In 2023, fossil fuels supplied about 93% of electricity consumed in Maldives, while low-carbon sources provided just 7%, entirely from solar. This means more than nine-tenths of its electricity still depended on fossil fuels. Expanding clean electricity would help reduce this dependence and the associated climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Maldives?

Electricity consumption per person has not surpassed its previous peak. In 2023, it stood at 1,616 kWh per person, about 54 kWh—or 3%—below the 2018 record of 1,670 kWh. Low-carbon electricity generation reached 114 kWh per person, matching the record set in 2022 rather than increasing. This stagnation highlights the need to accelerate clean electricity growth to support rising demand from electrification and new uses of electricity.

Suggestions

Maldives can prioritize solar installations on rooftops and suitable developed sites, supported by storage and grid upgrades. Relevant island examples include Cyprus and the US state of Hawaii, where solar supplies about 23% of electricity—more than three times Maldives’ share. Cape Verde, another island nation, generates 14% of its electricity from wind, making it a useful reference for assessing suitable wind locations. Maldives should also consider nuclear energy in its long-term electricity planning, including evaluating smaller-scale technologies and international partnerships. France, where nuclear supplies about two-thirds of electricity, and the United Arab Emirates, where it supplies one-fifth, demonstrate nuclear’s contribution to substantial clean electricity generation.

History

From 2014 through 2023, the supplied historical data records an annual change of 0 TWh in solar electricity generation every year. At the precision reported, there were therefore no measurable annual increases or decreases across that decade. These rounded figures do not mean solar generation was absent, nor do they rule out smaller changes: solar supplied 7% of electricity in 2023. Nevertheless, the series shows no visible growth at this reporting scale, underscoring the importance of a stronger expansion of low-carbon electricity.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade