Electricity in Serbia in 2022
In 2022, fossil fuels, primarily coal, provided two thirds of Serbia's consumed electricity. Coal alone represented approximately 60%, dominating the country's energy mix, while natural gas provided for a little under 5%. Hydropower, as the main source of low-carbon energy, represented roughly 22%, followed by wind at 4%. In comparison, solar power and biofuels had a negligible contribution, leading to a total low-carbon production of 27%. Beyond domestic production patterns, Serbia also imported a significant portion of its electricity, accounting for roughly 8% of its total consumption, with the peak value of net imports reaching 89%.
Suggestions
To increase its share of low-carbon electricity, Serbia could focus its efforts on a mix of nuclear and wind capacities. Taking cues from France, Ukraine, and Slovakia, all of which generate more than half their electricity using nuclear energy, Serbia could consider investing in nuclear infrastructure. Similarly, considering the successful implementation of wind energy in countries like Denmark that generates as much as 52% of its electricity from wind, Serbia could increase wind energy production. It's also important to note countries with comparable population and economy sizes such as Belgium, Slovenia, and Czechia, demonstrating promising low-carbon records with nuclear constituting up to 57% of their electricity mix.
History
The history of low-carbon electricity in Serbia has mainly revolved around hydropower contributions since the early 90s. Electricity generation experienced a minor increase in 1991, followed by a decrease in 1993 and small successive increases till 1997 after which it saw a significant drop in 2000. While the early 2000s saw minor fluctuations, there was a notable decrease in 2011. Despite mixed progress over the last two decades of the 21st century, Serbia's hydropower generation has admittedly seen a declining trend overall, with the clearest recent decrease being in 2022. This continues to point towards the necessity for diversification in the low-carbon energy sector for Serbia moving forward.