Croatia to add 1,200 MW of solar, wind in 2024

Croatia is set to put online a total of 1,200 MW in solar and wind power capacity in 2024, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development Ivo Milatić said on the sidelines of the II Regional Conference RE-Source Croatia Hub 2024, dedicated to the development of power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Croatia has already connected 750 MW to 800 MW of solar and wind power to the grid since the beginning of the year, and the total additions in 2024 are expected to reach 1,200 MW, Ivo Milatić said at the event, organized in Zagreb by the Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia association (RES Croatia or, in Croatian, OIEH) in cooperation with the European RE-Source Platform.

According to him, 700 MW to 800 MW will be put online annually over the next years.

The country is going to reach its 2030 goal of 3.5 GW of renewables, envisaged by the energy strategy, by 2028, Milatić added.

The solarization of Croatia is unstoppable

Solar is leading the new installations. The state secretary noted that in 2018, when Croatia adopted the first rulebook for the production of energy for self-consumption, there was 55 MW of solar power. Croatia has now reached 700 MW, out of which 600 MW is on the roofs of firms and homes, Milatić said.

According to the ministry’s data, this year alone close to 500 MW of solar will be installed. The solarization of Croatia is unstoppable, Milatić added.

Still, in parallel with the solarization and construction of large renewable energy facilities, power purchase agreements should be used, in his words.

There are no more locations for the development of large wind farms

Large amounts of energy that will be produced at some points during the day must be adequately placed in the market, to avoid being offered for free or with negative prices, Milatić said and added it this is why PPA contracts are important.

The dominance of solar power projects is evident from energy approvals, which the ministry issues.

Out of 5 GW in total since 2021, more than 70% is for photovoltaics, the state secretary pointed out. Today eight out of 10 requests for energy approval are for solar power. The ministry expects the total would reach 8 GW by the end of the year.

He stressed there are no more locations for large wind farms, noting that more than half of Croatia’s territory is under protected areas.

In a few months the ministry will finish mapping wind farm locations and determine go-to areas, where investors will be made aware of the administrative requirements for each potential investment, Milatić explained.