skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Electricity in the developing countries: Trends in supply and use since 1970

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6100512· OSTI ID:6100512

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of historic trends and the current situation concerning electricity supply and consumption in the developing countries (LDCs). While these countries still account for a relatively modest share of world electricity production, their demand for electricity is growing at a much faster rate than that of the industrialized countries. Thus, the power sector in the LDCs will become increasingly important as a consumer of energy ad a producer of carbon dioxide. The share of world electricity production account for by the developing countries grew form 11% in 1970 to 20% in 1986 (See Figure 1.1). The average annual growth rate for LDC electricity production in this period --- 8.4% --- was over twice the rate of 3.8% recorded in the ''developed'' countries (OECD and others). The share of LDC electricity production derived from fossil fuels has remained at about 65% since 1970 (See Figure 1.2). In contrast, the fossil fuel dependency of electricity production in the industrialized countries has declined from 76% to 64% as a result of growing use of nuclear power. In the LDCs as in the industrialized countries, there has been a shift away from oil to coal, natural gas, and to a lesser extent, nuclear power. 7 refs., 23 figs., 16 tabs.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
6100512
Report Number(s):
LBL-26166; ON: DE89013390
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English