Electricity in Turkmenistan in 2021
In Turkmenistan, nearly all of the country's electricity, specifically 99.95%, is generated from fossil sources, with a minuscule 0.05% coming from low-carbon energy. This low-carbon energy fraction constitutes equally of solar and hydropower, each making up 0.02% of the total electricity generation. In this Central Asian country, there is no import or export of electricity with other countries or regions, implying a heavy reliance on homegrown fossil energy for its electricity usage.
Suggestions
Taking into account the current state of low-carbon electricity generation in Turkmenistan, there are available models to learn from in order to increase it significantly. Examining country data with similar geographical and climatic conditions, Turkmenistan can take a cue from countries like Ukraine and Slovakia where nuclear energy forms a major part of their electricity generation, at 58% and 57% respectively. As a start, adopting and expanding nuclear energy infrastructure can significantly shift Turkmenistan's energy profile. In addition to nuclear energy, given its sunny and warm climate, Turkmenistan can also tap into the success of countries like Jordan and Yemen, where solar energy constitutes 16% and 17% of their electricity generation respectively.
History
Historically, Turkmenistan has not seen any significant changes in its low-carbon electricity generation. Throughout the 1990s, the country's hydropower generation remained stagnant, with no recorded change in electricity produced. This trend persisted into the new millennium, with neither an increase nor decrease in hydropower generation recorded in 2010. In the same year, solar energy made its debut in the country's electricity profile, albeit without any change in the electricity generated from this source. This absence of change persisted throughout the decade, with both solar and hydropower reporting no change in generation in 2021. Consequently, there hasn't been any considerable progress in Turkmenistan's low-carbon electricity generation in the last three decades.