In 2023, all of Nauru’s electricity consumption came from fossil fuels, with no low-carbon electricity recorded. This complete dependence on fossil electricity leaves substantial room for clean generation, particularly solar, to help reduce the climate impacts and air pollution associated with fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in Nauru?

Nauru’s electricity consumption per person has not surpassed its previous peak. In 2023, it stood at about 3,400 kWh per person, roughly 110 kWh—or 3%—below the record reached in 2018. This signals a shortfall relative to that peak, although it does not establish whether consumption fell in the latest year. Low-carbon electricity generation remained at zero per person, unchanged from its recorded benchmark in 2000. This lack of clean electricity growth is concerning as electrification and expanding digital services increase future electricity needs.

Suggestions

Nauru should prioritize solar electricity, supported by battery storage and grid improvements. Relevant island examples include Samoa and Vanuatu, where solar supplies about 13% of electricity, and the US state of Hawaii, where it supplies almost a quarter. Cape Verde also offers an island example, generating about 14% of its electricity from solar and another 14% from wind; Nauru could assess local wind resources alongside solar development. Nuclear electricity should also feature in long-term planning and international cooperation: France generates about two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, while the United Arab Emirates generates a fifth. Nauru could learn from their clean-electricity strategies and explore nuclear options appropriate to its electricity system, including emerging small-reactor technologies.

History

The supplied historical information contains no year-by-year changes in Nauru’s low-carbon electricity generation, so a detailed account by decade is not possible. The available benchmarks show zero low-carbon generation per person in both 2000 and 2023, with no improvement between those reference points. These figures indicate a prolonged absence of recorded clean electricity at the stated benchmarks, underscoring the importance of beginning sustained low-carbon electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade