Croatia launches auctions for premiums for large power plants

The Croatian Energy Market Operator (HROTE) has announced a public call for granting premiums for solar power plants, wind farms, geothermal, biogas, and biomass power plants, as well as hydropower plants. This is the first auction for large renewable power plants in Croatia.

The deadline for submitting bids for the award of premiums within the available quotas is 15 days.

These are the available quotas:

• Solar power plants from 500 kW to 300 MW
• Wind farms from 3 MW to 300 MW
• Geothermal power plants from 500 kW to 10 MW
• Biogas facilities from 500 kW up to and including 2 MW – 8 MW
• Biomass power plants from 500 kW up to and including 5 MW – 8 MW
• Hydropower plants from 500 kW up to and including 10 MW – 4 MW.

The public call adds the maximum reference values ​​of premiums per MWh are the following:

• Solar power plants – HRK 495.63 (EUR 65.47)
• Wind farms – HRK 460.91 (EUR 60.88)
• Geothermal power plants – HRK 1,263.96 (EUR 16.95)
• Biomass power plants – HRK 1,411.57 (EUR 186.45)
• Biogas power plants – HRK 1,482.23 (EUR 195.78)
• Hydropower plants – HRK 1,095.58 (EUR 144.71).

Of note, auctions were introduced in Croatia in mid-2020 as a new model of subsidizing green energy, and the first one for small projects was held in early 2021.

Experts estimate the auctions could attract investments of EUR 1 billion this year alone.