Project outputs

1) Social acceptance should be of great priority. If support is lacking from the local community and there is considerable opposition, projects can be delayed or even stopped, which deters potential investors. Social acceptance can be influenced by numerous factors that depend on the specifics of the island, such as the importance of tourism, protected nature areas, heritage, etc. Some of the main concerns include:

• No benefit for local community

• Reduced tourism potential

• Negative impact on environment 

• Negative impact on everyday life

1. a) Community as investors through energy cooperatives. Private companies always consider profit when investing in renewable energy sources. Local communities are more likely to invest in renewable energy production to improve their quality of life, even with reduced profit. Examples of this are the energy cooperative “Apsyrtidies” of the islands Cres and Lošinj, and the energy cooperative of the island Krk. Such initiatives can also help to reach a broader population, making them more aware of the benefits of such installations, which can increase social acceptance. Benefits, such as reductions in electricity prices for the local community, can be realized; however, a legislative framework needs to be established for this.

1. b) New employment opportunities. Inhabitants of Croatian islands have traditionally focused on fishery, agriculture, and, more recently, tourism. Therefore, renewable energy sources can help provide novel employment opportunities. However, appropriate education is needed to train skilled technicians. This could pose a particular problem in the case of offshore wind, as there are currently no such study programs in the country. It must be taken into consideration that for such specialization, initial courses and study programs need to be established, followed by 3 to 5 years for the first generation of graduates. Therefore, if novel technologies are to be employed, education needs to be prepared in advance. Interestingly, on the island Vis it was observed that there is a lack of motivation for local residents to engage in such positions since, comparing to tourism sector, it requires more engagement. Therefore, this must also be considered when planning projects.

1. c) Motivating community for private investments through workshops and lectures. The installation of integrated solar panels on private houses can be encouraged through organized workshops and lectures. There are numerous opportunities for co-funding such private solutions that are often not known to the public. Additionally, educating local citizens can require a substantial amount of time, especially on islands that do not have established renewable energy sources and have older communities more resistant to environmental interventions. Therefore, frequent workshops and lectures where opportunities and benefits are presented can be beneficial for the island’s energy transition.

1. d) Tourists can perceive renewable energy sources as beneficial at vacation locations. A survey conducted during this initiative showed that many tourists support renewable energy sources and even see them as beneficial. The global increase in social awareness boosts green tourism development and promotes locations that demonstrate a commitment to renewable energy. An example of this is Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, which is focused on being perceived as a sustainable tourism destination. Therefore, investment in renewable energy sources can be beneficial for tourism. As Croatia increasingly focuses on nautical tourism, the influence of offshore wind turbines on this aspect of tourism should, however, be investigated in more detail.

1. e) Novel technical solutions can reduce the negative impact on the environment. Renewable energy power plants represent an intervention in the environment. Solar power plants cover large areas of land, which reduces habitats for animals and plants. Additionally, such locations mostly cannot be used for other purposes such as agriculture. This is mostly regulated by appropriate legislation, ensuring that valuable land is not used for such purposes. Furthermore, large solar power plants and wind turbines can impact the landscape. While this impact is inevitable, advancements in technology can mitigate negative effects. Increases in the efficiency of solar panels and novel designs of wind turbines can reduce the surface area needed to achieve the desired power output. An example is the wind power plant VE Ravne 1 on the island of Pag, which was commissioned in 2004. In terms of production capacity, it is the smallest wind farm in Croatia with 5.95 MW. With novel technical advancements, a more efficient wind park could be established at the same location, supplying the island with a greater amount of electricity. 

Co-utilization of power plants is increasingly being considered. In case of wind turbines, all man-made interventions with nature including road, construction site, turbine foundation site, cable trenches etc. cause 3-3.5% actual land usage of the total farm area. So co-utilization with for example agriculture (if terrain is fitting) is possible. Similar is investigated in case of solar power plants, where solar pannels could provide protection from direct sunlight for agricultures which could benefit from that.

