Residents of the Spickovina district in Zabok have launched Croatia’s first operational energy community. The initiative is designed around a local solar photovoltaic sharing model for participating members. The project marks the start of electricity generation and allocation under a community setup.
The solar installation is located on the roof of the local Volunteer Fire Department building. Electricity production began on 1 June. Starting in July, the generated electricity is shared among 17 participating members.
The group includes households, a small business, and the fire department itself. Each participant receives an allocation that is reflected directly on their electricity bills. This arrangement reduces individual consumption costs based on the shared energy.
Collective investment and legally enabled community model
Rather than installing separate rooftop systems, members co-invested in a single collective installation. The community structure allows participants to share both the energy output and the financial benefits. REGEA said this makes Spickovina the first fully functioning example of a legally enabled energy community operating in Croatia.
Croatia introduced the legal framework for energy communities several years ago, but implementation remained limited. The Spickovina project was developed under the European SHAREs programme. REGEA managed technical design, administrative steps, and community coordination, while the City of Zabok provided financial and organizational support.
Second-phase funding and planned efficiency upgrades
The initiative is moving into a second phase with additional planning support. Under the EU-funded ENERCOM Facility within the LIFE programme, the community secured €45,000 to develop a long-term business plan. Further assistance will come from the Citizen-Led Renovation programme.
The Citizen-Led Renovation programme will help members assess additional efficiency upgrades. The measures mentioned include insulation improvements, window replacements, heating system modernization, and potential heat pump installations. REGEA also described Spickovina as a replicable model for other municipalities in Croatia.
