Currently, Tonga's electricity consumption heavily relies on fossil energy, with more than 85% of its electricity being generated from fossil fuel sources. Low-carbon energy, such as solar power, contributes approximately 14% of the total electricity generation. This means that almost all of Tonga's clean electricity comes from solar energy. The focus on solar places Tonga on a path towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy profile, although there remains significant potential for improvement in order to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and diminish their associated climate impacts.

Data sources used on this page include Ember. More about data sources →

Is Electricity Growing in Tonga?

Reflecting on the growth of electricity in Tonga, there hasn't been an increase in electricity consumption. In fact, the latest available data from 2023 shows a decline in per capita electricity usage to 669 kWh, which represents a reduction of 92 kWh per person from the previous year's record of 762 kWh per person in 2022. On the positive side, low-carbon electricity use per person remains consistent at 96 kWh, matching the previous year's figure. While stagnation in the low-carbon segment is better than a decline, it highlights the urgency for Tonga to continue its efforts to increase clean electricity capacity to meet potential future demand, especially as more sectors electrify.

Suggestions

For Tonga to enhance its low-carbon electricity generation, expanding its solar capacity appears to be a promising avenue, given the existing reliance on this clean energy type. Drawing inspiration from regions that have successfully integrated other forms of low-carbon energy, Tonga can learn from Nevada and Lebanon, where solar power comprises more than 30% of electricity generation. Additionally, the country could explore diversifying their energy mix, considering wind energy in particular, looking to countries like Ireland or Uruguay with their substantial share of electricity derived from wind. While nuclear energy could be another solution, Tonga would need to contemplate significant infrastructural and policy advancements to accommodate this technology.

History

Reflecting on the history of low-carbon electricity in Tonga, data from 2017 to 2023 reveals a consistent yet stagnant development of solar energy with zero incremental changes in electricity generation year on year. This constancy signifies that while Tonga has maintained its solar capacity, there has been no active expansion or increase in production over these past years. It's crucial for Tonga to break out of this plateau and to start ramping up its solar and other low-carbon electricity sources aggressively to ensure a cleaner, more sustainable electrical grid in the future.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade