Libya’s electricity consumption in 2023 depended almost entirely on fossil fuels, which supplied about 98% of the total. Gas alone accounted for nearly three-quarters, with other fossil fuels providing most of the remainder. Net imports supplied just over 2%, while domestic low-carbon electricity contributed close to none. This leaves substantial room to expand clean electricity and reduce the climate-changing emissions and air pollution associated with fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in Libya?

Electricity consumption per person has not recovered to its historic peak. In 2023, it stood at about 4,900 kWh per person, compared with roughly 6,000 kWh in 2013—a shortfall of around 1,100 kWh, or 18%. These figures show that consumption remains below its record, although they do not establish the latest year-to-year trend. Low-carbon generation was also stagnant at just 1 kWh per person, matching its 2019 record. This lack of clean electricity growth is concerning as electrification and new industries increase the need for electricity.

Suggestions

Libya could expand low-carbon electricity by prioritizing solar deployment while developing wind power and considering a nuclear electricity program. Sunny regions offer useful examples: Lebanon generates almost a third of its electricity from solar, Jordan about 15%, and the US state of Nevada more than a third. Libya could draw on these experiences to expand both large solar plants and rooftop installations, supported by stronger grids and storage. Nearby Morocco, where wind supplies one-fifth of electricity generation, provides a relevant example for developing suitable wind sites. For nuclear electricity, the United Arab Emirates offers a particularly relevant regional model, generating one-fifth of its electricity from nuclear, while France demonstrates how nuclear can supply around two-thirds. Building technical expertise, regulatory institutions and international partnerships would help Libya develop a diversified clean electricity system.

History

Libya’s recorded solar history shows a prolonged absence of measurable growth: every annual change from 2004 through 2023 is reported as 0 TWh. Across the mid-2000s, the entire 2010s and the early 2020s, the supplied data therefore show no recorded annual increase at that reporting precision. This does not necessarily mean solar generation was completely absent, since small changes can round to zero, but it does indicate that solar had not achieved meaningful scale. Turning that long stagnation into sustained clean electricity growth should be a priority.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade