Over the past twelve months, spanning from September 2024 to August 2025, Cyprus relied heavily on fossil fuels for its electricity consumption. The majority of electricity, more than three-quarters, came from fossil sources, specifically oil, highlighting a significant dependence on non-clean energy sources. On the brighter side, low-carbon energy made up a substantial portion, accounting for over a quarter of the total electricity generation. Within the low-carbon segment, solar power emerged as a predominant contributor with its share exceeding one-fifth of the total electricity generation. Meanwhile, wind energy played a smaller role, supplying a modest fraction of the country's electricity needs, less than five percent. The combination of solar and wind energy signals a positive step towards sustainability, though there remains ample opportunity to enhance clean energy contributions to Cyprus's electricity mix.
Is Electricity Growing in Cyprus?
Electricity consumption per person in Cyprus reveals a downward trend when juxtaposed against historical benchmarks. The latest figures indicate that per-capita consumption stands at 3669 kWh, witnessing a noticeable decline of over 1000 kWh compared to the peak reached in 2010, where it was 4726 kWh per person. This drop indicates that Cyprus's electricity consumption is far from keeping pace with global growth expectations and increasing demand driven by electrification and advances in technology such as AI. Additionally, low-carbon electricity generation per person has also seen a slight reduction recently, now producing 947 kWh per person versus a previous high of 1000 kWh noted a year earlier in 2024. This minor setback emphasizes the urgent need for strategic investment and expansion in low-carbon electricity generation to meet future energy needs sustainably.
Suggestions
To amplify its low-carbon electricity generation, Cyprus should prioritize the expansion of its successful solar energy infrastructure, given its significant contribution to the current energy mix. Benchmarking against regions globally renowned for their clean energy output can offer valuable insights. Cyprus can draw inspiration from countries excelling in solar and nuclear energy generation. For instance, Slovakia and France derive a large portion of their electricity from nuclear power, establishing robust energy systems with a low carbon footprint. Centralizing efforts to mimic their models for nuclear energy could offer Cyprus a dual benefit of environmental conservatism and energy security. Recognizing the success of wind-generated electricity in Iowa and Denmark — where wind interaction reaches noteworthy levels beyond fifty percent of their total electricity — might also illuminate pathways for Cyprus to maximize its wind energy potential.
History
In the past decades, Cyprus's journey with low-carbon electricity generation has seen incremental improvements, especially in solar power. The early 2010s marked the initiation of wind power, but development stagnated shortly thereafter. A minor drop in wind capacity in 2014 was quickly overshadowed by solar energy's ascension. From 2015 onward, solar energy witnessed consistent growth, achieving robust year-on-year increments, particularly between 2021 and 2024, where the generation consistently increased each year. However, in 2025, solar advancements plateaued, and wind energy saw no growth. This historical narrative underscores a need for Cyprus to act decisively in rekindling its wind energy initiatives while maintaining its momentum in solar expansion, driving the nation towards a more sustainable and diversified low-carbon energy portfolio.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.