GlobalData: Croatia to achieve its renewable targets, but will have vulnerable supply security

Croatia to meet renewable energy target of 36.4% of total consumption by 2030

GlobalData’s report, ‘Croatia Power Market, 2022 – 2035’, reveals that onshore wind power capacity in Croatia is expected to be 1.99 GW by 2030, exceeding its target by 0.39 GW, while its solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity will be 0.77 GW, which meets its target.

Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Power Analyst at GlobalData, commented: “Croatia’s investment into its wind and solar developments will help the country meet its renewable energy target of 36.4% of total consumption by 2030. Further development in this area would offer the country an ideal exit strategy to reduce its reliance on energy imports. Activities such as increasing its renewable efficiency, upgrading its grid infrastructure, and investing in energy storage solutions would allow the massive capacity overhaul required.”

GlobalData’s report also highlights that annual power consumption in Croatia is expected to reach 20.1 TWh by 2035, but generation will only reach 19.2 TWh. This gap will have to be met with even further expensive imports unless Croatia can develop its own power supply.

Saibasan continued: “Croatia’s generation mix consists of 30.9% of thermal-based power generation, which is a major challenge as its own gas supply is so low. The country could turn back to coal, but high carbon emissions and pollution is already high due to historic coal-based generation, and the rise in fossil fuel prices due to the Russia-Ukraine war makes increasing imports an unattractive option.”

Solar power, geothermal, and biomass potential in Croatia

Besides solar, there is significant wind potential in the south and south-west coastal regions of the country. The country also has huge potential for geothermal energy in the North, which could be used both for electricity generation and heating. Further, Croatia has significant potential for biomass, as forests cover more than 30% of Croatian territory.”

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global's Autumn 2022 issue

The Autumn 2022 issue of Energy Global hosts an array of technical articles focusing on wave & tidal, waste-to-energy, energy storage, solar technology, and more. This issue also features a regional report outlining how green hydrogen is playing a key role in the renewable transition across Europe .

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/special-reports/25112022/globaldata-croatia-to-achieve-its-renewable-targets-but-will-have-vulnerable-supply-security/