Electricity in Estonia in 2023/2024

Over the past 12 months, Estonia's electricity consumption has been marked by a significant reliance on net imports, which account for nearly 40% of the total electricity used from October 2023 to September 2024. The remaining electricity generation is roughly evenly split between low-carbon and fossil energy sources. Low-carbon electricity makes up approximately 30%, with solar, wind, and biofuels contributing 11.8%, 11%, and 7.4%, respectively. Fossil energy, on the other hand, contributes close to 30% as well, including oil at 23% and coal at almost 6%. This diverse energy mix reflects Estonia's ongoing efforts to balance the transition toward cleaner energy while still depending on traditional fossil fuels.

Suggestions

To further increase its low-carbon electricity generation, Estonia can build on its already substantial wind and solar capacity. Denmark's success in generating 61% of its electricity from wind shows the potential of further expanding wind energy. Similarly, Greece achieves 22% of its electricity from solar power, demonstrating the feasibility of scaling up solar energy production. Estonia could also take lessons from nuclear energy leaders in Europe; for instance, France generates 67% of its electricity through nuclear power. By fostering partnerships with countries like Finland (39% nuclear) and Slovenia (33% nuclear), Estonia could accelerate its nuclear development, providing a steady and clean energy source to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and imports.

History

The history of low-carbon electricity in Estonia shows a modest but steady growth, with some fluctuations. The journey began with a focus on biofuels, which saw incremental increases from 2009 through the mid-2010s. Between 2009 and 2010, biofuels grew by 0.3 and 0.4 TWh respectively, though there was a slight dip in 2013 and 2022. Wind power's journey began gaining traction in 2017 and 2020, with modest increases of 0.1 and 0.2 TWh. Solar energy started to pick up more recently, from 2020 onwards, with steady increases of 0.2 and 0.3 TWh in 2022 and 2023. Despite a recent decline in biofuels by 0.7 TWh from 2023 to 2024, the combined growth in wind and solar indicates a promising direction towards a sustainable energy future. Expanding these clean energy sources can make Estonia less dependent on imports and fossil fuels.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Maximum Imports

Data Sources