Photo: E.ON Croatia
Croatia charges a waste fee on solar panels of EUR 300 per ton, up to six times more than other European Union countries. The levy slows down the expansion of solar energy, Andreas Rörig, president of the Management Board of E.ON Croatia, told Balkan Green Energy News.
In addition to the one-off e-waste management fee, hindering investments, another issue is that Croatia doesn’t have a system for collecting and recycling solar panels.
Andreas Rörig’s post on LinkedIn received a lot of public attention. He wrote that in Croatia high fees and regulatory barriers, including the ones related to waste, are holding back
solar’s potential. With a waste fee of EUR 0.3 per kilogram (EUR 300 per ton), the profitability of solar investments is at risk, he added.
The fee in other EU countries ranges from EUR 50 to EUR 150
Rörig explained that a comparison with other EU member states demonstrates that fees in Croatia are significantly higher than in neighboring countries. For example, they range from EUR 50 to EUR 150 in the Netherlands, Belgium, Slovenia, and Hungary.
The fee is paid on total weight, which is more than 20 kilograms per panel, according to E.ON. Even more concerning is the disproportionate taxation: 80% to 90% of a solar panel’s mass consists of easily recyclable materials that aren’t classified as e-waste, yet the fee is charged on the total weight.
“This approach discourages investment, slows Croatia’s progress toward energy transition, and contradicts the country’s goals of reducing emissions and increasing energy efficiency. A practical example of why solar energy accounts for less than 2% of Croatia’s energy mix – far below its true potential,” Rörig stated.
There are signs that things are about to change
Therefore he recommended reducing the electronic waste management fee for solar panels and suspending the obligation until a functional disposal system is in place. He confirmed there is currently no functional system for the collection, processing, and recycling of e-waste from solar panels in Croatia.
“However, there are positive indications that the fee will be reduced and that the system will be established. We believe that the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund or FZOEU has recognized the needs of the industry. E.ON supports such measures because we believe that they will fix the problem and enable easier waste management,” Rörig stressed.
Be the first one to comment on this article.