Electricity in Haiti in 2022

In 2022, Haiti's state of electricity consumption was notably low. The island nation's per capita electricity consumption was significantly below the global average of 432 watts per person. A large part of the electricity came from fossil fuels, contributing to climate change and air pollution. Clean or low-carbon sources like hydro, wind, and solar were underutilized, with hydro being the only significant source of green energy, albeit providing close to none in terms of total generation. Such low levels of electricity generation can severely impact economic growth, healthcare, education, and overall quality of life.

Suggestions

To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Haiti can learn from other countries' successes in harnessing wind, solar, and nuclear power. India, a fellow developing country, has made notable advancements, generating 113 TWh from solar and 82 TWh from wind. Japan, despite its geographical challenges, achieved similar progress with 97 TWh from solar. For scaling up nuclear energy, lessons can be taken from France and the United States, where nuclear energy has been a primary source, generating 336 TWh and 775 TWh respectively. Implementing policies that facilitate investments in these technologies, coupled with international partnerships, could lead Haiti toward a sustainable energy future.

History

Haiti's history of low-carbon electricity generation, particularly from hydroelectric sources, has been marked by inconsistency. In the early years, such as 1972, hydro contributed minor increments like 0.1 TWh. Over subsequent decades, there were periods of both incremental gains and losses, but the overall growth remained stagnant. Notable years with slight increases were 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2012, 2017, and 2018, each showing a minimal rise of 0.1 TWh. However, these were frequently offset by declines, such as in 1991, 1994, 1997, 2007, 2011, 2013, and 2014, which saw reductions of 0.1 TWh. Such a pattern underscores the need for robust, stable investments in more reliable forms of low-carbon energy like nuclear, wind, and solar, to secure consistent and sustainable electricity generation for Haiti's future.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources