Albania has achieved an impressive milestone: **100% of its electricity comes from low-carbon sources**. Over the last 12 months, from June 2025 through May 2026, hydropower supplied about 83% of electricity and solar provided the remaining 17%, with none coming from fossil fuels. The next challenge is to extend this clean-electricity success to transport, heating and industry through electrification. That transition will require much more electricity, helping reduce fossil-fuel use, climate impacts and air pollution across these sectors.

Is Electricity Growing in Albania?

Electricity consumption in Albania is growing and has reached a new record. The latest 2026 figure is about **3,610 kWh per person**, roughly 270 kWh—or 8%—above the previous record of around 3,340 kWh in 2025. Low-carbon electricity generation also reached 3,610 kWh per person, exceeding its previous record of about 3,160 kWh in 2023 by roughly 450 kWh, or 14%. These gains are encouraging: expanding clean electricity is essential to support electrification and future demand, including from AI and other digital services.

Suggestions

Albania can build on this progress by expanding solar, which already supplies around one-sixth of its electricity. More rooftop installations and larger solar projects could increase clean generation, while investment in electricity networks and storage would help deliver that additional output where and when it is needed. Alongside its established hydropower base, Albania should also consider nuclear electricity as a potential longer-term option for further expanding its low-carbon supply.

History

Albania’s low-carbon electricity history shows substantial hydropower growth interrupted by sharp, concerning declines. Generation rose by 1.5 TWh in 1996. In the 2000s, declines of 1 TWh in 2001 and 2.6 TWh in 2007 were interspersed with gains, including successive increases from 2008 through 2010 totaling nearly 5 TWh. The 2010s remained uneven: generation fell by 3.4 TWh in 2011, recovered in 2013, declined again in 2014, and grew in 2015–2016. A 3.3 TWh fall in 2017 was followed by a strong 4 TWh rebound in 2018, then another 3.3 TWh decline in 2019. More recently, gains of 3.6 TWh in 2021 and 1.8 TWh in 2023 alternated with declines in 2022 and 2024, before a welcome 1.4 TWh increase in 2026. This uneven record reinforces the value of expanding solar and broadening Albania’s clean-electricity supply.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Jun 2025 – May 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.