The possibilities for the application of solar thermal systems is the title of a one-day seminar held at the Ministry of Economy, Labor and Entrepreneurship organized by Energetika marketing.
The aim of the seminar, which gathered eminent experts in the field of energy, is to promote the application of renewable energy sources, particularly solar energy, which offers many opportunities in Croatia but is poorly utilized. In the first part, experts reflected on the current energy situation and the situation we can expect by the end of this century.
– In order to utilize the potentials, education, knowledge of the characteristics of technological sources and the technology of their utilization, as well as cost-effectiveness assessment, is necessary – explained Srećko Švaić, a professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Zagreb, and warned of some estimates that indicate that by 2040, fossil fuels will no longer be available, thus necessitating a shift towards renewable energy sources.
Ljubomir Majdandžić from the Croatian Professional Association for Solar Energy warned that Croatia has far the least installed solar collectors per capita compared to EU countries, while Krešimir Štih from the Croatian Chamber of Economy emphasized that it is necessary to prepare all parts of the system as a basis for incentives, highlighting Germany, Austria, Italy, and Sweden as countries with developed regulations for the application of solar energy systems. Furthermore, Igor Raguzin, head of the Department for Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency at MINGORP, spoke about support mechanisms and financial incentives through tariffs and quotas, promoting solar thermal systems through tax reliefs, subsidies, and the need to remove existing administrative barriers.
