As Southeast Europe (SEE) embraces the transition to a greener, more sustainable energy landscapфe, the rise of prosumers is fundamentally reshaping the region’s renewable energy dynamics. The renewable energy market is growing rapidly, driven by ambitious EU climate goals and evolving national strategies. However, this transformation is not uniform across the region, with Greece, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia having distinct strategies but sharing the common goal of decarbonising the energy sector.
The 2025 Renewable Energy Industry in Southeast Europe Analysis offers an in-depth analysis of how SEE countries are navigating the region’s green energy shift, with a specific focus on prosumers—self-generating consumers who are playing an increasingly pivotal role in expanding solar energy capacity.
Кey Insights:
- The Rise of Prosumers: Prosumers are decentralising energy generation and improving grid resilience. Romania and Greece are leading in prosumption, while national approaches vary, with some nations embracing models that encourage both self-consumption and the sale of surplus energy, while others focus solely on self-consumption.
- National Targets and Progress: The analysis tracks each SEE country’s commitment to the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) targets for 2030. Greece and Croatia lead in ambition, while achievement levels in 2024 ranged from 58.8% in Greece to 75.6% in Serbia.
- Solar Power Leading the Charge: Solar energy is growing rapidly, accounting for at least 80% of renewable capacity growth in 2024 in four of the five nations. The analysis explores capacity expansions, the impact of prosumer solar installations and potential reshuffling of the energy mix.
- Grid and Storage Enhancements: Greece leads budget allocations for grid upgrades, followed at a distance by Romania. Pumped hydro storage (PHS) is the dominant storage system in most countries, while most plans prioritise battery storage.
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