Balkan solar set to more than double to 7.2 GW in 2025
Date: August 17th 2023
Author: Maja Žuvela
Category: En.vision
Topic:
Electricity
, Renewables
, Energy policy
, En.vision
Total solar capacity in the Balkans should increase from 3,356 MW in 2022 to 7,184 MW by the end of 2025, an overview published by the SolarPlaza consultancy this month shows.
In the report, SolarPlaza says that photovoltaic capacity in 2022 accounted for 14.1% of the region's total renewable energy capacity, marking a notable increase from the 10.1% recorded in 2021.According to the consultancy, Bulgaria with 1,948 MW and Slovenia with 771 MW stood out as the countries with the highest installed solar capacity, respectively accounting for 32.1% and 30.7% of their total renewables fleets.
SolarPlaza forecasts a 66% expansion of solar capacity in Bulgaria to 2,784 MW by the end of 2025, while Slovenia’s capacity is expected to triple to 2,046 MW.
Meanwhile, the rollout of solar is expected to increase from 208 MW to 789 MW in Croatia, from 137 MW to 352 MW in Serbia, from 114 MW to 267 MW in North Macedonia and from 107 MW to 279 MW in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
The forecast for Albania, a net power importer which relies almost exclusively on hydropower, indicates that its solar capacity will increase from 29 MW to 98 MW, while coal-reliant Kosovo is expected to raise its solar capacity from 20 MW to 78 MW. The solar capacity of the region’s smallest nation, Montenegro, is expected to nearly quadruple to 78 MW by the end of 2025.
In the Balkan states, hydropower remains the most prevalent renewable energy source, making up 72.8% of the region's total renewable energy capacity. Wind energy accounts for 11.5%.
In 2022, more than 53% of the region’s electricity was generated by fossil fuels, while the share of renewables was 32.7%, according to SolarPlaza.
This article is available also in Slovene.
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