Energy renewal programmes for residential buildings and family houses included 20,000 households and secured work for construction companies and entrepreneurs, according to assistant environment minister Marija Šćulac Domac, real estate portal Domosfera reported. Croatia will soon publish its energy strategy for a low carbon development, she said at Croenergy 2015 – Sustainable Energy Finance and Investment Summit. The event was held as part of the Zagreb Business Summit – Cities and Regions. After 2020 the country will have to meet very demanding targets for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and for enhancing energy efficiency and share of renewables, Šćulac Domac said.
Sven Müller, head of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund of Croatia, said the institution granted HRK 1 billion (EUR 130.9 million) to citizens and legal persons this year through 15,000 contracts. The projects for energy efficiency were worth EUR 288 million in total, he added. Müller underscored the fund grants 40% to 80% of efficiency and green energy projects value. „This year the fund established cooperation with almost 1,000 companies and more than 300 municipal units, as well as over 15,000 citizens and in that sense we are very satisfied, but we have ambitious plans for further on,“ he stated.
Energy consumption in buildings in Croatia is inefficient, and 80% of buildings does not have adequate insulation nor heating, said Borka Bobovec, assistant minister for construction and spatial planning.
Croenergy was organized by North-West Croatia Regional Energy Agency (Regea) and gathered more than 20 speakers. Examples of succesful investments in sustainable energy use and its financing were presented at interactive panels. The manifestation was supported by the European Federation of Agencies and Regions for Energy and Environment – Fedarene, and attended by representatives of the European Commission and institutional partners of the conference – the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Energy Efficiency Fund and Zagrebačka banka.
