In 2023, just over half of Lebanon’s electricity consumption came from fossil fuels, while nearly half—47%—came from low-carbon sources. Solar supplied almost a third of electricity, making it the largest clean source, followed by hydropower at about 15%. This substantial clean electricity share provides a foundation for further expansion, although fossil fuels still dominate, contributing to climate change and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Lebanon?

Electricity consumption in Lebanon is not growing compared with its historic peak. In 2023, consumption was about 780 kWh per person, roughly 2,960 kWh below the 2019 record of about 3,740 kWh per person—a decline of nearly 80%. This is a worrying contraction when more electricity is needed to support electrification, economic activity, and emerging demand from AI. Low-carbon electricity generation, however, reached a new record of about 370 kWh per person, exceeding the 2022 record by roughly 24 kWh per person, or 7%. That progress is encouraging, but it has not offset the much larger decline in overall electricity consumption.

Suggestions

Lebanon should build on its existing solar success by expanding rooftop installations and larger solar projects, supported by electricity storage and stronger grid infrastructure. It can also learn from nearby or regionally relevant places: Morocco and Greece generate about a fifth of their electricity from wind, illustrating another potential route to clean electricity growth. Nuclear should also be considered as a long-term source of dependable low-carbon electricity. The United Arab Emirates generates about 20% of its electricity from nuclear, Armenia about 29%, and France about two-thirds. These examples offer lessons in developing expertise, institutions, and infrastructure for a larger clean electricity supply.

History

Lebanon’s low-carbon electricity history shows fluctuating hydropower generation followed by recent solar growth. Hydropower fell by 0.2 TWh in 1982; during the 1990s, modest gains and losses culminated in a 0.5 TWh decline in 1999. The early 2000s brought increases of 0.3 TWh in 2002 and 0.6 TWh in 2003, followed by several declines before a recovery in 2009–2012. A sharp 1 TWh hydropower reduction in 2014 interrupted that progress, with gains of 0.3 TWh in 2015 and 0.6 TWh in 2019, followed by another 0.4 TWh decline in 2021. Solar then provided encouraging momentum, adding 0.2 TWh in 2021, 1 TWh in 2022, and another 0.1 TWh in 2023.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade