Year over year, purchases of globally imported electricity accelerated by 123.6% compared to $28.97 billion for 2020.
The 5 biggest buyers of imported electricity are European nations Italy, Germany, France, United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Combined, that powerful quintet bought 36.4% worth of total electricity imports during 2021.
From a continental perspective, countries in Europe accounted for the highest dollar worth of imported electricity during 2021 with purchases costing $51.1 billion or almost four-fifths (79%) of the world total. In second place were Asian importers at 8.3%. Another 5.2% of electricity imported worldwide was delivered to customers in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, with a further 5% going to North America.
Buyers in Africa bought 2.6% worth of imported electrical energy, but Oceania including Australia and New Zealand imported no electricity at all.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2716 for electrical energy.
Top 15 Electricity Importers by Country
Below are the 15 countries that spent the most on imported electricity during 2021.
- Italy: US$6.4 billion (9.9% of total electricity imports)
- Germany: $5.6 billion (8.6%)
- France: $3.99 billion (6.2%)
- United Kingdom: $3.96 billion (6.1%)
- Switzerland: $3.6 billion (5.6%)
- Hungary: $3.6 billion (5.6%)
- Brazil: $2.9 billion (4.4%)
- Spain: $2.8 billion (4.3%)
- United States: $2.6 billion (4.0%)
- Austria: $2.3 billion (3.5%)
- Finland: $2.05 billion (3.2%)
- Thailand: $2 billion (3.1%)
- Belgium: $1.9 billion (3.0%)
- Denmark: $1.6 billion (2.5%)
- Lithuania: $1.3 billion (2.1%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for electricity since 2020 were: Denmark (up 570.3%), France (up 374%), United Kingdom (up 319.7%) and Spain (up 282.3%).
Thailand posted the most modest advance in its imported electricity purchases, up by 12.9% year over year.
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 72.1% of all electricity imported in 2021.
Electricity Imported into Italy
Italy’s global purchases of imported electricity totaled US$6.41 billion in 2021. Below are the top suppliers from which Italy imported the highest dollar value worth of electricity during 2021. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2020 to 2021.
- France: US$2.9 billion (up 251% from 2020)
- Germany: $2 billion (up 203.6%)
- Czech Republic: $617.3 million (up 282.1%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $402.2 million (up 544.1%)
- Bulgaria: $214.1 million (up 1017.7%)
- Switzerland: $147.1 million (up 173.6%)
- Slovenia: $61.9 million (up 544.1%)
- Malta: $2.8 million (up 3232.5%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 100% of electricity imported by Italy in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of electricity to Italy from 2020 to 2021 were: Malta (up 3232.5%), Bulgaria (up 1017.7%), Slovenia (up 544.1%) and Bosnia/Herzegovina (up 544.1%).
Overall, the value of Italy’s imported electricity rose by an average 257% from all supplying countries from 2020 when electricity purchased cost $1.8 billion.
Electricity Imported into Germany
Germany’s global purchases of imported electricity totaled US$5.56 billion in 2021. Below are the top suppliers from which Germany imported the highest dollar value worth of electricity during 2021. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2020 to 2021.
- France: US$984.2 million (up 71.4% from 2020)
- Denmark: $957.9 million (up 189.7%)
- Czech Republic: $783.8 million (up 354.3%)
- Netherlands: $753.1 million (up 81.2%)
- Austria: $663.5 million (up 94.9%)
- Norway: $457.6 million (up 4,710%)
- Switzerland: $419.5 million (up 24.3%)
- Sweden: $275.4 million (up 128.9%)
- Belgium: $230.1 million (up 1,249%)
- Poland: $39.1 million (up 5,366%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 100% of electricity imported by Germany in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of electricity to Germany from 2020 to 2021 were: Poland (up 5,366%), Norway (up 4,710%), Belgium (up 1,249%) and the Czech Republic (up 354.3%).
Overall, the value of Germany’s imported electricity increased by an average 140% from all supplying countries from 2020 when electricity purchased cost $2.3 billion.
Electricity Imported into France
France’s global purchases of imported electricity totaled US$3.99 billion in 2021. Below are the top suppliers from which France imported the highest dollar value worth of electricity during 2021. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2020 to 2021.
