From July 2025 to June 2026, almost half of North Macedonia’s electricity consumption came from low-carbon sources, while about 41% came from fossil fuels and 10% was covered by net imports. Hydropower supplied roughly 24%, solar 20%, and wind nearly 5%, together forming the clean electricity share. Coal supplied about a quarter of electricity consumption and gas around 14%, leaving substantial scope to replace fossil electricity and reduce climate-changing emissions and air pollution. The data does not identify the generation sources behind net imports, so they should be considered separately.

Is Electricity Growing in North Macedonia?

The latest figures do not show electricity consumption reaching new heights: in 2026, consumption was about 3,860 kWh per person, roughly 770 kWh—or 17%—below the record of 4,624 kWh set in 2011. Low-carbon electricity generation was about 1,900 kWh per person, just 11 kWh below its 2025 record of 1,911 kWh, indicating near-stagnation relative to that peak. These record comparisons do not establish the full recent consumption trend, but they highlight the need for renewed growth, especially in clean electricity, to support electrification and future demand from AI and other digital infrastructure.

Suggestions

North Macedonia should build on solar’s already substantial contribution by expanding rooftop installations and larger solar projects, alongside grid upgrades and storage. The US states of Nevada and California, where solar generates about 35% and 31% of electricity respectively, illustrate the potential for a larger solar contribution. Nearby Greece and Croatia, with wind supplying roughly 21% and 16% of electricity, offer relevant examples for expanding wind beyond North Macedonia’s current share. Nuclear should also be considered as a source of dependable low-carbon electricity: nearby Bulgaria and Slovenia generate about 38% and 40% of their electricity from nuclear, while Slovakia reaches roughly two-thirds. Learning from these regions could help North Macedonia pursue a stronger mix of solar, wind, hydropower, and nuclear through domestic projects and regional cooperation.

History

Historically, North Macedonia’s low-carbon electricity generation has been marked by fluctuating hydropower output. In the 1990s, hydro increased by 0.4 TWh in 1991, fell by 0.3 TWh in 1993, and recovered by 0.3 TWh in 1999. The 2000s brought further swings, including declines of 0.5 TWh in 2001 and 0.6 TWh in 2007, alongside gains of 0.6 TWh in 2003 and 0.4 TWh in 2009. A strong 1.2 TWh increase in 2010 was followed by losses totaling 1.4 TWh in 2011–2012; subsequent gains in 2013, 2015, and 2018 alternated with declines in 2014, 2017, and 2019. More recently, solar delivered encouraging increases of 0.5 TWh in 2024 and 0.9 TWh in 2025. Its disappointing 0.4 TWh decline in 2026 was only partly offset by a 0.3 TWh hydropower increase, reinforcing the importance of sustained clean electricity expansion.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

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