The Croatian state-owned utility HEP is set to advance its renewable energy initiatives with a new solar power plant in the Crno area, located near Zadar. This project is strategically positioned on the outskirts of the urban zone within the Crno Business Zone, chosen specifically to reduce its visual impact on surrounding residential neighborhoods.
Covering approximately 93 hectares of karst terrain that primarily features low shrub vegetation, the design plans for this facility focus on maintaining a low profile to ensure it remains mostly hidden from view by the village of Crno. The solar power plant will consist of around 139,800 photovoltaic modules sourced from Canadian Solar.
Once operational, the facility is projected to produce approximately 119.8 GWh of electricity annually. This output is anticipated to be sufficient for tens of thousands of households, thereby significantly enhancing Croatia’s renewable energy portfolio. With an installed capacity nearing 90.87 MW, this project will stand alongside HEP’s largest solar endeavor to date, the Korlat solar power plant.
The Korlat project is currently under construction by a Chinese consortium and is expected to commence operations later this year. Concurrently, HEP is progressing with eight additional renewable energy projects that are in advanced stages of development, including a planned 45 MW solar power plant in Sukošan.
The Crno-Zadar region has drawn considerable interest from solar developers. Within a ten-kilometer radius of the intended site, there are currently 11 solar projects that have either completed or are in the process of permitting, collectively covering about 483 hectares. However, none have been constructed yet, indicating that while interest is robust, actual deployment remains in its nascent stages.
