In Croatia, energy consumption is 12 percent higher per unit of GDP than the average of EU27 countries, indicating significant potential for savings and strengthening energy efficiency.
This was stated by Đorđe Balabušić, an energy efficiency advisor at the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship, at today’s round table titled “Decentralized Energy Planning, Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency, Citizen Participation and Sustainable Development” organized by the Society for Shaping Sustainable Development and the Heinrich Böll Foundation Croatia.
Energy efficiency is one of the priorities in Croatia’s strategic energy documents, as it is in the European Union. Despite this, Croatia, like most EU countries, will not achieve the goals of the “three times 20” policy by 2020, namely a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 20 percent increase in the share of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, says Balabušić.
According to him, Croatia is implementing energy efficiency programs, with the foundation being the Law on Efficient Energy Use in Final Consumption, for which four more regulations need to be adopted, planned to be done by summer. Balabušić believes that Croatia would benefit from a central energy agency to coordinate the work of local and regional entities, but in times of crisis, the state is reluctant to open new agencies, he adds.
Energy efficiency projects reduce costs for central and local budgets, contribute to nature conservation, and bring business opportunities, says Ana-Maria Boromisa from the Institute for International Relations. However, in Croatia, she states, there is a lack of funds for initial investments, although practice shows a short payback period. There is also a lack of experience and engineering knowledge, says Boromisa. The round table also discussed energy sustainable communities and systematic energy management in cities and counties. (H)
