Comoros's energy consumption
Comoros, an island nation situated between Madagascar and Mozambique, faces significant challenges regarding energy consumption and availability. Lacking known reserves of oil, natural gas, or coal, Comoros relies heavily on imported fossil fuels, with petroleum consumption increasing from 300 barrels per day in 1980 to approximately 3,000 barrels per day in 2022. Electricity generation has also seen a gradual rise, from 9 million kilowatt-hours in 1980 to 30 million kilowatt-hours in 2022, but access to electricity remains limited, with only about 8% of the population having reliable access.
The country has untapped potential for renewable energy sources, including hydropower, ocean thermal energy conversion, and solar energy, which could help mitigate its energy challenges if technological advancements and cost reductions occur. However, climate change poses additional risks to Comoros's energy and agricultural sectors, complicating efforts to develop a robust energy infrastructure. Overall, the high energy costs and low levels of electricity access significantly hinder economic development, making foreign aid and remittances vital for the country’s sustenance.
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Comoros's energy consumption
Official Name: Union of the Comoros.
Summary: Comoros is one of the poorest countries in the world, with no known reserves of oil, natural gas, or coal. Still, it generates some electricity and has some potential for hydropower, ocean thermal, and solar energy production.
Comoros is composed of a cluster of volcanic islands located in the Mozambique Channel between Madagascar and Mozambique, with three main islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. The total area of Comoros is 863 square miles (2,235 square kilometers). It is the third-smallest nation in Africa, and the population as of 2022 was 836,774. Comoros was a French colony that became independent in 1975 and has suffered a number of coups and other forms of political instability since then, including secession by the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli. Just under half (46.7 percent) of the land is arable, and 67.2 percent of the population lived in rural areas as of 2023, but the soil has been degraded as a result of deforestation and crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing. Marine resources have also been degraded by illegal fishing and exploitation of coral reefs for construction materials, and the country is prone to natural disasters, including tsunamis, flooding, cyclones, and volcanic eruptions.
Comoros is one of the poorest countries in the world and is heavily dependent on foreign aid, technical assistance, and remittances from Comorans living abroad. The primary exports are vanilla, cloves, and ylang ylang (an essential oil, used for aromatherapy, derived from a tree of the same name); the country is not self-sufficient in food production. Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022 was US$1,285, with a large percent of the population living below the poverty line.
Comoros has no known reserves of oil, natural gas, or coal. Petroleum consumption has risen steadily since the 1980s. In 1980, petroleum consumption in Comoros was 300 barrels per day, which rose to 558 barrels per day in 1990, 642 barrels per day in 2000, 800 barrels per day in 2008, 1,000 barrels per day in 2009, 1,300 barrels per day in 2014, and 3,000 barrel per day in 2022. The country has no recent history of natural gas or coal consumption.
Net generation and consumption of electricity in Comoros have risen steadily since 1980. That year, Comoros generated 9 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity; in 1990, 15 million kWh; in 2000, 19 million kWh; and in 2022, 30 million kWh. Electricity consumption follows a similar pattern: 8 million kWh of electricity was consumed in Comoros in 1980, 14 million kWh in 1990, 18 million kWh in 2000, and 40.9 million kWh in 2014 to 11.25 billion kWh in 2022. Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of fossil fuels have also shown a steady rise, from 41,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide in 1980 to 70,000 metric tons in 1990, 96,000 metric tons in 2000, 120,000 metric tons in 2008, 200,000 metric tons in 2013, and 372,000 metric tons in 2022.
Energy costs in Comoros are relatively high because of the country’s lack of resources, and this has hampered development of the economy and has hindered the creation of a modern transportation and telecommunications infrastructure. The country has also been negatively impacted by climate change, particularly in terms of its effects on agriculture, water and marine resources, and biodiversity. However, the country also has some untapped potential in the areas of agricultural diversification, fisheries (the potential production is estimated at 85,000 tons of fish annually), and ecotourism. Environmental protection is one of the four areas included in the United Nations Development Programme for Comoros, along with combating poverty, governance, and controlling human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
As of 2022, nearly all energy in Comoros comes from fossil fuels. The country also has very low levels of energy generation and consumption. Only about 8 percent of the population has electricity, which is only available on three islands: Grande Comore, Moheli, and Anjouan. This severely limits the country's economic development. The country has the potential to produce energy through ocean thermal energy conversion (using the difference between the surface temperature of the ocean and the temperature at a depth of 3,280 feet or 1,000 meters), and also has good potential to be a producer of solar energy, should the costs of photovoltaic technology be reduced sufficiently in the future.
Bibliography
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Tene, Magloire Fopokam. "Energy Crisis in Africa: The Case of Comoros." The Urban Media Lab, 16 May 2022, labgov.city/theurbanmedialab/energy-crisis-in-africa-the-case-of-comoros/. Accessed 30 July 2024.
Union of the Comoros: Country Strategy Paper 2016–2020. EARC Department, African Development Bank Group, Mar. 2016. African Development Bank Group, www.afdb.org/en/documents/document/comoros-2016-2020-country-strategy-paper-87573/. Accessed 30 July 2024.