What are the opportunities for energy access in Liberia?

Additionally, adopting off-grid and mini-grid solutions presents another opportunity for energy access in Liberia . Given the challenges of extending the central grid to remote areas, off-grid and mini-grid systems offer cost-effective alternatives. Some of the energy sources utilized in Liberia are summarized in Table 3. Table 3.

How will Liberia achieve universal access to electricity by 2030?

The country will need to invest heavily in energy infrastructure to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030 . The primary energy sources in Liberia are traditional biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal, which account for more than 80 % of the country's total energy consumption [5, 12, 13].

What is the residential sector in Liberia based on?

The residential sector in Liberia heavily relies on traditional biomass, primarily wood and charcoal, for cooking and heating . According to IRENA, in 2019, biomass accounted for ∼100 % of the total final energy consumption (TFEC) in Liberian households , as illustrated in Fig. 7.

What are the challenges to energy access in Liberia?

The primary challenge to energy access in Liberia is the limited and underdeveloped energy infrastructure. The lack of adequate power generation, transmission, and distribution systems contributes to this low access rate. The electrification rate is significantly lower in rural areas, where most of the population resides .

How can Liberia reduce its dependency on imported fuels?

To overcome these challenges, Liberia has been exploring alternative solutions to reduce its dependency on imported fuels for thermal power generation. One strategy is to diversify the energy mix by increasing the share of domestic renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, for electricity generation.

How can Liberia improve energy reliability?

As exemplified by Liberia's import initiatives, regional energy cooperation should be considered to bolster energy reliability. Engineers are advised to optimize energy mixes, incorporating wind, biomass, and solar energy into existing grids, and developing mini-grid initiatives for rural areas to address energy access challenges.