In 2022, fossil fuels supplied about 87% of Jamaica’s electricity, with gas alone accounting for more than half of consumption, at 53%. Low-carbon sources provided the remaining 13%: wind contributed about 6%, solar and hydropower roughly 3% each, and biofuels just over 1%. Jamaica’s electricity supply therefore remained heavily dependent on fossil fuels, leaving considerable scope for more clean electricity to reduce climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Jamaica?

Jamaica’s electricity consumption was well below its historical peak in 2022, rather than setting new growth records. Consumption stood at about 1,580 kWh per person, compared with roughly 2,770 kWh in 2006—a decrease of about 1,185 kWh, or 43%. Low-carbon electricity generation also remained below its previous high: about 204 kWh per person in 2022, compared with 229 kWh in 1983, approximately 11% lower. These comparisons do not establish the latest year-to-year trend, but the long-standing shortfall is concerning: Jamaica needs stronger growth in clean electricity to support electrification, economic development, and emerging demand from AI.

Suggestions

Jamaica can increase low-carbon electricity generation by expanding solar and wind while considering nuclear as a source of steady clean electricity. Island regions offer especially relevant solar examples: the US state of Hawaii and Cyprus each generate about 23% of their electricity from solar, while Cape Verde achieves about 14%. Jamaica could draw on these examples to accelerate rooftop and utility-scale solar deployment, supported by storage and grid investment. For wind, Uruguay generates about a third of its electricity from this source, demonstrating the contribution sustained development can deliver. Nuclear also deserves consideration in Jamaica’s long-term planning: France generates roughly two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear, and the US state of South Carolina generates more than half. These regions illustrate how nuclear can complement solar and wind in a substantially cleaner electricity system.

History

Jamaica’s recorded low-carbon electricity history shows intermittent gains rather than sustained expansion. During the 1970s, biofuel generation increased by 0.1 TWh in both 1973 and 1976, before falling by 0.1 TWh in 1979; the listed hydropower change in 1973 was zero. In the early 1980s, biofuels gained 0.1 TWh in 1983 but lost 0.3 TWh the following year, followed by another 0.1 TWh decline in 1990. Hydropower fell by 0.1 TWh in 2001, while several other listed hydropower and early wind changes were zero at the reported precision. The clearest recent expansion came from wind, which added 0.1 TWh in both 2016 and 2017. In 2019, biofuels increased by 0.1 TWh, while solar and wind recorded zero change at the reported precision—underscoring the need for more consistent growth, particularly in solar and wind, alongside consideration of nuclear.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade