British think tank Ember in its 2023 Global Electricity Review, has released a list that houses countries with dirty electricity grids due to high carbon emissions from their electricity sector.
According to the review, the global electric power sector is the biggest carbon emitter of all sectors, responsible for about 40% of total global energy-related carbon emissions.
According to the Review: “In 2022, emissions from electricity generation increased to 12,431 million tons of CO2, reaching a new all-time high. To limit global warming to 1.5C, they should instead be falling fast.”
“The top 10 absolute CO2 emitters responsible for generating 80% of global power sector emissions are China, the United States, India, the EU, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Iran. Meanwhile, the biggest emitters per capita are Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Kosovo, Australia, and the United States.”
The report then listed countries with the dirtiest electricity grids in the world to include:
• Kosovo
• South Africa
• Hong Kong
• Puerto Rico
• Kazakhstan
• Poland
• India
• Indonesia
• Morocco
• The Philippines
Reportedly, Nigeria’s absence from the ‘dirty’ list is not unconnected with the reality that the country’s electricity sector does not have as much carbon intensity as the countries on that list.
Consumertrics also reminds you that Nigeria has developed its National Gas Expansion Program (NGEP) to deepen the use of natural gas for varied purposes.
Just in case you missed it, during the ongoing Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES), the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari said the country seeks to use natural gas as an alternative transportation fuel, virtual gas supply to off-pipeline grid gas customers, and gas utilization as feedstock for developing gas-based industries.
It is also important to note that Nigeria has a relatively low electrification rate, with only about 60% of the population having access to electricity.
The government has therefore set a goal of achieving universal electrification by 2030, and renewable energy sources like solar and wind power are expected to play a significant role in achieving this goal.
