Electricity in Qatar in 2024
In Qatar, the current state of electricity consumption is overwhelmingly dominated by fossil energy, specifically gas, which constitutes almost the entirety of the electricity production at 99.76%. This leaves close to none for low-carbon or clean energy sources such as solar, nuclear, or wind. The undeniable reliance on fossil fuels poses environmental challenges due to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, calling for an urgent transition towards more sustainable and clean electricity options.
Is Electricity Growing in Qatar?
The electricity consumption per person in Qatar has been on the rise, with the latest data from 2024 indicating a consumption of 19,593 kWh per person, which is a notable increase of 864 kWh from the previous high in 2022. However, low-carbon electricity generation has slightly dipped from its highest record of 54 kWh per person in 2018 to 47 kWh in 2024. This slight decrease in clean energy generation is disappointing, especially given the urgent need to increase such sustainable sources to combat environmental challenges and energy demand.
Suggestions
Qatar can significantly boost its low-carbon electricity generation by considering successful examples from other regions. The country can learn from Lebanon and other countries investing in solar, like Cyprus and Greece, which shows strong solar capacity. Moreover, adopting nuclear energy, as seen in countries like France and Slovakia, which generate a significant portion, more than half, of their electricity from nuclear sources, could provide Qatar with a steady and reliable clean energy solution. Emulating such strategies will be vital for Qatar to transition towards a more balanced and environmentally friendly electricity production mix.
History
In the past years, Qatar has shown negligible progress in low-carbon electricity development. The data spanning from 2011 to 2022 indicates little to no change consistently, with slight activity in biofuels in 2013. The stagnation in developing clean electricity during this period is concerning and highlights the need for proactive initiatives to stimulate growth in solar and nuclear energy sectors. Such initiatives would aid in fulfilling future energy demands and tackling the looming environmental consequences of continued fossil fuel reliance.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.