Electricity in Mongolia in 2024

In 2024, Mongolia's electricity consumption is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with fossil energy accounting for over 70% of the country's power, mainly driven by coal, which constitutes almost 68%. The reliance on high-emission coal contributes significantly to Mongolia's carbon footprint and exacerbates air pollution issues. Net imports also play a crucial role, supplying around 21% of the electricity, likely due to the current demands that Mongolia's domestic resources cannot entirely meet. On the clean energy front, Mongolia's low-carbon sources make up roughly 8% of the electricity mix, with wind energy being the most significant contributor at more than 5%, followed by solar energy contributing nearly 2%. This modest share illustrates potential areas for growth in the low-carbon sector.

Suggestions

To bolster their low-carbon electricity generation, Mongolia can draw inspiration from countries that have successfully increased their reliance on sustainable energy sources. For countries similar to Mongolia, wind energy emerges as a promising avenue. For example, Denmark generates more than half of its electricity from wind, illustrating how a commitment to expanding infrastructure and technology can result in substantial clean power yields. Similarly, low-carbon electricity from solar power shows potential for growth, as seen in Lebanon, where solar constitutes 31% of electricity. Mongolia can also look towards nuclear energy, a robust and reliable clean energy source, to complement its wind and solar efforts. Nations like France, Slovakia, and Ukraine, where nuclear energy contributes significantly to electricity generation, provide successful models of a diverse and sustainable energy mix.

History

The historical data of low-carbon electricity generation in Mongolia indicates a gradual development, particularly in wind energy over the past decade. In the years preceding 2014, there was little to no increase in hydro or wind power generation. However, from 2014 onward, Mongolia began to modestly expand its wind energy capacity, with successive increments occurring in 2014, 2018, and 2019. Solar energy saw its first growth increments in 2019 and continued to rise slightly in subsequent years. Although Mongolia experienced a minor setback in wind power generation in 2022, they have managed to regain a positive trajectory by 2024. The steady, albeit slow, progress in wind and solar energy generation underscores a promising but untapped potential for further investments in these sectors, with opportunities to amplify the role of clean energy in Mongolia's electricity landscape.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources