Electricity in Jamaica in 2022

In 2022, Jamaica's electricity consumption was heavily reliant on fossil fuels, accounting for more than 85% of its total electricity generation, with over half of this coming from gas. Meanwhile, clean energy sources contributed a modest 13.5% to the electricity mix. This includes wind power and hydropower, each providing just over 3% of the electricity, along with solar energy and biofuels, which together contributed a similar share. Despite the presence of these green energy sources, Jamaica's energy landscape is still predominantly fossil-based, which poses challenges in terms of sustainability and environmental impacts like air pollution and climate change.

Suggestions

Jamaica can significantly boost its low-carbon electricity generation by learning from countries that have successfully integrated a substantial amount of clean energy into their electricity grids. For example, Denmark has achieved almost 60% of its electricity from wind, showcasing how harnessing wind resources can be maximized effectively. Similarly, Uruguay and Ireland have leveraged wind for more than a third of their electricity needs, demonstrating the viability of this technology in small or medium-sized economies. With its sunny climate, Jamaica could also look to Greece or Chile, which have capitalized significantly on solar energy, for strategies on expanding solar infrastructure. Additionally, embracing nuclear energy, as seen in France and several Eastern European countries, could provide Jamaica with a stable and efficient low-carbon electricity source, offering lessons in policy and technology adoption that can be adapted locally.

History

Tracing the history of low-carbon electricity in Jamaica reveals a slow but incremental integration of cleaner technologies over the decades. In the 1970s, biofuel usage saw minor fluctuations, initially increasing, then decreasing through the early 80s and 90s with small incremental changes. Wind energy made its debut in 2011 but saw substantial growth only by 2016. While hydropower has been a component of Jamaica's electricity mix since 1973, it hasn't seen a significant rise in production levels. Overall, the gradual incorporation of wind power in the last decade marks a positive trend toward embracing clean energy sources, setting a foundation that Jamaica can build upon to further transition away from a predominantly fossil-fuel-based electricity system.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources