From September 2025 through August 2026, low-carbon sources supplied about 59% of Croatia’s electricity consumption—more than half. Hydropower contributed almost 30%, wind about 16%, solar roughly 9%, and biofuels around 5%. Fossil fuels supplied about 19%, primarily gas at 13% and coal at roughly 5%. Net imports accounted for the remaining 22%; their low-carbon or fossil composition is not specified in these figures. Croatia therefore has a substantial clean electricity foundation, but fossil generation and imports still meet a sizeable part of its electricity needs.

Is Electricity Growing in Croatia?

The latest figures show Croatia’s electricity consumption retreating rather than reaching a new high. In 2026, consumption stood at about 4,790 kWh per person, down 313 kWh—or roughly 6%—from the record of 5,103 kWh in 2025. Low-carbon electricity generation was about 2,830 kWh per person, around 287 kWh—or 9%—below its 2023 record of 3,120 kWh. These declines relative to historic peaks are concerning: growing clean electricity supplies will be important for electrification and future demand, including from AI.

Suggestions

Croatia can strengthen its low-carbon electricity supply by expanding wind, which already contributes about one-sixth of its electricity, while accelerating solar and pursuing additional nuclear generation through domestic or regional projects. Denmark, where wind generates 57% of electricity, and Ireland, at 35%, demonstrate how much further wind can grow. Nearby Hungary and North Macedonia offer useful solar examples, generating about 22% and 20% of their electricity from solar, respectively. For nuclear, neighbouring Slovenia generates 40% of its electricity from this clean source, while Slovakia reaches roughly two-thirds. These regional examples offer Croatia practical inspiration for a larger, more diverse clean electricity supply that reduces dependence on fossil fuels and their climate and air-pollution impacts.

History

The supplied history shows large swings in Croatia’s hydropower generation. In the 1990s, increases of 1.6 TWh in 1991 and 2.2 TWh in 1996 were followed by a 2 TWh decline in 1997, before a 1.3 TWh recovery in 1999. The 2000s also alternated between losses and gains, including a 2.2 TWh increase in 2004 and a 1.9 TWh decline in 2007. In the 2010s, the sharpest fall was 4.1 TWh in 2011, followed by a strong 3.7 TWh rebound in 2013; further declines in 2015, 2017 and 2019 surrounded a 2.3 TWh increase in 2018. More recently, gains in 2021 and 2023 were interrupted by declines, with hydropower falling by 1.4 TWh in 2024 and another 1.2 TWh in 2025. This uneven record reinforces the case for expanding wind, solar and nuclear alongside Croatia’s substantial hydropower base.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

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