In 2022, the electricity consumption pattern in Mauritania was predominantly driven by fossil fuels, which accounted for nearly 59% of the total electricity supply. On the cleaner side, low-carbon energy sources represented slightly more than a fifth of the total electricity capacity, with hydropower contributing around 10%, solar energy almost 7%, and wind power just under 5%. Additionally, net imports constituted nearly 19% of the country’s electricity supply, underscoring a significant reliance on external sources to meet its electricity needs. This diverse supply mix highlights the substantial role of fossil fuels in Mauritania's energy landscape and underscores the opportunity for growth within the low-carbon energy sector.
Is Electricity Growing in Mauritania?
While there has been slight growth in overall electricity consumption in Mauritania, increasing from 402 kWh/person in 2020 to 414 kWh/person in 2022, the growth of low-carbon electricity generation has not mirrored this trend. In fact, low-carbon generation saw a small decline, moving from its previous peak of 105 kWh/person in 2019 to 92 kWh/person in 2022. This stagnation in clean electricity development is concerning given the need for sustainable and green energy to combat climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The modest increase in overall consumption coupled with the drop in clean electricity growth suggests that more proactive steps are necessary to bolster the transition to low-carbon electricity sources.
Suggestions
To enhance low-carbon electricity generation, Mauritania can look to other regions that have successfully embraced both solar and nuclear energy. For instance, Lebanon's achievement of generating 31% of its electricity from solar showcases the potential of solar energy in regions with abundant sunlight, similar to Mauritania. Additionally, countries like France and Slovakia, which produce 68% and 62% of their electricity from nuclear energy respectively, demonstrate how nuclear power can provide a substantial and reliable base for low-carbon electricity. Learning from these examples, Mauritania could focus on expanding its solar infrastructure and explore the development of nuclear capabilities to secure a clean and sustainable energy future, thereby reducing dependency on fossil fuels and external electricity imports.
History
Examining the historical data on Mauritania's low-carbon electricity generation reveals a pattern of gradual but inconsistent development primarily driven by hydropower. Up until 2009, there was close to no change in hydropower contributions; however, 2009 saw a modest increase. Over the subsequent years, there have been fluctuations, most notably in 2016 when hydropower generation saw a slight decline by 0.1 TWh, undoing some previous gains. Solar and wind energy only started to contribute significantly from around the mid-2010s, with slight increases observed in 2015 and 2018 for wind and solar energy, respectively. This uneven growth trajectory highlights the untapped potential in Mauritania's transition towards low-carbon electricity, particularly in expanding modern, sustainable sources like solar and wind, while contemplating the introduction of nuclear energy to stabilize energy security with clean power.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.