- Belgium: US$1.2 billion (up 586.1% from 2020)
- Spain: $1 billion (up 240.3%)
- Germany: $748.2 million (up 545.3%)
- Switzerland: $575.4 million (up 231.4%)
- United Kingdom: $353.8 million (up 452.8%)
- Italy: $122.2 million (up 618.2%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 100% of electricity imported by France in 2021.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of electricity to France from 2020 to 2021 were: Italy (up 618.2%), Belgium (up 586.1%), Germany (up 545.3%) and United Kingdom (up 452.8%).
Overall, the value of France’s imported electricity expanded by an average 374% from all supplying countries from 2020 when electricity purchased cost $842.4 million.
Electricity Imported into the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom’s global purchases of imported electricity totaled US$3.96 billion in 2021. Below are the top suppliers from which the UK imported the highest dollar value worth of electricity during 2021. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2020 to 2021.
- France: US$2 billion (up 320.7% from 2020)
- Belgium: $1 billion (up 383.4%)
- Netherlands: $818.4 million (up 354%)
- Ireland: $153.3 million (up 81.1%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 100% of electricity imported by Britain in 2021.
Among the above countries, the growth of electricity supplied to the United Kingdom from 2020 to 2021 came from: Belgium (up 383.4%), Netherlands (up 354%), France (up 320.7%) and Ireland (up 81.1%).
Overall, the value of United Kingdom’s imported electricity accelerated by an average 319.7% from all supplying countries from 2020 when electricity purchased cost $943.6 million.
Searchable List of Electricity Importer Countries in 2021
The 97 major importers of electrical energy from international markets accounted for 100% of electricity imported worldwide during 2021.
| Rank | Importer | Electricity Imports | 2020-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Italy | $6,408,587,000 | +257% |
| 2. | Germany | $5,564,260,000 | +140% |
| 3. | France | $3,993,028,000 | +374% |
| 4. | United Kingdom | $3,960,078,000 | +319.7% |
| 5. | Switzerland | $3,648,207,000 | +192% |
| 6. | Hungary | $3,616,678,000 | +184.4% |
| 7. | Brazil | $2,874,958,000 | +90.4% |
| 8. | Spain | $2,788,685,000 | +282.3% |
| 9. | United States | $2,621,129,000 | +36.6% |
| 10. | Austria | $2,288,657,000 | +126.8% |
| 11. | Finland | $2,045,839,000 | +186.5% |
| 12. | Thailand | $2,000,904,000 | +12.9% |
| 13. | Belgium | $1,935,682,000 | +267.9% |
| 14. | Denmark | $1,588,660,000 | +570.3% |
| 15. | Lithuania | $1,336,982,000 | +193.2% |
| 16. | Portugal | $1,287,525,000 | +445% |
| 17. | Romania | $1,153,445,000 | +179.3% |
| 18. | Czech Republic | $1,121,016,000 | +120.2% |
| 19. | Poland | $1,053,913,000 | +20.9% |
| 20. | Slovenia | $1,039,596,000 | +212.4% |
| 21. | Slovakia | $885,312,000 | +27.8% |
| 22. | Hong Kong | $855,746,000 | +6.5% |
| 23. | Croatia | $821,029,000 | +86.7% |
| 24. | Sweden | $797,752,000 | +123.4% |
| 25. | Estonia | $777,473,000 | +159.8% |
| 26. | Norway | $608,757,000 | +796.4% |
| 27. | Latvia | $510,146,000 | +213.1% |
| 28. | Canada | $505,511,000 | +178% |
| 29. | Macao | $498,811,000 | +15.4% |
| 30. | Bangladesh | $460,463,000 | +8.4% |
| 31. | Greece | $411,084,000 | +1.8% |
| 32. | Ireland | $386,857,000 | +358.2% |
| 33. | Argentina | $306,036,000 | +6% |
| 34. | South Africa | $292,725,000 | +20.8% |
