Spanish renewable energy company Acciona Energy plans to build a 150 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Croatia and two wind farms with a total capacity of 72 MW. Acciona already has one 30 MW wind farm in the country, Jelinak, which has been in operation since 2013.
Acciona Energy is a subsidiary of Acciona, a Spanish infrastructure and renewables conglomerate. At the end of 2021, Acciona Energy had a capacity of 11.2 GW in renewable power plants with an annual production of 24.5 GWh. In the region tracked by the Balkan Green Energy News, Acciona Energy is active only in Croatia, but is also considering investments in Serbia.
All necessary permits have been obtained for the Opor and Boraja wind farms
Aljoša Pleić, director of Acciona Energy for Croatia, told the Dalmatinski portal that the firm is developing several projects. For the two wind farms, Opor and Boraja 2, all the necessary permits have been obtained, he said, adding that 16 wind turbines would be installed in the Split-Dalmatia county.
Acciona Energy is currently conducting preparations for construction and selection of contractors and equipment suppliers. Pleić anticipates construction to start by the end of the year, and the completion in 2024 at the latest. The investment in the two wind farms is estimated at EUR 106 million.
The Promina solar power plant will be the largest in Croatia and in the region
Acciona Energy is also in the process of obtaining permits for the Promina solar power plant, with a capacity of 150 MW. It will be the largest solar power plant in Croatia and the region, said Pleić.
The site for the power plant is in the Šibenik-Knin county, and the investment is estimated at EUR 99 million.
Pleić pointed out that the biggest issue in the realization of renewable energy projects in Croatia was the poor implementation of laws from 2013 until the changes that were introduced a few years ago.
The new legislative framework will enable the construction of many projects in the renewable energy sector by 2030, Pleić stressed and added that new facilities are the only way to secure the stability of energy supply and control prices.
