Croatia’s renewable surge lifts output, but imports still cover a meaningful slice of demand

Croatia’s renewable energy build-out continued to gain momentum last year, but the country’s power balance still depends on external supply as demand climbs. Electricity generation from renewable sources excluding hydropower surpassed 5 TWh for the first time in 2025, pushing renewables’ share of national electricity demand to 26.5% and signaling steady progress in the energy transition.

Demand growth keeps pressure on the system

Even with stronger renewable production, total electricity consumption rose. National demand exceeded 19 TWh in 2025 for the first time, representing a slight increase versus the previous year. The implication for investors and grid planners is straightforward: higher consumption can absorb new clean generation quickly, limiting how much it reduces reliance on imports unless capacity additions outpace demand growth.

Imports remain a structural feature

Croatia imported around 3,095 GWh of electricity during the year, covering roughly 16% of total demand. That level of import coverage highlights persistent structural dependence on external supply despite domestic gains.

Renewables dominate domestic generation, but not sufficiency

Data cited by the Croatian Renewable Energy Association show total electricity production reached 13,437 GWh in 2025. Renewables accounted for nearly three quarters of that figure—about 9,955 GWh—confirming that clean sources have become the dominant component of domestic generation. Still, overall domestic output was not sufficient to fully match rising consumption.

Wind and solar lead expansion

Within Croatia’s renewable mix, wind and solar recorded the strongest growth. Wind power output increased by 482 GWh and solar generation rose by 494 GWh compared with the prior year. Together, those technologies supplied about 4,198 GWh—nearly 22% of total national consumption—reinforcing their role in driving recent additions.

Industry warns deployment pace must accelerate

Despite these advances, industry representatives caution that the current rate of renewable deployment is not yet enough to meaningfully reduce dependence on imported electricity or to fully replace fossil-fuel-based generation. They argue that Croatia needs to accelerate development of new renewable capacity so that future growth can reshape the country’s overall energy balance rather than simply tracking increases in demand.