Between September 2024 and August 2025, Croatia's electricity consumption reflected a strong reliance on low-carbon sources, with more than two-thirds of its electricity, specifically about 68%, generated from such sources. Hydropower contributed to approximately 38%, and wind made up around 20%, representing significant domestic low-carbon production. Solar energy and biofuels added an equivalent of nearly 7% combined, while unspecified renewables accounted for close to 2%. Fossil energy sources continued to represent a notable portion, with gas contributing slightly more than half of the fossil energy at around 16%, while coal's share was negligible, around 4.5%. Net imports of electricity reached about 12%, indicating a moderate level of dependency on external sources to meet the country's electricity demands.
Is Electricity Growing in Croatia?
The data suggests a troubling trend in Croatia's electricity consumption and generation. In 2025, the total electricity consumption per person was 3944 kWh, which significantly decreased from the previous high of 5019 kWh per person in 2024. This decline of 1075 kWh per person indicates a contraction in electricity consumption. Furthermore, low-carbon electricity generation also saw a reduction, from 3085 kWh per person in 2023 to 2666 in 2025, showing a decrease of 419 kWh per person. These declines highlight a concerning downturn in Croatia's electricity growth, emphasizing the need for immediate attention to reverse this trend through strategic energy planning, particularly by expanding sustainable sources.
Suggestions
To increase low-carbon electricity generation, Croatia should consider expanding wind energy, which is already a substantial contributor. Learning from regions with a robust wind installation, such as Iowa and South Dakota in the United States, where wind energy comprises 62% and 60% of their respective electricity generation, could provide valuable insights. Simultaneously, Croatia might explore enhancing solar energy, inspired by countries like Lebanon and Nevada, where solar contributes a significant portion of their energy mix. Additionally, although nuclear energy is not currently part of Croatia's portfolio, looking at successful countries like Slovakia and France, where nuclear energy accounts for around 64% and 69% of electricity generation, respectively, could guide Croatia in considering nuclear energy as a potent option to boost its low-carbon electricity supply.
History
The history of low-carbon electricity in Croatia, particularly hydropower, has seen fluctuations over the decades. The 1990s started with significant changes, with increases in hydropower seen in 1991 and 1996, interrupted by decreases in 1992 and 1997. The early 2000s saw a mix of rises and falls, with notable increments in 2004 and dips in 2007. Towards the end of the decade, there were additional increases in 2009 and 2010, followed by a substantial decrease in 2011. The more recent decade showcased a strong rebound in 2013 and mixed trends, with an increase in 2018 and 2023, but declines seen in intervening years. Despite the variable past, the ongoing challenge in Croatia is to achieve a stable and growing supply of low-carbon electricity by learning from successful clean energy adaptations globally.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.