CONTEXT
With its ambition and achievement of energy and climate goals, Croatia lags behind the leading countries of the European Union, which is confirmed by the latest revision of the European Commission’s draft Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).
An important role in the transition to renewable energy is played by energy communities introduced by the European Union in 2019 through directives as part of the “Clean Energy for All” package of measures inspired by the civic energy movement and energy cooperatives operating across Europe over the past few decades.
In Croatia, there is currently a discrepancy in transposing the provisions of the directives, which almost prevents the use of the potential of energy communities for energy transition and the enjoyment of the right to actively participate in the energy market that Croatian citizens have as citizens of the European Union.
WHAT ARE ENERGY COMMUNITIES AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
Energy communities enable citizens, entrepreneurs and the public sector to invest in renewable energy projects and take an active role in the energy market. They represent an alternative to commercial energy companies and are characterized by open and voluntary participation (membership), direct ownership of citizens, cooperation with local small and medium-sized enterprises and with local self-government units and democratic governance.
An important difference between commercial energy companies and energy communities is a commitment to socio-economic and environmental benefits for the community – and the benefits for the energy community are more important than making a profit.
Energy Communities:
- enable citizens to be involved in making decisions about their own energy produced, its use and prices, thereby protecting them from crises;
- contribute to increasing awareness and knowledge of more efficient use of energy and changing the behavior and lifestyle habits of their members towards more sustainable;
- contribute to the diversification of energy sources and the uptake of renewable sources in local communities;
- cooperate with social services to address energy poverty;
- create local “green” jobs and contribute to long-term energy savings;
- can bring two to eight times the return on the local economy than external investor projects (surveys in France and Germany);
- play an important role in fostering a stronger, healthier, more resilient and energy self-sufficient society;
- they can contribute to financing the energy transition – their capacity is up to 240 billion by 2030.
SITUATION IN CROATIA
Although they were introduced into the Croatian legal framework by the Law on the Electricity Market and the Law on Renewable Energy Sources and High-Efficiency Cogeneration, energy communities are very difficult to put into practice. The process of establishing energy communities is complicated, and the imposed obligations in registration represent insurmountable obstacles for groups of citizens who do not have the support of professional institutions and financial resources.
From 2021, when energy communities were introduced into the Croatian legal framework, until spring 2024, only one civic initiative managed to obtain a license to perform activities, with the support of several experts and the consumption of significant financial and human resources.
PRIORITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY COMMUNITIES AND CITIZEN ENERGY IN CROATIA
The energy transition can only succeed in the cooperation of all actors, and citizens must be at its center, so we call on all candidates participating in the elections for the Croatian Parliament and the Elections for the European Parliament in 2024 to dedicate these four priorities so that energy communities and civic energy quickly and efficiently come to life in practice in Croatia.
- Make the process of registering energy communities simple and affordable for groups of citizens who are not (energy) experts and establish a support system in this process.
- Provide financial support to energy communities from available funds with the application of state aid rules in order to mitigate the risk of energy community projects and encourage their development and stable growth.
- Ensure that energy communities can easily reduce their electricity bills to their members through energy production, share energy directly with members and conclude energy purchase agreements directly with other actors on the market.
- To make cities and municipalities at the forefront of the development of civic energy by ensuring the involvement of citizens and energy communities in renewable energy projects in public areas and roofs.
THE ENERGY TRANSITION MUST BE FAIR AND BENEFICIAL FOR ALL CITIZENS
Energy transition implies significant changes in society that are impossible to achieve successfully without the support and recognition of the role of citizens and local communities. One of the fresh examples is the significant jump in energy prices, which has influenced the growth of citizens’ living costs and growth of energy poverty. In Croatia, this jump is mitigated by a package of measures of the Government of the Republic of Croatia that subsidizes energy prices, but it is temporary and does not represent a systemic solution. An inclusive approach that starts from the needs of citizens and the community is how we can ensure a fairer transition and acceptance of change towards renewable energy sources
Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, water or geothermal energy are available to everyone as common goods, and their use through energy community projects, in order to meet basic energy needs, guarantees that the energy produced and thus the benefit achieved will be retained in our local communities.
SIGNATORIES OF THE REQUEST:
For the past ten years, the Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ) has been supporting citizens and local communities in investing in renewable sources, energy efficiency and technologies that contribute to the decarbonization of the energy system. ZEZ has implemented the first civic energy projects in Croatia and is a member of the European Federation of Energy Cooperatives of Citizens REScoop.eu. – https://www.zez.coop/
ZEZ Sunce is a European energy cooperative that brings together citizens for joint, long-term and non-speculative investment in solar power plants in order to create positive social, environmental and economic values in their community. ZEZ Sunce is through its first member call in March 2024. raised EUR 140,000 for the construction of a 200 kW solar power plant owned by citizens. – https://www.zez.coop/zez-sunce/
Croatian Energy Transition (HET) is an initiative and interactive online open access platform that provides all interested stakeholders with an insight into the methodology of long-term planning of smart energy systems with the Republic of Croatia as a case study. – https://het.hr/
Apsyrtides energy cooperative operates in the Cres-Lošinj islands and brings together local self-government units, the business sector and citizens. The goal of the cooperative is to provide support and enable its members and the local community to participate in energy transition projects and to be an example to other island communities. The cooperative is unique in Croatia in that it is a member of two cities, Cres and Mali Lošinj.
The Society for Sustainable Development Design (DOOR) is an association of experts engaged in promoting sustainable development in the field of energy. Our mission is to promote the principles of sustainable development in all segments of society, at the local, regional and national level, primarily in the field of energy and climate, and we actively work with local communities to become leaders of the energy transition. – https://www.door.hr/
REGEA – North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency is an institution focused on providing advice and innovative solutions in the energy and environmental protection sector with projects throughout the European Union. – https://regea.org/
The Island Movement, an informative and educational platform that contains in one place all the information necessary to initiate and participate in the energy transition on croatian islands with a special focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and the importance of the participation of islanders in the process of energy transition. – www.otoci.eu
Energy cooperative NOVI OTOK KORČULA works to help citizens on activities to increase energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources by implementing energy renovation projects, educating people of all ages about energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, and environmental protection projects prioritizing “green” energy and sustainable development in cooperation with local institutions.
The North Adriatic Energy Community is an association founded by 20 members (citizens, entrepreneurs and NGOs) with the aim of producing, sharing and smartly managing renewable energy consumption – https://ezsj.hr.
The Association Without Borders (WB) has been active for 12 years on the development of the local community in the Rijeka neighborhood of Drenova. WB is the initiator and holder of numerous HR and EU projects, and among others, he has been working for years on the promotion of citizen energy and sustainable development. The project of reconstruction of the Community Center Drenova should be particularly emphasized, where numerous events and education are held for the needs of the local population and entrepreneurs. WB is currently a partner on the three-year LIFE DISCOVER project, where a One-Stop-Shop is currently being established in this space to support the establishment of energy communities in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County – https://energija.bezgranica.hr.
Greenpeace in Croatia – Greenpeace is an independent global environmental NGO. It has been operating in Croatia since 2012. – www.greenpeace.hr
The Green Network of Activist Groups (ZMAG) is an association that brings together organic gardeners, practitioners of applicable technologies and environmental construction, permaculture designers, researchers of fair social models of organization and equal interpersonal relations, and environmental activists. – https://www.zmag.hr/
My Energy Community – MEC is the first formally established energy community in Croatia. – https://www.myenergycommunity.hr/
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