Electricity in Mongolia in 2024
In 2024, the electricity consumption landscape in Mongolia is predominantly characterized by a high reliance on fossil energy sources. Over two-thirds of the electricity consumed is derived from coal, at 68%, making it the most significant component of the country's energy mix. When combined with the reliance on coal, total fossil-based electricity consumption accounts for more than 71% of the total. Low-carbon electricity sources such as wind and solar play a minor role, collectively contributing less than 8% to Mongolia’s electricity mix. Wind energy is ahead among low-carbon sources, providing a modest 5% of the total electricity, while solar contributes close to 2%. Additionally, Mongolia imports over 20% of its electricity, which is necessary to meet the domestic demand not satisfied by local production.
Is Electricity Growing in Mongolia?
The growth of electricity consumption in Mongolia is evident, with per capita electricity usage rising to 3083 kWh in 2024, marking an increase from the previous high of 2946 kWh in 2023. This upward trend reflects a growing demand and a positive sign of economic and technological progress. However, the picture is less optimistic when it comes to low-carbon electricity generation. The current generation of 236 kWh per person not only fails to surpass the peak of 249 kWh seen in 2021 but also represents a decline. This reduction in clean energy consumption is a concerning barrier to environmental sustainability, which Mongolia needs to address to ensure that future increases in electricity consumption do not exacerbate climate impacts.
Suggestions
To enhance low-carbon electricity generation, Mongolia could look towards countries that have successfully integrated substantial shares of clean energy into their electricity mix. Countries with geographical and developmental similarities, such as South Korea and Armenia, have achieved notable shares of low-carbon electricity, with nuclear energy comprising 30% of their total generation. Mongolia could benefit significantly from investing in solar and nuclear energy, which have proven effective in many countries, including the United Arab Emirates in nuclear energy and Lebanon in solar energy. By focusing on these sustainable pathways, Mongolia can better ensure a secure, clean energy future through increased investments in solar and potentially introducing nuclear generation to diversify its energy sources.
History
Tracing the history of low-carbon electricity in Mongolia reveals modest developments over recent years, particularly since the early 2010s. Wind and solar energy have seen incremental growth, evidenced by a series of small increases since around 2014. Noteworthy is a consistent yet gradual increase in wind energy output, particularly in 2018 and 2019. Despite these advances, there have been periods of stagnation and slight declines, like the decrease in wind energy generation observed in 2022. Solar energy entries have started to appear since 2019, and although growth is present, it requires acceleration. Overall, the pursuit of expanding low-carbon electricity must be more aggressive and strategically driven to keep up with global environmental standards and local energy needs.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.