13 March, 2024 – After the opening of its first call for members, the ZEZ Sun cooperative raised €140,000 in just ten days through citizen memberships, securing full funding for the citizen-owned solar power plant project at the City Market in Križevci. As members of ZEZ Sun, both individuals and legal persons will become co-owners of the solar power plant and earn returns from the energy produced. ZEZ Sun is inspired by citizen energy initiatives operating throughout Europe, which are also supported by the European Union in the form of energy communities. In practice, ZEZ Sun represents the first example of an energy community in Croatia.
The first call for ZEZ Sun members, which opened on 1 March with the support of the Green Energy Cooperative, the City of Križevci and the KLIK Energy Cooperative, received responses from 108 citizens by 11 March, of which 93 were new and 15 were existing members of the cooperative. Križevci residents and locals were given priority in the first seven days, contributing €33,000 or a quarter of the necessary funds, while in just three days following the opening of the call for the rest of the country, citizens from other cities quickly secured the remaining €107,000.
“We are thrilled by the quick response to our first membership call. This shows that people recognize the value of this initiative and have given it a chance. We invite other cities across Croatia to do the same – offer their public rooftops to citizens and thus ensure that the value of solar energy, usable in every part of our country, is retained locally,” said Mislav Kirac, Manager of ZEZ Sun.
“I wish to thank everyone who responded to the first membership call in the ZEZ Sun energy cooperative and thus enabled the collection of funds for the construction of a solar power plant at the City Market. Citizen support for this project confirms that they have recognized the importance of the energy transition and decided to take energy into their own hands. This is the involvement that we promote in Križevci, for citizens to voluntarily and without any pressure create their own future. I am glad that Križevci was the first city to implement this project, which confirms that we are really the leader of the energy transition in Croatia. I would like other municipalities and cities in Croatia to follow our example, because Croatia is full of potential for such projects. You just need to be brave and seize the opportunity provided by renewable energy sources. Križevci recognized this opportunity. With the support of its residents, energy independence becomes a reality,” said Mario Rajn, Mayor of Križevci.
The installation and commissioning of the 200kW solar power plant at the City Market in Križevci is planned by autumn 2024. The energy produced in the solar plant at the City Market will be sold by ZEZ Sun on the market, with part of the profits distributed to members and the remainder invested in socially beneficial projects The long-term goal is for members to use the energy produced by cooperative-owned solar plants in their households or businesses. ZEZ Sun will open calls for members periodically after contracting new projects.
The cooperative invites citizens interested in membership and investment to express their interest using the form on the ZEZ Sun website to be among the first to learn about new calls for members.