Lithuania currently generates a significant portion of its electricity from low-carbon sources. In 2024, low-carbon and clean energy made up nearly 47% of Lithuania's electricity supply, a commendable effort towards reducing carbon emissions. Wind energy has made a substantial contribution to this share at around 26%, supported by solar and biofuels at about 11% and 6% respectively, with a minor contribution from hydropower at approximately 3%. However, about 42% of Lithuania's electricity is imported, indicating potential for further domestic development of clean energy to improve energy security. Meanwhile, fossil sources contribute a relatively small fraction, almost 11%, with gas making up a little over 6% of that. It is evident that Lithuania is transitioning towards a greener electricity grid, but more efforts are needed to decrease dependence on fossil fuels and imports.
Is Electricity Growing in Lithuania?
When examining the historical context, Lithuania's electricity consumption in 2024 reveals some concerning trends. The per capita electricity consumption stands at approximately 4,399 kWh, a significant drop from the 1991 peak of 7,933 kWh. This dramatic decline of over 3,500 kWh suggests a substantial contraction, which is worrying in the context of anticipated growth in electricity demand. Furthermore, low-carbon electricity generation per person has decreased significantly by 2,763 kWh since its 2003 peak of 4,824 kWh. These figures underscore the need for Lithuania to accelerate the growth of its clean electricity output to meet both current and future demand effectively while aiming to maintain sustainability.
Suggestions
To enhance low-carbon electricity generation, Lithuania should focus on expanding its existing wind and solar capabilities, as these areas have already shown promising results. Lessons can be learned from regions like Denmark and Iowa, where wind power contributes over 50% to the electricity mix, proving the scalability and reliability of wind energy. Similarly, Lithuania could take cues from countries like Lebanon and Greece for solar energy improvements since these nations demonstrate successful integration of solar energy into their electricity grids. Additionally, incorporating nuclear energy, as seen in countries like Slovakia, where nuclear contributes a remarkable 62% to electricity generation, could significantly bolster Lithuania’s green electricity supply. Embracing nuclear alongside solar and wind would ensure a balanced and robust low-carbon energy portfolio for the country.
History
Looking at the historical trends, Lithuania's journey with low-carbon electricity generation has seen significant changes over the decades, particularly with nuclear energy. In the late 1980s, there was notable growth in nuclear generation, increasing by several terawatt-hours each year. However, the early 1990s saw a sharp decline, with a few brief resurgences in the mid-1990s. The most critical drop occurred in 2005 with a reduction of almost 5 TWh, signaling a retreat from nuclear. Since then, Lithuania’s focus appears to have shifted, with modest growth in wind energy that has been observed in the most recent years, including small increments in 2023 and 2024. For a sustainable energy future, Lithuania needs to draw lessons from this history and aggressively pursue strategies to not only regain but also expand its clean electricity capabilities through wind, solar, and nuclear investments.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.