Croatia pauses applications for residential solar subsidies

High interest among Croatian citizens in subsidies for installing solar power plants for self-consumption has prompted the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund to pause the application process.

The Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund (FZOEU) has announced that it will temporarily close the ongoing public call for incentives to install photovoltaic plants in family homes, which was opened on June 6. In just over two months, about 4,100 project applications have been received and are currently being processed, the FZOEU noted.

By mid-last year, 21,000 rooftop PV systems at households and businesses, with a total capacity of 642 MW, had been connected to the distribution network.

The large number of applications confirms that investing in renewables is a financially sound long-term decision

According to the FZOEU, the financing program encourages citizens to use renewable energy sources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the energy independence of households.

The strong interest in this program demonstrates that citizens are taking the energy transition more seriously and want to actively participate in producing green energy, the fund claims.

With subsidies, solar installations become more accessible to the general public, and the high volume of applications confirms that investing in renewable energy sources is a financially sound long-term decision for households, FZOEU added.

Citizens can receive up to 50% of eligible costs

Only individuals—owners or co-owners of houses—who had residency at the address at the time the power plant was commissioned were eligible to apply. The fund co-finances facilities installed and commissioned from January 1, 2025, and citizens can receive up to 50% of the eligible costs, or up to EUR 600 per kW of installed power capacity.

Depending on available funds and the success rate of applications, the FZOEU will consider the possibility of relaunching the call for future prosumers.

Over the past two years, the fund has co-financed the installation of around 5,600 rooftop solar power plants in households.

In the first six months of last year alone, households and companies installed 5,504 PV facilities, according to data from Croatia’s distribution system operator, HEP-Operator Distribucijskog Sustava (HEP-ODS).