| 35. | China | $248,415,000 | +39.8% |
| 36. | North Macedonia | $245,280,000 | +39.8% |
| 37. | Namibia | $238,542,000 | 0% |
| 38. | Cambodia | $220,230,000 | -21.1% |
| 39. | Mozambique | $217,204,000 | +20.3% |
| 40. | Serbia | $165,817,000 | +201.5% |
| 41. | Mongolia | $160,208,000 | +13.1% |
| 42. | Eswatini | $154,850,000 | +122.8% |
| 43. | Zimbabwe | $152,095,000 | -1.2% |
| 44. | Afghanistan | $149,383,000 | -13% |
| 45. | Burkina Faso | $146,762,000 | +3.3% |
| 46. | Uzbekistan | $136,568,000 | +11.9% |
| 47. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $131,274,000 | +132.2% |
| 48. | Bulgaria | $121,311,000 | +31.1% |
| 49. | Botswana | $117,768,000 | -40.3% |
| 50. | Mexico | $113,558,000 | +9.1% |
| 51. | Albania | $105,872,000 | +34.9% |
| 52. | El Salvador | $97,011,000 | +32.4% |
| 53. | Malta | $94,118,000 | +234.7% |
| 54. | Guatemala | $92,281,000 | +14.5% |
| 55. | Kazakhstan | $89,599,000 | +64.9% |
| 56. | Ukraine | $86,170,000 | -34.5% |
| 57. | Indonesia | $77,552,000 | -35.3% |
| 58. | Dem. Rep. Congo | $71,434,000 | +4927% |
| 59. | Montenegro | $70,403,000 | +72.7% |
| 60. | Laos | $66,675,000 | -27.2% |
| 61. | Vietnam | $66,523,000 | -61.6% |
| 62. | Niger | $60,798,000 | +18.7% |
| 63. | Lesotho | $57,364,000 | 0% |
| 64. | Georgia | $54,026,000 | -30% |
| 65. | Türkiye | $54,009,000 | -2.8% |
| 66. | Tunisia | $53,076,000 | +778.5% |
| 67. | Morocco | $45,634,000 | +101.1% |
| 68. | Iraq | $43,837,000 | +4529% |
| 69. | Andorra | $40,681,000 | +102.1% |
| 70. | Pakistan | $39,027,000 | +12.1% |
| 71. | Jordan | $29,989,000 | +47.2% |
| 72. | Kenya | $29,205,000 | +615.6% |
| 73. | Russia | $25,387,000 | +12.3% |
| 74. | Syria | $23,148,000 | +508.4% |
| 75. | Libya | $18,398,000 | -48.9% |
| 76. | Tajikistan | $16,739,000 | +226.8% |
| 77. | Armenia | $16,250,000 | +21.8% |
| 78. | Myanmar | $13,836,000 | +7.1% |
| 79. | Netherlands | $13,013,000 | 0% |
| 80. | Kyrgyzstan | $9,965,000 | +686.5% |
| 81. | Colombia | $7,335,000 | -88.5% |
| 82. | Azerbaijan | $6,069,000 | +21.2% |
| 83. | Ecuador | $4,609,000 | +13867% |
| 84. | Moldova | $4,181,000 | 0% |
| 85. | Uruguay | $4,123,000 | -92.5% |
| 86. | India | $3,745,000 | 0% |
| 87. | Malawi | $3,335,000 | -24.4% |
| 88. | Malaysia | $2,157,000 | +84.5% |
| 89. | Uganda | $1,826,000 | -9.7% |
| 90. | North Korea | $44,000 | -95.1% |
| 91. | Turkmenistan | $9,000 | 0% |
| 92. | Congo | $6,000 | +500% |
| 93. | Chile | $2,000 | 0% |
| 94. | Oman | $2,000 | -83.3% |
| 95. | United Arab Emirates | $2,000 | -66.7% |
| 96. | Nigeria | $1,000 | -93.3% |
| 97. | Palestine | $1,000 | -100% |
Focusing on all importers of electricity, the fastest-growing buyers of imported electricity from 2020 to 2021 were Ecuador (up 13,867%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (up 4,927%), Iraq (up 4,529%), Norway (up 796.4%) then Tunisia (up 778.5%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the above table’s columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that 2021 data was unavailable.
See also Electricity Exports by Country, Italy’s Top Trading Partners, Germany’s Top Trading Partners, France’s Top Trading Partners and United Kingdom’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on August 29, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on August 29, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 29, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 29, 2022