1. f) Novel technical solutions and various compensations to the community can reduce the negative impact on everyday life. Some negative impacts on everyday life are inevitable; however, they can be managed so that the benefits outweigh the negative aspects. Islands sometimes experience power outages due to their connection to the mainland via underwater cables. Renewable energy solutions can help establish a reliable energy source to address this issue. Additionally, renewable energy power plants require infrastructure, such as the construction of new high-voltage networks and new roads to locations that are usually not accessible to people. These locations can then be used for recreational activities, which can increase social acceptance. Noise from the operation of wind turbines is a common concern, but novel technical solutions can mitigate these effects.

Also, studies show that when wind farms are built in remote areas the land utilization for recreation (hiking) increases significantly because the road infrastructure makes the area accessible. It means it will be also made accessible to other industry activities such as agriculture, forestry, recreation, etc.

2.) Environmental protection needs to be carefully considered. Croatia has many protected areas, including a large number of national parks and nature parks. This is an additional limiting factor when choosing the location and technology of renewable energy sources as well as energy storage systems. The negative impact on birds and bats is often reported when discussing wind turbines. There are also various constraints, as a large part of the Croatian coast is protected under Natura 2000 Special Protection Areas under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive.

The Country has recognized this problem, so in the document  from 2022 “Assessment with recommendations for the removal of obstacles and the relief of administrative procedures that limit the greater use of energy from renewable sources”  prepared by Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, it is stated that the creation of sensitivity maps for the entire Republic of Croatia is planned according to the defined methodology within the cooperation of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the Hrvoja Požar Energy Institute. The idea is that this document could be used as a basis for spatial plans and so that areas of lower risk for project development could be recognized at the outset to avoid environmental impact studies that would result in a negative solution for a specific location. 

2. a) Novel technical solutions can help reduce concerns regarding the impact of wind turbines on birds and bats. Techniques such as shutting down wind turbines when bird flocks are approaching or adjusting rotor rotation can help address these concerns. Learning from countries that have already implemented such solutions must be considered, as it can speed up the process of energy transition and help identify issues that can be addressed prior to installation. Input from experts in various fields must be imperative for planning novel renewable energy power plants in Croatia.

2. b) Dialogue with fishermen needs to be established. Various research has been conducted regarding the impact of offshore wind on fish species in the North Sea. It has been concluded that offshore wind turbines can serve as artificial reefs, which influence fish abundance in these locations. This indicates that these installations can be beneficial to fishermen. Nevertheless, it must be investigated whether the same conclusions can be made for the Adriatic Sea, considering its specific characteristics, including fish species.

2. c) Advancements in recycling technology can help establish sustainability and circular economy goals. A considerable problem in recent years has been the recyclability of turbine blades. Blades are often made of composite materials, making them difficult to recycle. As wind turbine rotor sizes increase, this problem only intensifies since the amount of material for recycling increases. Recent technological advancements offer appropriate solutions, but these need to be made commercially available. The same applies to solar panels. With their rapid global increase, appropriate recycling approaches must be established, and legislation regarding recycling should be anticipated.

3) An appropriate legal framework needs to be established, and administrative procedures need to be streamlined. Currently, Croatia has the longest administrative processing times in Europe for solar and wind energy production projects. A considerable problem is the lack of a unified legal framework at the national level, with legislation varying at the local level. Protected areas, which can change over time (as seen with the prohibition of wind turbines on islands), also pose significant constraints. Additionally, there is currently no legislation to support offshore projects if they are to be implemented. The time needed to implement legislation must be considered if offshore projects are planned. Additional problem which has been experience in Norway, so it can be expected in Croatia, is the lack of experience and capacity in the governmental bodies, especially at the start of such work. 

3 a) Legal framework must be prepared prior to installation of novel renewable energy sources. Even Norway had problem with establishing appropriate legal framework. Therefore, examples of good practices from other countries could be used in Croatian context to speed up the preparation of legislation for offshore projects.

3 b) Current and future protected areas must be considered when planning renewable energy power plants. According to the EU Biodiversity Strategy (2020), member states are obliged to protect 30% of the European sea area by 2030, with 10% under strict protection. Currently, only 1.94% of sea areas in Croatia are protected, with 16.26% of the coastal area under the ecological network . Planning these areas without considering offshore wind potential could further limit possibilities for renewable energy harvesting. Therefore, collaboration between different sectors is essential.