Croatia can fully transition to using only renewable electricity by 2030, according to Greenpeace. The organization presented its study: 100% Renewable by 2030 – A Plan for the Green Transition of Croatian Power Sector in the country’s capital Zagreb. Political will is the precondition for materializing the goal, it said.
The study was conducted by an expert team led by Professor Goran Krajačić from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Zagreb. Of note, at the end of 2023, the share of electricity produced from renewables in total power consumption in the country exceeded 55%.
Greenpeace Croatia said the climate crisis, fueled by the fossil fuel industry, affects the entire world, including Europe and Croatia. The results are lost human lives and increasing material damage caused by extreme weather conditions, the organization noted.
Its ambitious goal for Croatia, to source all electricity from renewables by 2030, is based on a shift to solar and wind energy, as well as investments in the transmission network. The study puts the necessary solar power capacity at 5 GW, compared to 4.2 GW from wind.
In just five years, Greece, installed 7 GW of solar capacity, and Hungary added 5.5 GW
Greenpeace cites examples from the region. Croatia has five years until 2030, and the same period was enough for Greece to install 7 GW of solar capacity, while Hungary added 5.5 GW. Croatia has only recently reached 1 GW from photovoltaic system, despite ranking among the top countries in Europe in terms of solar potential, Greenpeace said.
According to Professor Goran Krajačić, the results of the study indicate that a firm political decision is needed to achieve 100% renewable electricity consumption in Croatia.
Andrić: A strong shift toward renewable energy is a strategic move for energy security, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, and economic opportunities
“Such a decision should include clear signals toward improving the power system, building and strengthening the grid and ensuring energy storage. Renewables also promote the democratization of society by involving citizens in energy communities to produce, store, and share energy,” Krajačić said.
Petra Andrić, program lead at Greenpeace in Croatia, stressed that a strong shift toward renewable energy as an ecologically sound decision. But it is also a strategic move for strengthening energy security, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and creating economic opportunities, she added.
Calculation: large investments but even greater savings
The authors estimate the costs of building facilities and underwater cables and strengthening cross-border grid capacities at EUR 12.2 billion by 2030. If it were financed through commercial loans at a 5% interest rate with a 25-year repayment period, the annual payment would be EUR 864 million, according to the calculation.
The repayment would be financed from savings and additional revenues, the study revealed.
Savings from allowances for CO2 emissions from electricity production, using 2023 as a reference year with a CO2 price of EUR 83 per ton, would amount to EUR 198 million by 2030.
The presentation of the study also featured a panel discussion
Fuel cost savings for electricity production were estimated at EUR 231.2 million in 2030, and profits from net exported electricity would bring in EUR 360 million.
The savings and profits would cover the annual repayments of loans needed to build the facilities, making them financially viable under commercial terms, the study claimed.
The event also hosted a panel discussion featuring Professor Krajačić, member of the Croatian Parliament Dušica Radojčić, Mario Stipetić (Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition), Davor Škrlec (Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing – FER), Melani Furlan (Green Energy Cooperative – ZEZ), and Nina Domazet (Croatian Chamber of Commerce – HGK). It was moderated by Robert Pašičko from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).