In 2022, Haiti’s electricity consumption was just 88 kWh per person, compared with a global average of 3,794 kWh per person—only about 2% of that benchmark. Low-carbon electricity generation amounted to 17 kWh per person, equivalent to roughly a fifth of consumption. The supplied figures do not explicitly identify the sources supplying the remainder, so a precise fossil-fuel breakdown cannot be confirmed. Such limited electricity availability can constrain healthcare, refrigeration, education, business activity and access to digital services. Expanding clean electricity would help improve living standards and support the growing electricity needs of homes and businesses.

Is Electricity Growing in Haiti?

Haiti’s latest figures do not show sustained electricity growth relative to its historical peaks. Consumption in 2022 was about 21 kWh per person below the 2012 record of 109 kWh—roughly a fifth lower. Low-carbon electricity generation was also far below its 1990 record: just 17 kWh per person compared with 69 kWh, a decline of roughly three-quarters. This is a worrying retreat rather than the expansion needed for broader electricity access, economic development and future electrification. These comparisons establish a decline from previous records, although they do not reveal whether electricity increased or decreased in 2022 alone.

Suggestions

Haiti should prioritize a substantial expansion of solar electricity, supported by batteries, stronger distribution networks and local electricity systems serving communities and essential facilities. Relevant regional examples include Mexico, which generated 25 TWh from solar, and Brazil, which generated 88 TWh from solar and 110 TWh from wind. Their experience offers lessons in project development and integrating clean generation, although Haiti would need projects sized to its own needs. The US state of Florida, with 32 TWh of solar generation, provides another useful example from a sunny regional setting. Haiti should also consider nuclear electricity within its long-term development planning, learning from Mexico’s 11 TWh of nuclear generation and France’s 376 TWh. International partnerships, workforce training and electricity-system planning could help translate these examples into a practical strategy for expanding dependable, low-carbon electricity.

History

Haiti’s recorded low-carbon electricity history is dominated by hydropower and repeated gains followed by setbacks. Generation increased by about 0.1 TWh in 1972, with further increases of the same size in 1986, 1988 and 1990; the listed observations for 1975 and 1983 showed no change. The 1990s brought declines in 1991 and 1997, followed by recoveries in 1998 and 1999. Progress then weakened again, with declines in 2000, 2007 and 2011. An increase in 2012 was followed by consecutive declines in 2013 and 2014. More encouraging gains of about 0.1 TWh each occurred in 2017, 2018 and 2022. These intermittent improvements are welcome, but Haiti needs sustained growth in clean electricity rather than repeated reversals.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade