As evidenced by the data research Euronews shows that Moldova has a net import ratio of 81.4%, while leading Luxembourg has a net import ratio of 83.4%. This indicator reflects the share of imported energy in total consumption.
Of the 35 European countries included in the study, 13 were net exporters of electricity in 2024 and 21 were net importers, according to Eurostat. Cyprus was the only country that did not record imports.
The average for EU member states was -0.5%, indicating that on average they export more than they import. Leading the way in terms of exports exceeding imports was Sweden at -27%, followed by France at -22%. Slovenia, Norway, Slovakia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Austria also have a solid positive balance. Romania with +6.5% is among the countries with a slight excess of imports over exports. Ukraine was not included in the study.
The publication notes that indicators can vary from year to year. Especially in countries with a high share of renewable energy. For example, Greece was a net importer at 10% in 2023 and became a net exporter in 2024 with a total of -0.6%. Similarly, Croatia’s net imports increased sharply from 10% to 26% over the same period.
Center for European Reform (CER) researcher John Springford, meanwhile, believes that countries that depend on gas to set the price of electricity will import more of it.
“Countries where gas is most often the marginal producer will become larger net importers. As the price of gas is higher and gas consumption is higher there, these countries will find that they have to import more gas from cheaper foreign power plants,” he said.
For her part, Rina Bole Zeller, head of the EU energy policy program at Agora Energiewende, noted that Germany was a net exporter of electricity for two decades before becoming a net importer of electricity in 2023. This continued into 2024.
Reasons for this shift include “higher carbon prices that have made German coal less competitive on the European market” and “the decommissioning of three nuclear reactors,” Zeller explained.
