In 2022, Lesotho's electricity consumption per person was 398 kWh, a figure significantly lower than the global average of 3781 kWh per person. This disparity highlights a concerning gap in energy usage and accessibility, which can limit economic growth and development in the country. Fossil fuels, associated with harmful emissions and climate change, provide less than half of Lesotho's electricity. More encouragingly, low-carbon sources, notably hydroelectric power, contribute over half to Lesotho's electricity supply. However, the low overall consumption suggests limited access to electric grids and insufficient generation capacity, affecting residents' quality of life and hindering industrial expansion.
Is Electricity Growing in Lesotho?
Electricity consumption in Lesotho has seen a notable decline since 2010, when it was at its peak of 446 kWh per person. This reduction by 48 kWh per person is even more pronounced in the realm of low-carbon electricity, which has declined by 136 kWh per person from 346 kWh. These diminishing numbers are alarming, as they suggest a decrease in both overall electricity use and low-carbon electricity generation. This downward trend in clean energy is particularly concerning in the context of global efforts to mitigate climate change. The lack of growth in both areas calls for urgent action to expand and innovate in the sector to keep up with the increasing demands of modern society.
Suggestions
To counter the decline and meet future electricity demands, Lesotho can learn from countries with successful low-carbon energy initiatives. For instance, the People's Republic of China is a leader in solar and wind energy, generating over 1000 TWh from each, demonstrating the potential scale of solar power. Similarly, the United States has made significant strides in nuclear energy, achieving 778 TWh, which can serve as a model for integrating stable, baseload clean electricity generation. Emulating these strategies, focusing on solar where Lesotho stands geographically advantaged, alongside a consideration for nuclear development, could bolster the nation's electricity output sustainably.
History
Over the past two decades, Lesotho's history of low-carbon electricity generation has been relatively stable, primarily driven by hydroelectric power. Notable increases were observed in the early 2000s, with moderate growth of 0.1 to 0.2 TWh between 2000 and 2006. However, this was followed by a series of stagnant years throughout the 2010s, and some declines particularly in 2011 and 2019, with decreases of 0.2 and 0.1 TWh, respectively. The trend shows little advancement, which highlights the need for a shift towards newer, scalable low-carbon technologies such as solar and nuclear energy, suggesting that limited reliance solely on hydroelectric power may not suffice for future energy resilience.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.