Energy Production Potential of Afghanistan: Balancing Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy for National Electrification and Energy Independence

The world is transitioning towards renewable energy sources to decarbonize the energy supply and meet the growing global energy demand. In 2023, the global investment in renewable energy reached $1.8 trillion. The progress towards renewable energy in Afghanistan is unclear, and its potential is not clearly identified when compared to non-renewable energy sources. Additionally, the country relies heavily on imported electricity, leading to numerous negative trade-offs in its energy policies and infrastructure. Therefore, this review aims to analyze Afghanistan's energy sector, encompassing demand, access, production, and development, as well as its renewable energy resources, performance, and sustainable impact on the nation. Findings show that Afghanistan has also made progress in small-scale solar projects, as the share of solar energy reached 9.64% in 2022. However, the per capita access to electricity is only 100 kWh, the lowest in the world, and only 20 percent of electricity comes from domestic resources, which are dominated by hydropower. Afghanistan's renewable energy resource potential, including solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, and biomass power, exceeds 300,000 MW. This potential not only meets domestic electricity demand but also could be exported to neighboring countries. Among all these resources, solar energy is the most efficient and cost-effective. Afghanistan is accelerating its renewable energy transition, and the country's authorities must put a strong focus on solar energy, hydropower, and natural gas power sources for a sustainable future and energy security, rather than coal-fired power sources. The information gathered will help policymakers focus on domestic renewable energy to enhance Afghanistan's energy independence