In 2023, Hungary's electricity consumption was largely driven by low-carbon energy sources, with nuclear leading the way. Nuclear energy contributed to over a third of Hungary's power, while other low-carbon sources, including solar and biofuels, accounted for almost 15% of electricity generation. Importantly, nearly half of Hungary's electricity was sourced from low-carbon energy. Fossil fuels, on the other hand, played a notably smaller role, with gas, coal, and others making up just under a quarter of the country's electricity needs. It's also worth noting that Hungary was net importer, resulting in over a quarter of its electricity being sourced from abroad.
To further boost low-carbon electricity generation, Hungary can look in two main directions - expanding its existing nuclear and solar capacities, and learning from the successes of similar nations. Countries like France and Slovakia, which generate over 60% of their electricity from nuclear power, can serve as remarkable models of success. Likewise, Denmark, which generates a stunning 59% of its power from wind energy, and Uruguay, where wind represents 40% of power generation, can also offer useful insights into successful wind energy programs. It's clear that Hungary has the potential to significantly up-scale its low-carbon energy production across these key areas.
Looking back at Hungary's history of low-carbon electricity, there's been notable success, particularly with nuclear energy. In the mid 1980s, there were significant increases in nuclear power generation, reaching its peak in 1987 with a growth of 3.6 terawatt hours (TWh). However, there was a moment of decline in 2003 when nuclear power generation decreased by 2.9 TWh. Despite this, the following years brought increment growth in nuclear power, reaching a high of 1.9 TWh in 2005. Meanwhile, solar power made a late but robust entry in 2019, with its generation increasing consistently in the following years. On the contrary, the contribution of biofuels to low-carbon electricity has seen a recent decline in 2023, as it dropped by 1.3 TWh. This represents areas of both triumph and challenge for Hungary in its journey towards a more sustainable electricity sector.