How does Iraq generate electricity?

Iraq's electricity generation primarily depends on fossil fuels. In 2021, natural gas was the largest source at 57.3% of the total, followed by oil at 36.7%. Renewable energy, mainly from hydroelectric power, contributed 5.9%. As of 2023, the 30 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity cannot meet summer peak demand.

Is Iraq a good country for solar energy?

Iraq holds abundant oil and gas resources and has strong solar PV potential. Its production to 2030 is set to be the third largest contributor to global oil supply. By the same year, the government expects that renewable capacity will amount for 5% of the country’s total system capacity.

Does Iraq have a reliable electricity grid?

Now, two decades after the 2003 US invasion, Iraq has failed to see improvements in the electricity infrastructure. Although the disparity between supply and demand is widening due to population increase and rising temperatures, corruption remains the largest obstacle to a reliable electricity grid.

Who are China's oil companies in Iraq?

China’s influential energy entities, including China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), have been entrenched in Iraq for years, marking a significant transformation of international oil companies within the nation.

Does Iraq have a good energy system?

Today, the majority of Iraq’s population has grown up in a system that has promised to deliver on energy improvements, but changes in the standard of living have rarely materialized.

Does Iraq have natural gas?

Iraq’s proven gas reserves are the twelfth-largest in the world, but the country lacks the means to efficiently capture natural gas and leverage the resource into electricity. The country flares huge quantities of methane gas associated with oil and gas extraction.