This inconsistent pattern emphasizes the need for a diversified approach to sustainable energy, such as integrating solar and nuclear, which can counterbalance the variability of hydropower and secure a more stable, green energy future for Ghana.
