In 2022, Guam relied on fossil fuels for about 92% of its electricity consumption, while low-carbon electricity accounted for just under 8%. Solar supplied all of that clean electricity. This left Guam heavily dependent on fossil fuels, whose use contributes to climate change and air pollution, with substantial room to expand clean electricity.

Is Electricity Growing in Guam?

Guam’s electricity consumption per person remained below its historical peak. In 2022, it stood at about 10,900 kWh per person, roughly 1,200 kWh—or 10%—below the record set in 2000. This gap is concerning as electrification and growing digital infrastructure increase the need for electricity, although these figures alone do not establish the recent annual trend. Low-carbon electricity generation showed encouraging progress: it reached about 850 kWh per person, around 350 kWh above the previous record of roughly 490 kWh in 2019—an increase of about 72%.

Suggestions

Guam can build on this progress by expanding solar electricity, supported by storage and grid improvements. Particularly relevant island examples include the US state of Hawaii, where solar supplies 23% of electricity, and Cyprus, where it supplies 24%—both around three times Guam’s share. Guam could also assess suitable wind opportunities, learning from Cape Verde, where wind provides 14% of electricity. Alongside solar and wind, Guam should consider nuclear electricity as a potential source of steady low-carbon generation, including evaluating designs suited to its electricity system. France generates about two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, while the US state of South Carolina generates just over half, demonstrating nuclear power’s substantial contribution to clean electricity.

History

Guam’s recorded low-carbon electricity history from 2015 through 2022 centers entirely on solar. From 2015 through 2021, the data show no annual change at the reported precision; this indicates a prolonged period without a recorded increase, rather than necessarily no solar generation. In 2022, solar generation rose by 0.1 TWh, equivalent to about 100 million kWh. That welcome increase marked a clear departure from the preceding years of recorded stagnation and provides a foundation for further clean electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade