Check out our Energy Dossiers and Energy Database for more information about the composition and organization of the energy sector for different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. All of the information presented in this summary was obtained from the Antigua and Barbuda Energy Dossier, which discusses the challenges and opportunities for the energy sector in the country.
Antigua and Barbuda is a country that encompasses several small islands and two larger islands. The two largest islands cover 443 square kilometers and are home to a population of 89,985 people. With its warm climate and beautiful scenery, the island’s tourism industry dominates the national economy, making up 60% of its GDP. Antigua and Barbuda is the wealthiest of the Eastern Caribbean states and has a high level of development, ranking 61st out of 187 countries on the 2013 Human Development Index.
Energy Mix of Antigua and Barbuda:
Antigua and Barbuda has achieved near universal access to energy and electricity for all its citizens. However, the abundant use of energy coupled with the country’s exclusive reliance on imported fossil fuels has created significant and increasing macroeconomic challenges. With no domestic production of primary energy in 2012, its fuel import costs as a share of GDP are among the highest in the Caribbean and also worldwide. In 2012, oil import costs accounted for 15.1% of its GDP, well above the Eastern Caribbean average of 8.6%, but down from its peak of 24.5% in 2008. While Antigua and Barbuda has on average 268 hours of sunlight per month, off- or on-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are only in limited use. However, solar energy has considerable potential and is already widely used to heat water.
Antigua and Barbuda does not produce any hydrocarbon resources and has no refining capacity. Its hydrocarbon subsector imports oil products for use in electricity generation and transportation. Due in large part to Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism industry, the country’s economy is heavily reliant on the transportation sector. Air and marine travel, as well as private motor vehicles, account for the largest share of overall energy consumption. The total energy supply in Antigua and Barbuda reached 5,076 barrels of petroleum equivalent per day (boe/day) in 2012.
Apart from a very limited number of off-grid solar PV and wind systems, electricity is supplied entirely by diesel generation, by the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (the APUA) and one independent power producer (IPP), the Antigua Power Company Limited (APC). Electricity on Antigua is provided by five power plants with an installed capacity of 117.9MW. An additional 7.2MW, owned and operated by the APUA, are installed on Barbuda. Antigua and Barbuda has the highest per capita consumption of electricity of the Eastern Caribbean states despite having the highest electricity prices.
Institutional Organization of the Energy Sector:
The Public Utilities Act of 1973 – and its updated versions of 1993 and 2004 -which governs the electricity sector, grants the APUA the exclusive right to generate, distribute, supply, and sell electricity within Antigua and Barbuda. It also gives the APUA the right to grant permission to third parties to operate as independent power producers. The Renewable Energy Act of 2015 is Antigua and Barbuda’s latest effort to reform the energy sector and create a clear and transparent regulatory framework. It aims to reduce foreign exchange spent on petroleum fuel imports, and to allow engineers to build expertise in the renewable energy technologies and the APUA to become involved in the renewable energy sector. It aims to reduce pollution and CO2 emissions.
For more information about the energy mix of other Eastern Caribbean countries, consult the following Dossiers: