Electricity in Namibia in 2022

In 2022, Namibia's electricity consumption shows a strong dependency on imported energy, with over 64% of its electricity coming from net imports. Domestic low-carbon energy production is significant, accounting for about 34% of the total electricity consumed. This includes 21% from hydropower and 13% from solar energy. Fossil fuels contribute a negligible amount to Namibia’s electricity mix, with just over 1% coming from coal. The data clearly indicate that Namibia is already making strides towards cleaner, low-carbon energy production but still relies heavily on imports to meet its energy needs.

Suggestions

To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Namibia should focus on expanding its existing solar infrastructure, which is already a major contributor to the country's clean energy mix. Learning from countries that have successfully implemented high levels of low-carbon and particularly solar and wind energy can be immensely beneficial. For example, Uruguay generates 36% of its electricity from wind, demonstrating that smaller countries can achieve high penetration of wind energy. Similarly, Denmark, with 61% of its electricity from wind, sets a strong example of how to effectively harness wind power. Namibia can also consider the adoption of nuclear energy as a robust and reliable low-carbon option, inspired by countries like France and Slovakia, which generate over 60% of their electricity from nuclear power.

History

Looking at the historical data, the implementation of low-carbon electricity in Namibia has had a mix of growth and setbacks. In the 1990s, hydropower saw several fluctuations, with small increases and declines. Notably, 1995 and 1998 experienced significant positive shifts of 0.5 TWh and 0.4 TWh, respectively. In the early 2000s, hydropower remained relatively stable, and 2005 marked another positive year, witnessing an increase of 0.3 TWh. The fluctuation continued in the subsequent years, and in 2018, Namibia introduced solar energy into its electricity mix, adding 0.2 TWh. Recent years have shown more variability, with 2020 seeing a notable increase of 0.6 TWh in hydropower, despite some declines in the following years. These trends suggest that while Namibia has been proactive in integrating low-carbon technologies, it needs to address the intermittent nature and scale up its efforts to ensure a more stable and sustainable energy future.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources