Croatia, Serbia jointly install solar power plants at 30 public buildings

As part of a cross-border cooperation initiative, 30 public buildings in the Serbian city of Subotica and the Croatian municipalities of Vladislavci, Gorjani, and Strizivojna have installed solar power plants. The project also included the construction of smart bus stops and the upgrade of public lighting.

The investments were implemented through the Energy Efficient Communities – ENGAGE project, worth more than EUR 2 million. It was financed with the support of the European Union and implemented with expert support from the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED).

Local authorities from Serbia and Croatia have demonstrated how cross-border cooperation can bring concrete and measurable benefits to citizens – from lower energy costs to cleaner air, NALED said.

Panić: The most important result is a change in awareness about the role of institutions and citizens in energy efficiency

The total installed capacity of the photovoltaic plants within the project is 0.8 MW, of which 0.5 MW is in Subotica and 0.3 MW in the Croatian municipalities.

The City of Subotica has announced it would set up a renewable energy community, paving the way for citizens, institutions, and local businesses to jointly produce and consume energy from renewable sources.

Lulić: The project included training on energy communities

Zagorka Panić, City Manager and Deputy Mayor of Subotica, stressed that the most important result is a change in awareness about the role of institutions and citizens in energy efficiency. The completion of the project does not mean the end of cooperation, but rather a foundation for new joint steps toward a sustainable future, she added.

“The project included training on energy communities, sustainable energy sources, and the strengthening of local communities’ resilience. The key results include the development of a model and pilot activities for establishing energy-efficient communities in rural cross-border areas,” said Natali Lulić, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Serbia.

Trifunović: A model that meets the real needs of local communities

According to Nataša Trifunović, Head of the Renewable Energy Sources Group at the Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy, the project was implemented at a time of significant changes in the energy sector, both globally and nationally.

The world is undergoing a rapid energy transition, with a strong growth of renewables, especially solar and wind energy, she added.

Vasiljević: CO2 emissions reduced by about 520 tons annually

The project, in her view, is a good example of how cross-border cooperation and joint effort can be used to develop models that meet the real needs of local communities.

Trifunović said that one of the important strategic commitments is the further development of decentralized energy solutions, by encouraging the role of local authorities, citizens, and the business community in energy production and consumption.

Dušan Vasiljević, Director for Competitiveness and Investments at NALED, stressed that these investments contribute to reducing CO2 emissions by 520 tons annually. It is the amount of pollution produced by about 120 cars in a year, or the amount of CO2 that approximately 18,000 trees can absorb over the same period, he added.