7 April 2024 – The Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ), with the support of about dozen organizations active in citizen energy, ahead of the elections for representatives in the Croatian Parliament and the European Parliament, has sent requests for the development of energy communities and citizen energy in Croatia to the leading political parties.
Energy communities have been introduced into the Croatian legal framework on the basis of EU directives from the “Clean Energy for All Europeans” package of measures with the aim of enabling citizens to actively participate in the energy market. Energy communities enable citizens, entrepreneurs and public institutions to directly take the production of energy from renewable sources into their own hands and thus become more energy independent, save energy, become more resilient to crises and have a positive impact on the local communities in which they live and operate.
Since the introduction of energy communities into the Croatian legal framework in 2021, it was only in the spring of 2024 that the first energy community was established, with significant efforts and expenditure of human and financial resources of a small group of experts over the course of one year. The reason for this is the complicated process and the lack of support in the establishment and later development of the community. This is especially problematic because energy communities should enable citizens without experience in the energy sector to invest in and use the benefits of renewable energy, yet such conditions could discourage them the most.
In response, ZEZ and partner organizations have sent four priority requests to leading political parties based on surveys (HDZ, SDP, Možemo – We Can, Most – the Bridge, Domovinski pokret – Homeland Movement) regarding the development of energy communities and citizen energy in Croatia:
- Simplify and make the registration process for energy communities affordable for groups of citizens who are not (energy) experts and establish a support system for this process.
- Ensure financial support for energy communities from available funds, applying state aid rules to mitigate the risks associated with energy community projects and encourage their development and stable growth.
- Enable energy communities to easily reduce electricity bills for their members through energy production, directly share energy with members and enter into energy purchase contracts directly with other market actors.
- Make cities and municipalities leaders in the development of citizen energy by ensuring the inclusion of citizens and energy communities in renewable energy projects in public spaces and on rooftops.
The energy transition entails significant societal changes that cannot be successfully achieved without the support and recognition of the role of citizens and local communities. Renewable energy sources, such as sun, wind, water or geothermal energy, are available to all as common goods, and their use through energy community projects, aimed at meeting basic energy needs, guarantees that the energy produced and the benefits achieved will be retained in our local communities, which is in everyone’s interest.
In addition to these requirements, ZEZ is at the disposal of all interested political candidates for additional information and consultation on the topic of energy communities and citizen energy, in order to find solutions for their rapid and efficient development in Croatia.
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The letter we sent to the political parties has been signed by: Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ), ZEZ Sun, Croatian Energy Transition (HET), Energy Cooperative Apsyrtides, Society for Sustainable Development Design (DOOR), REGEA – North-West Croatia Regional Energy and Climate Agency, Island Movement, Energy cooperative NOVI OTOK KORČULA, Association Without Borders, Greenpeace in Croatia, Green Network of Activist Groups (ZMAG), My Energy Community – MEC.