Electricity in Slovenia in 2022
Currently, Slovenia's electricity consumption leans towards a green transition as more than half of the country’s electricity, 65.38% to be precise, is generated from low-carbon sources. Nuclear power holds the major share at 38.39% of total electricity generated, followed by hydropower at 21.91%. Fossil energy accounts for just over a quarter, 25.76%, with coal being the major contributor at 22.05%. Gas, biofuels, and new renewable sources (solar and wind) together account for a tiny part, making up just a little more than 8%. Furthermore, Slovenia imports almost 9% of its electricity, a value that occasionally peaks to as much as 89%, indicating a dependence on foreign sources.
Suggestions
To increase its low-carbon electricity generation, Slovenia could look into expanding its existing nuclear infrastructure. Nuclear power has proven to be a substantial and reliable source of clean electricity in countries like France and Slovakia, which generate 61% and 57% of their electricity from nuclear, respectively. Additionally, considering Slovenia's potential for windy conditions, it could incrementally incorporate wind energy into its grid. Europe provides ample successful examples of wind integration, with Denmark leading by generating a staggering 52% of its electricity from wind. Parallelly, Slovenia could also gauge feasibilities for scaling solar energy. Lessons could be learnt from Chile and El Salvador where solar contributes to 17% of the electricity.
History
Historically, low-carbon electricity in Slovenia has seen a fluctuating trend especially in the case of hydropower and nuclear power. The 1990s saw the hydropower generation increase by 0.7 TWh in 1991 but the nuclear generation dipped by 1 TWh in 1992. After a brief rise in 1994, the nuclear generation experienced a more significant fall in the early 2000s, with a decline of 0.7 TWh in 2012. The mid-2010s were critical as both hydro and nuclear power saw significant decreases of 2.3 TWh and 0.7 TWh respectively in 2015. Since then, hydro has mainly been fluctuating, with an overall decline in 2022 by 1.5 TWh. Recent years have seen a fall in nuclear generation with a decrease of 0.6 TWh reported in 2021. Despite the peaks and troughs, Slovenia's commitment to low-carbon electricity has remained steadfast.