Green Energy Puts Down Roots in Croatia

Written by Andrey Bibarsov: Croatia Correspondent

Croatia has huge potential for green energy which is as yet being under-utilised, especially when it comes to solar, geothermal and wind power.  The country currently produces a considerable percentage of its energy from renewable sources which is mainly due to hydroelectric power stations, but still has to buy about 30% of its energy.  However the prospect of renewable energy is beginning to attract overseas investors, who are especially interested in wind energy.

The first windmill power plant was only built in 2004 on the island of Pag, and there are already two new wind energy plants in the Sibenik region on the coast which were built by Enersys, a German company which were built in 2006 and 2007.  There are another one hundred designated zones across Croatia, although they are mainly concentrated in the Dalmatia coastal area.

It is a completely different story for solar energy as it has no systematic support, even some experts believe it would make greater sense for the country to invest in this area, particularly in the south.  There are currently nearly 700 applications for renewable energy projects, which if they were all completed would result in an output of 6500 MW which is more than the existing distribution system can cope with.  However getting permission is extremely slow, as a simple home solar system requires more than 60 certificates, including one for good conduct.

Despite these factors the outlook for renewable energy in Croatia does look good, and is a necessary part of EU requirements, and the country has pledged to meet 20% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.