We help citizens to participate in planning, decision-making and investments in locally available energy sources. We are developing several models that will enable citizens to invest in renewable energy projects in their local communities through connecting them with public and private sector.

We believe that every community can produce energy from locally available sources and thus be less depend on imported oil and gas, be energy-independent. We plan, develop and implement concrete solutions and projects for the development of energy-efficient communities such as cities, islands or camps. From education to counseling on the application of good practice.

Every fifth citizen of Croatia lives at risk of poverty, and at least every fourth household has problems paying monthly bills for electricity and heating. We have designed in cooperation with local administrations, educational institutions, employment services and social care centers education program for energy advisers within which we provide support in carrying out education and organization of public work for energy consultants who are working in the field and implementing simple energy efficiency measures in private households. Field data show that, with minimum savings measures, annual accounts are reduced by at least 10%, and the potential is even higher. We are able to provide these services to our partners.

We are developing and supporting the work of energy cooperatives and local energy initiatives in Croatia and the region of the Western Balkans. In Croatia, for now, there are only a dozen energy cooperatives, and in the European Federation of Energy Cooperatives there are more than 1250 members that gather more than a million people. This is our vision.

We believe that state-owned electric power companies do not have to be completely untouchable and without contact with citizens, except when paying a monthly electricity bill. We are developing, researching and proposing innovative business models for electric power companies based on the involvement of the local community and strengthening the opportunities for cooperation between the local community and the electric power industry.

The fact is that today blockchain technology is what the ’90s have been to the internet. Our experts actively explore and apply blockchain technology in the energy sector. We are looking into using it for the purpose of democratizing the electricity market, developing micro-networks, ie, small distribution systems (microgrids) and P2P (peer-to-peer) systems for sharing and trading electricity among consumers. We also cooperate with the SolarCoin Foundation, which deals with the introduction of blockchain-based crypto coins. We advise clients in integrating SolarCoin and using innovative models for financing renewable energy projects.

Crowdfunding is one form of alternative financing with which we have many years of experience. We provide support and advice in planning and launching crowdfunding campaigns. The members of the ZEZ are also co-founders of Crowdfunding Academy, the most successful long-term crowdfunding project in Croatia through which dozens of teams have passed, and more than 20 successful campaigns have collected several million kunas. We offer professional and practical knowledge in the field of alternative financing to our clients, and we are currently developing other alternative financing services, such as group investing (crowdinvesting) or micro-crediting (crowd lending) that will soon be available to citizens of the Republic of Croatia.

We introduce and promote a certification system of quality and biofuel sustainability. We participate in the European project Biomasud plus, which is working on the energy exploitation of biological residues from agriculture in the Mediterranean. Why would a bunch of olives or vines be thrown or composted, if we can get pellets from which we will heat our houses in the winter when the cold wind hits?