The Renewable Energy Association of Croatia (OIEH) reported that the country added 397.1 MW of new solar capacity to its grid last year, marking a notable increase compared to the 238.7 MW installed in 2023. This brings Croatia’s total operational solar capacity to 872.1 MW, with more than 26,000 solar power plants in operation. Residential and industrial rooftop installations accounted for nearly 90% of the new capacity, highlighting the dominance of domestic solar energy in the country.
Despite the growth in solar energy capacity, Croatia still falls behind most European Union nations in photovoltaic electricity generation, covering only about 3% of its annual energy consumption.
OIEH noted that utility-scale solar projects remain stalled, even though investor interest is strong. One of the key obstacles is the lengthy and complex permitting process, especially regarding the connection of projects to the grid. The delay in the Croatian energy regulator HERA’s decision on network connection fees, expected by the end of 2022, continues to hold up progress. Additionally, OIEH emphasized the need for improvements in Croatia’s fragmented legal framework for battery energy storage systems, which currently lacks the necessary clarity and coordination.
