Electricity in Puerto Rico in 2021

The current state of electricity consumption in Puerto Rico is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with a staggering 97.2% of the electricity sourced from this form of energy. Low-carbon energy, on the other hand, is a minuscule part of the energy mix, representing just 2.8%. Of this, solar energy, a clean and green source of electricity, forms slightly over half, contributing close to 1.5%.

Suggestions

To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Puerto Rico could draw lessons from other countries with successful transitions towards cleaner energy. For instance, France and Slovakia generate over 60% of their electricity from nuclear energy. Meanwhile, Denmark and Uruguay have managed to harness wind energy effectively, contributing to around 60% and 40% of their electricity, respectively. Given Puerto Rico's geographical location, it could also consider learning from the success of countries like Greece and Australia, which generate 19% and 18% of their electricity from solar energy respectively. This diverse array of examples offers insights into how Puerto Rico may effectively leverage different types of low-carbon energy sources, catered to its specific context.

History

Looking at the history of low-carbon electricity in Puerto Rico, the focus has largely been on hydro power since the early 1980s, although with fluctuations in its generation over the years. The impact of this source of electricity remained relatively stable throughout the late 20th century till the early 21st century. However, the picture started to change as wind energy entered the scene, contributing an additional 0.2 TWh to the electricity generation in 2013. This step marked the beginning of a shift in Puerto Rico's low-carbon electricity landscape, further complemented by the introduction of solar energy in 2015. The subsequent years have seen a steady albeit slow growth in these relatively new energy sources, with solar energy making notable strides by adding 0.2 TWh to the electricity generation in 2019. Despite these encouraging developments, the vast dominance of fossil energy signifies that there's still a long road ahead for Puerto Rico in achieving a substantial increase in its low-carbon electricity generation.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources