While solar panels shimmer across rooftops in Germany and Croatia, Serbia’s skies remain largely untapped.
Only 0.1% of Serbian households have embraced the role of ‘prosumer’—citizens who produce renewable electricity for personal use and return the surplus to the grid. Compare that with 0.8% in Croatia and a soaring 12% in Germany.
According to a new study by the Centre for Energy Analysis (CEA), Serbia’s rich solar potential remains underexploited due to bureaucratic red tape, weak infrastructure, limited financial incentives and low public awareness.
Though legal frameworks for prosumers were introduced in 2021, uptake has stalled. As of the end of 2023, Serbia trailed its regional neighbours in installed solar capacity.
Experts warn that without urgent reforms, Serbia risks missing a key opportunity to decarbonise and democratise its energy sector—just as the rest of Europe surges ahead.
