Electricity in New Caledonia in 2021

The electricity landscape in New Caledonia is predominantly fossil-fuel driven with nearly nine-tenths (86.31%) of the electricity coming from such sources. In contrast, low-carbon power generation is significantly lesser, contributing only a fraction over a tenth (13.69%) to the island's electricity requirements. This low-carbon electricity is further classified into hydro, solar and wind power generation, contributing 6.55%, 5.36%, and 1.79% respectively. This indicates that while the uptake of clean energy sources in New Caledonia is not completely unheard of, it is still in its infancy stages.

Suggestions

New Caledonia could draw inspiration from successful strategies implemented by other countries. Like Denmark and Uruguay who sourced over half (59%) and 40% of their electricity from wind, New Caledonia could further explore their wind energy potential to step up green power generation. Similarly, France, Slovakia, and Ukraine have significantly tapped into nuclear power for electricity, accounting for more than half of their electricity generation (with 66%, 61%, and 58% respectively). Given its clean and substantial power output, nuclear energy could be another potential avenue for New Caledonia to explore in boosting its low-carbon energy output.

History

The historical progression of low-carbon electricity in New Caledonia has seen mixed progress with minimal changes annually since the start of the 21st century. The hydroelectric power sector has been particularly dynamic, with slight increases and decreases in power generation observed nearly every year from 2001 to 2018. Notably, there was an expansion into solar power generation starting from 2019, although its growth has remained stable since inception, with no observed changes in generation capacity over the last two years. This indication of diversification within the low-carbon sector, albeit gradual, points towards a slow but steady commitment to clean energy transition.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources