Djibouti and geothermal energy
Djibouti, a small nation located at the strategic mouth of the Red Sea, is an essential transshipment hub for petroleum energy resources, despite lacking its own reserves. The country, which gained independence from France in 1977, has a population of approximately 1.12 million and is characterized by a desert climate with limited arable land and water resources. Djibouti is actively developing its geothermal energy potential, leveraging its geographical features, including some limited volcanic activity.
In addition to geothermal initiatives, Djibouti is expanding its renewable energy portfolio by launching projects in wind and solar power, aiming to supply its population with 100 percent renewable energy by 2037. The country opened its first wind farm in 2023 and has plans for a biomass energy plant, showing a strong commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable energy solutions. Despite facing challenges such as high unemployment and poverty levels, Djibouti's efforts to diversify its energy sources reflect its ambition to improve energy access and sustainability for its urban population.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Djibouti and geothermal energy
Official Name: Republic of Djibouti.
Summary: Occupying a strategic position at the mouth of the Red Sea, Djibouti is an important transshipment nation for petroleum energy resources, although it has none of its own. Geothermal energy production is under development.
Djibouti, formerly known as the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, became independent from France in 1977. The country occupies an important strategic position at the mouth of the Red Sea, sharing borders with Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia and having 196 miles (316 kilometers) of coastline on the Gulf of Aden.
Djibouti is important for transshipment of oil and other goods to and from the East African highlands, given its coastal location and proximity to Arab oil fields, and is also the terminus for a railway leading into Ethiopia. The country’s area is 14,415 square miles (23,200 square kilometers), and the population in 2022 was estimated at 1.12 million. Djibouti has a desert climate, with only 0.04 percent arable land and 984 cubic feet (0.3 cubic kilometer) of renewable water resources. Djibouti has limited volcanic activity, with the last eruption (of Ardoukoba) in 1978 and one other volcano, Manda-Inakir, being historically active. Population growth is high, both because of the nation’s birthrate (25.3 births per 1,000 population, 59th-highest in the world) and because of its net migration rate (5.33 migrants per 1000 population, 16th-highest in the world, including both refugees and immigrants). Most (76 percent) of the population live in urban areas. Per capita gross domestic product in 2022 was $3,136, with 27 percent unemployment, a 1.3 percent decrease from 2021. In 2022, about 79 percent of the population lived in poverty, with 42 percent living in extreme poverty.
Djibouti has no proven reserves of oil, natural gas, or coal and imports all its petroleum products. Consumption of petroleum fell in the 1980s before rising sharply in 1989, and it has increased gradually since then. In 1980, Djibouti consumed 10,000 barrels of petroleum per day, which fell as low as 4,500 barrels per day by 1988. Consumption rapidly increased to 10,435 barrels per day in 1989, 11,206 barrels per day by 2000 and 11,600 barrels per day in 2009. However, consumption had dropped to 4,000 barrels per day by 2022.
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of fossil fuels steadily increased before they began to drop. In 1980, Djibouti produced 1.458 million metric tons of carbon dioxide; in 1984, 0.725 million metric tons; in 1988, 0.715 million metric tons; in 2000, 1.851 million metric tons; in 2006, 1.68 million metric tons, By 2020, they had dropped to 0.39 metric tons.
All Djibouti’s electricity was once generated by a single generating station in the capital (also called Djibouti), which was fueled by oil, and there was essentially no power transmission outside the capital city. Electricity generation rose throughout the years and reached 1,312 gigawatt-hours in 2020. The country set a goal to reach 2,713 gigawatt-hours by 2037.
Djibouti opened its first wind farm in 2023. Located on a mountain near the Bay of Ghoubet, the farm had 17 wind turbines with a total capacity of 60 MW. It was hoped that the wind farm could reduce the country's CO2 emissions by 250,000 tons per year. The country also began a solar power project in the Grand Bara desert in 2020. As of 2023, it also planned to increase its use of biomass by building a waste-to-energy plant with a capacity of 40 MW in Damerjog. Djibouti hoped to become the first country in Africa to supply its population with 100 percent renewable energy.
Bibliography
Central Intelligence Agency. “Djibouti.” In The World Factbook, 2022, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/dj.html. Accessed 30 July 2024.
Couedic, Theo du. "How Djibouti Will Produce 100 Percent Green Energy by 2035." African Business, 14 May 2024, african.business/2024/05/dossier/how-djibouti-will-produce-100-green-energy-by-2035. Accessed 30 July 2024.
"Djibouti Boosts Domestic Power by 50 Percent with New 60 MW Wind Farm." Reuters, 18 Sept. 2023, african.business/2024/05/dossier/how-djibouti-will-produce-100-green-energy-by-2035. Accessed 30 July 2024.
Richter, Alexander. "Geothermal to Help Djibouti Fuel Ever-Increasing Electricity Demand." Think Geoenergy, 29 Oct. 2016, www.thinkgeoenergy.com/geothermal-to-help-djibouti-fuel-ever-increasing-electricity-demand/. Accessed 30 July 2024.