Electricity in Bahrain in 2023
As of 2023, Bahrain's electricity consumption is overwhelmingly reliant on fossil fuels, with gas contributing to nearly all of the energy mix, accounting for almost 100% of the total. When examining low-carbon or clean electricity sources, their contribution is close to none. This situation highlights a critical reliance on fossil fuels, which have significant negative impacts such as climate change and air pollution. The absence of a significant low-carbon footprint is concerning, especially given the global imperative to pivot towards more green and sustainable energy solutions.
Is Electricity Growing in Bahrain?
Despite this dependency, Bahrain has seen slight but positive movements in its low-carbon electricity generation. While the overall electricity consumption per person recently declined slightly by 238 kWh from its previous record in 2022 to reach about 23050 kWh in 2023, the low-carbon electricity segment has shown a modest upward trend. The increase from 52 kWh per person in 2022 to 57 kWh per person suggests a limited yet noteworthy progress, which could be leveraged as a stepping stone towards more substantial investments in sustainable energy solutions. This reflects an opportunity for growth in low-carbon contributions that Bahrain can harness further in the coming years.
Suggestions
To expand low-carbon electricity generation, Bahrain could benefit from examining the strategies employed by other regions with similar climatic and environmental conditions. Learning from countries like Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, both of which have successfully integrated solar energy, could offer valuable insights. The achievements in solar power seen in Cyprus and Greece highlight the potential scalability and efficiency of solar technology in sunny regions similar to Bahrain. Moreover, considering nuclear energy, Bahrain could look to the experiences of the United Arab Emirates and South Korea, where nuclear energy constitutes a significant portion of their electricity mix. Both solar and nuclear energy provide Bahrain with pathways to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and align with global clean energy trends.
History
Historically, Bahrain's commitment to low-carbon electricity has lacked momentum, as evidenced by the unchanged figures in solar energy generation from 2016 through 2023, recording no growth. This stagnation in solar electricity generation over these years signals an urgent need for policy adjustments and investment to foster clean energy development. Unlike many regions that have innovated and expanded their clean energy capacities, Bahrain has yet to capitalize on the vast potential presented by solar energy—an oversight that demands immediate remedial action to keep pace with global sustainability efforts. This historical inertia underscores the importance of adopting more proactive and ambitious strategies in moving towards a cleaner energy future.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.