In 2022, Guam depended on fossil fuels for about 92% of its electricity consumption, while low-carbon electricity supplied just under 8%. Solar accounted for all of that clean electricity. This leaves substantial room to expand low-carbon generation and reduce the climate-changing emissions and air pollution associated with fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in Guam?

The figures show strong growth in clean electricity, but overall electricity consumption per person remained below its historical peak. In 2022, consumption was about 10,900 kWh per person—roughly 1,200 kWh, or 10%, below the record set in 2000. Low-carbon generation, however, reached about 850 kWh per person, exceeding its previous record of about 490 kWh in 2019 by roughly 350 kWh, an increase of around 70%. That clean-electricity progress is encouraging, although the gap below the overall consumption record highlights the importance of planning for future electricity demand from electrification and expanding digital infrastructure. These per-person figures alone do not establish whether total electricity consumption is growing.

Suggestions

Guam can build on its solar progress by expanding rooftop and utility-scale solar alongside storage and grid upgrades. The US state of Hawaii is a particularly relevant island comparison, generating 23% of its electricity from solar; Cyprus also reaches 23%, while the US state of Nevada reaches 35%. Guam could also assess suitable wind projects, drawing lessons from the island region of Cape Verde, where wind supplies 14% of electricity. Nuclear should be considered as another route to dependable low-carbon generation, with options evaluated for Guam’s electricity system: France generates about two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, while the US state of South Carolina generates just over half. These regions demonstrate how solar, wind and nuclear can support a much cleaner electricity supply.

History

Guam’s reported low-carbon electricity history shows little measured change before a notable solar increase in 2022. From 2015 through 2021, the supplied figures record annual changes in solar generation of zero TWh; this indicates no change at the reported precision, rather than necessarily no solar generation. In 2022, solar generation increased by 0.1 TWh, equivalent to about 100 million kWh. That increase marks a welcome acceleration after several years of reported stagnation and provides a foundation for further clean-electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade