Croatia’s island of Hvar aims to become energy self-sufficient by 2035. According to its mayor, Ricardo Novak, Hvar has a lot of opportunities to become more sustainable and to benefit from the Energy Transition Strategy.
Hvar is the sunniest Croatian island, with still an untapped potential of electricity produced from solar power. Currently, most of its population is consuming electricity while very few people produce it (6 per cent).
Maja Pokrovac, managing director of the Renewable Energy Sources Association of Croatia, highlighted the opportunities offered by the European Union’s 750 million euros post-coronavirus recovery fund, 30 per cent of which must be spent on climate action and emissions reduction.
“In its recovery plan, Croatia should focus on activities that can restart the economy in a sustainable way and get the country closer to the climate neutrality envisaged by the European Green Deal,” she said. “Islands’ energy transition is certainly one of such activities.”
Earlier in June, the Croatian Presidency informed EU Energy Ministers of the completion of the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding on the Clean Energy for EU Islands initiative, which includes Hvar as well.
EU islands have the potential to be pioneers of the clean energy transition and the Island initiative puts citizens at the heart of it bringing tangible benefits such as local jobs creation, economic activity and lower energy bills. It contributes to the reduction of energy dependence thanks to the sustainable exploitation of local resources.