Organizers
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Ministry of Economy, Labor and Entrepreneurship (MINGORP) launched in 2005 the project "Promoting energy efficiency in Croatia". The project objective is to raise a public awareness about efficient energy consumption and to encourage the application of cost-effective and energy-efficient (EE) technologies, materials and services in Croatia.
Systematic energy management in cities and counties of the Republic of Croatia (Project SGE) is a component of this project. Financial support for the implementation of the project provides primarily The Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency (FZOEU) and UNDP. SGE project is primarily aimed at local and regional governments, while to the citizens and the service sector we have oriented other activities such as national and local information campaign on energy efficiency (EE), seminars, free initial energy review and consultation. As the main objectives of the project, SGE stipulates the application of continuous and systematic management of energy, strategic energy planning and sustainable management of energy resources at the local and regional level, which contributes to the reduction of energy consumption and reduces emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere, which encourages the development of new activities and entrepreneurship.
Through SGE program cities and counties optimize and reduce energy consumption by improving energy efficiency, and thus directly generate financial savings and reduce harmful environmental impacts. The project has started as a pilot project in the town of Sisak and Sisak-Moslavina County in July 2006, and on 19th December 2007 is grown in a national project, which includes all Croatian cities and counties.
Energy Charter is an act of representatives of local and regional government, which is expressing awareness and political will on the need for energy management at the local level, concerns about environmental protection and rational management of resources for the benefit of local communities and all of its citizens. Charter was signed by representatives of all 127 cities and 20 counties in Croatia.
Another important project within " Promoting energy efficiency in Croatia " is a project "To bring your house in order", which is aimed at improving energy efficiency in buildings, state and local governments. The aim of the project is in line with the directives of the European Union's energy consumption in buildings. The project was initiated by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and will cover the building of state and local administrative bodies, schools, hospitals, sports facilities, housing and other state-owned facilities.
Zagreb is a big consumer of energy. The town consumes annually about 20% of the total energy consumption of the Republic of Croatia. Precisely for this reason Zagreb last few years, actively advocates, promotes and implements various renewable energy projects and enforces energy efficiency.
For example reconstruction of public lighting on the part of the „green wave" street and Dubrovnik Avenue in cooperation with the HEP ESCO, tested three buses that use biodiesel fuel, released the trial run of the processing plant for landfill gas at the Zagreb dumps Jakuševec, and with INA Group signed agreement on the founding of a company Terme Zagreb, business, recreation and health tourism, which will use geothermal water from Geothermal field Zagreb.
In addition, the City of Zagreb signed with the representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) a letter of intent for the implementation of the project "Systematic management of energy in the cities and counties in the Republic of Croatia", Energy Charter and the Declaration of energy efficiency policy and environmental protection. In this way Zagreb decided to introduce systematic management of energy. The project will include all buildings owned by the City, like kindergartens, schools, universities, sports and cultural facilities, hotels, retail centers, hotels and hospitals which has made a significant step for the city of Zagreb and the whole of Croatia in particular due to the fact that Zagreb has a huge amount of buildings, and that in the city of Zagreb lives a quarter of Croatian population.
North-West Croatia Regional Energy Agency was established in 2007. by Zagreb, Karlovac and Krapina-Zagorje County and City of Zagreb, with the support of the European Commission within the Intelligent Energy for Europe program (IEE).
Vision of the Agency are the cities and municipalities Northwest Croatia that in the best possible way manage energy, and the entire region as an example of the implementation of sustainable development among other successful European regions.
The basic goal and the role of the Agency is to promote and encourage the use of renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency. The Agency provides information and advice to cities and municipalities and a number of other services based on specific local needs for energy.
From the beginning, in the area of northwestern Croatia, the Agency conducted a series of different projects to encourage the use of renewable energy and implementing energy efficiency measures. Activities such as information, counseling and education about energy use, raising the public awareness on energy efficiency and renewable energy, and insuring domestic and foreign sources of funding for projects and activities.
One of the main priorities of the Agency in 2008/2009 is the creation of regional energy plans and The strategy of sustainable use of energy for all three counties and the city of Zagreb. This will be the first document of this kind in the country. In the Strategy is the first time carried out a detailed identification of the current situation in the counties, identified strength and weaknesses, made estimates on potential energy saving, and potential use of renewable energy, and made action plans for concrete projects.
