Gambia's energy consumption

Official Name: Republic of The Gambia.

Summary: Gambia, a small country in western Africa, has experienced rapid population and economic growth. The country relies on a mix of energy sources, and substantial investment is being made to increase energy generation from solar, wind, and biogas.

Although the Ministry of Energy was not established until 2007, Gambia has an extensive history of managing energy production and consumption. In 1980, a presidential decree was signed to ban production of charcoal due to an alarming rate of deforestation. The same year, the main power station was transferred to an area with substantial population growth in order to meet demand and reduce transmission costs.

In 1982, an initiative was taken to improve cooking stoves to reduce firewood consumption, and the production of briquettes made from groundnut shells began as an alternative to charcoal. The Gambia Renewable Energy Centre (GREC) was established soon thereafter, in 1985. GREC was developed to seek collaboration with interested companies, individuals, development charities, and research entities and to explore and promote solar energy, biomass, and wind power. Also in 1985, a biogas program was introduced to generate energy from animal waste, and a bulk storage facility and sea terminal were constructed to import liquefied petroleum gas as a substitute for fuel wood. Butane gas, beginning in 1992, has also been promoted as a firewood substitute.

Consumption and Production

As of 2021 only about 69 percent of Gambians had access to electricity, with only 28 percent of the rural population having electricity. The country needs a generating capacity of about 100 megawatts (MW) but only has about 40 MW. The Ministry of Energy is responsible for the implementation of government policy in relation to electricity supply and distribution, water management, petroleum products, and renewable energy growth. The ministry works to increase petroleum exploration, improve and expand efficiency, promote alternative domestic fuels, reduce dependence on imported products, increase research and development, provide energy security, promote conservation, protect forest resources, and minimize environmental damage.

The current energy sources for the country include fuel wood, petroleum, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and renewable energy. Fuel wood, or firewood, is the most commonly used energy resource in the country, accounting for 80 percent of total energy consumption in Gambia. More than 714,000 tons of firewood were used annually to meet the energy demands of 90 percent of the country’s population. Of the total amount consumed, 60 percent was used for cooking in rural populations. Early recognition and concern on the part of the government for the depletion of forests due to fuel wood sourcing has led to a licensing procedure for producers and sellers of fuel wood, who are allowed to source their product only from dead trees. Truckloads are also regulated through the licensing process. The Fuelwood Venders Association was established in 1996 to represent roughly 3,000 individuals involved in the trade.

Electricity generation in Gambia was estimated at 304 million kilowatt-hours in 2016, all of it from fossil fuels. Petroleum consumption was at 3,800 barrels per day in 2016, with no dependence on natural gas or coal. The annual consumption of LPG in the late 1990s was 1,350 metric tons, with a substantial increase to 2,000 metric tons within a few years thereafter. Imports of LPG come mostly from Senegal. Although household consumption makes up the majority (85 percent) of LPG consumption, the hotel industry is also a considerable consumer.

Renewables based on technologies such as solar photovoltaics, biomass from agricultural waste (such as sawdust, groundnut shells, and straw), windmills, and hydropower are being encouraged and expanded for commercial and domestic use. The government energy policy framework is promoting expansion of efficient, reliable, and affordable energy that can supply the needs of the people and be produced in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner. Regionally, Gambia is a member of the Gambia River Basin Development Organization (Organisation de Mise en Valeur du Fleuve Gambia, or OMVG), which is working on a project in 2023 that will provide 128 MW of hydroelectric power in the Gambia River basin. In April 2023, the country completed its first large solar energy facility in Jambur. It had a capacity of 23 MW and reduced the Gambia's reliance on fossil fuels.

While the government promotes renewables, Gambia also recognizes the need to increase generating capacity to 100 megawatts to meet growing demand for electricity. However, the government is not able to afford investments to improve the highly inefficient transmission system: An estimated 40 percent is lost during transmission and from unmetered consumption. Foreign and local partnerships to improve transmission will increase efficiency and reduce high costs. Other strategies being promoted by the government as a means for reducing costs, increasing accessibility and reliability, and mitigating impact on the environment include a more conducive legal and regulatory framework, increased partnerships with the private sector, and increased participation of independent power producers.

Bibliography

“Energy Sector in Gambia.” Gambia Information Site, http://www.accessgambia.com/information/energy-sector.html. Accessed 2 Aug. 2024.

"The Gambia's Energy Transition: From Solar Power to Green Hydrogen." Energy, Capital, & Power, 3 May 2024, energycapitalpower.com/the-gambia-solar-energy-green-hydrogen/. Accessed 2 Aug. 2024.

US Energy Information Administration. “Country Analysis Brief: Gambia, The.” http://www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=GA. Accessed 2 Aug. 2024.