Based on production we measure on our own installations between Zadar and Sibenik. Updated September 2026.
Short answer: A well oriented solar system on the coast between Zadar and Sibenik produces roughly 1,200 to 1,250 kWh per installed kWp per year. A 10 kWp system therefore delivers around 12,000 kWh, of which nearly half arrives between May and August. The same system near Munich would produce around 10,000 kWh, near Hamburg closer to 9,000, and in Ireland or the Netherlands about 8,500 to 9,500.
Where the number comes from
Most yield figures on installer websites are taken from simulation software. Ours are not, or at least not only. Two commercial systems we built and monitor, a 35.49 kWp installation in the Murvica Donja business zone and a 51 kWp installation on a supermarket roof in the Plovanija district of Zadar, produced approximately 106,000 kWh between them over a year. That is 86.49 kWp producing roughly 1,225 kWh for every installed kWp. You can see both on our reference page.
A residential roof with a less than perfect angle, some shading from a chimney and a little more dust will land slightly lower. A clean, well angled, unshaded south facing array will land slightly higher. As a planning figure, 1,200 kWh per kWp is honest for this coast.
Month by month: what a 10 kWp system delivers near Zadar
| Month | Expected output | Share of the year |
|---|---|---|
| January | approx. 450 kWh | 4 % |
| February | approx. 620 kWh | 5 % |
| March | approx. 950 kWh | 8 % |
| April | approx. 1,150 kWh | 10 % |
| May | approx. 1,380 kWh | 12 % |
| June | approx. 1,470 kWh | 12 % |
| July | approx. 1,580 kWh | 13 % |
| August | approx. 1,440 kWh | 12 % |
| September | approx. 1,120 kWh | 9 % |
| October | approx. 820 kWh | 7 % |
| November | approx. 520 kWh | 4 % |
| December | approx. 400 kWh | 3 % |
| Year | approx. 11,900 kWh | 100 % |
Scale it linearly for other sizes. A 5 kWp system halves every figure, a 20 kWp system doubles them.
The detail that decides whether it pays
Look at the table again, not as production but as a calendar. Between May and August the system delivers about 5,900 kWh, half the year’s output, and that is precisely the window when a house on the Adriatic is occupied, air conditioned and, if there is a pool, running a pump six hours a day.
This matters because Croatia uses net billing. Electricity you consume as you produce it replaces power worth roughly 0.13 to 0.18 EUR per kWh. Electricity you export is credited at roughly 0.04 to 0.07 EUR per kWh. The July peak is worth three times more if somebody is in the house than if the house is empty. Everything we write about holiday homes and rental property follows from this single fact.
What changes the yield, in order of importance
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Shading | The largest and most underestimated factor. A chimney, a neighbouring pine, an antenna mast. A single shaded panel can drag down a whole string unless the system is designed with optimisers or module level electronics. We survey this specifically. |
| Orientation | Less dramatic than people expect. South is best, but south east or south west loses only a few per cent. A pure east west split on a flat roof loses around 15 per cent of annual output and gains a flatter daily curve, which for a rental property is often a better trade. |
| Tilt angle | Around 30 to 35 degrees is optimal at this latitude. A flat roof with panels at 10 to 15 degrees loses roughly 5 per cent but stands up better to the bura and needs less spacing between rows. |
| Heat | Panels lose efficiency as they heat up, and a roof in Dalmatia in August is genuinely hot. This is why the August figure in the table is lower than July despite similar sunshine. Good ventilation behind the modules is worth real kilowatt hours here, and it is one of the things a mounting system designed for northern Europe does not prioritise. |
| Dust and salt | A few per cent a year near the coast. The autumn rain cleans most of it. Systems on unpaved roads or near cement works benefit from an occasional wash. |
Compared with home
| Location | Annual yield per kWp | 10 kWp produces |
|---|---|---|
| Zadar and Sibenik coast | approx. 1,200 to 1,250 kWh | approx. 12,000 kWh |
| Munich, southern Germany | approx. 1,000 to 1,050 kWh | approx. 10,000 kWh |
| Vienna | approx. 1,000 to 1,100 kWh | approx. 10,500 kWh |
| Hamburg, northern Germany | approx. 900 to 950 kWh | approx. 9,200 kWh |
| Netherlands | approx. 900 to 950 kWh | approx. 9,200 kWh |
| Ireland and northern UK | approx. 800 to 900 kWh | approx. 8,500 kWh |
Figures for other countries are typical values for a well oriented roof and are given for comparison. The practical consequence: the same hardware, the same investment, 20 to 40 per cent more electricity out of it.
Thinking about solar on your Croatian property?
Send photos of the roof and the fuse board and we will tell you what fits, what it produces and what it costs. In English, within 24 hours.
Ask SOENSOFrequently asked questions
How much electricity does a 10 kW solar system produce in Croatia?
Around 12,000 kWh a year on the coast between Zadar and Sibenik, with roughly half of it between May and August and a July peak of about 1,580 kWh.
How many kWh per kWp does a solar system produce in Dalmatia?
Roughly 1,200 to 1,250 kWh per installed kWp per year. We measure about 1,225 across our own monitored commercial installations near Zadar.
Does a solar system produce anything in winter in Croatia?
Yes. December is the weakest month at around 4 per cent of annual output, roughly 400 kWh for a 10 kWp system, but the system runs every month of the year.
Is a south facing roof necessary?
No. South east and south west lose only a few per cent. An east west split on a flat roof loses about 15 per cent but produces a flatter daily curve, which often suits a house that uses electricity all day.
Why is August lower than July?
Heat. Panel efficiency falls as module temperature rises, and August roof temperatures in Dalmatia are at their highest. Good ventilation behind the modules reduces the loss.
