Electricity in Jamaica in 2022
In 2022, Jamaica's electricity consumption was overwhelmingly reliant on fossil energy, making up almost 90% of the total consumption. Gas, a significant component of this fossil energy, accounted for over half of electricity consumption alone. Low-carbon energy sources constituted nearly 13% of the total electricity, with wind being the leading contributor at around 6%, followed by solar at approximately 3%, hydropower making up close to 3%, and biofuels contributing a little more than 1%. The limited share of clean electricity generation in Jamaica highlights a substantial opportunity for expanding sustainable power sources, such as solar and nuclear, which could help reduce the adverse effects of fossil fuels, such as climate change and air pollution.
Data sources used on this page include Ember, IEA and World Bank. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Jamaica?
Despite the urgent need for cleaner energy, Jamaica's total electricity consumption has seen a significant decline since the early 2000s. In 2022, the electricity consumption per person was 1,581 kWh, a significant drop from the 2006 record of 2,767 kWh. This data indicates a concerning negative change of 1,185 kWh per person from the historical peak. Similarly, the low-carbon electricity generation has also declined from its previous record in 1983, registering 204 kWh per person in comparison to the past figure of 229 kWh. This 24 kWh per person decrease in sustainable electricity indicates a worrying regression in clean energy progression, emphasizing the critical need to ramp up investments and initiatives to spur growth in this area.
Suggestions
Jamaica can learn from successful regions that have implemented robust strategies for increasing clean electricity. Countries like France and Slovakia have heavily invested in nuclear energy, with more than two-thirds of their electricity coming from this reliable, low-carbon source. For a solar-rich country like Jamaica, looking at models like California and Chile, which have significantly incorporated solar energy, could be pivotal. Their focus on harnessing the sun’s power has demonstrated success, with some states reaching solar shares close to 30%. Furthermore, Denmark and Iowa are exemplary for their wind energy achievements, providing more than half of their electricity from wind. Emulating these regions by expanding Jamaica's solar and potentially adopting nuclear technology could witness substantial increases in low-carbon electricity generation, positioning the country toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
History
Jamaica's low-carbon electricity history has been marked by modest changes over the decades, with brief periods of growth and occasional declines. In the 1970s and early 1980s, both biofuels and hydropower saw some increases, although biofuels experienced fluctuations, including a notable dip in 1984. Wind energy saw negligible growth until 2016 and 2017, which brought modest increases of 0.1 TWh each year. Solar, too, had its entrance in 2019, remaining flat since its inception. These insights showcase a historical pattern of small-scale adoption of clean energy technologies, underscoring a significant gap in sustained development plans for accelerating low-carbon electricity growth. Prioritizing solar and investigating the feasibility of nuclear energy could potentially curb stagnation and steer Jamaica towards a cleaner energy trajectory.
