On Friday, December 18, in cooperation with the Island Movement, Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia, and the city of Supetar, at the “Energy Transition of the Island of Brač” event we presented the strategy of the island’s transition to clean energy.
For the last year, the expert team of Porzana Ltd. has been developing the strategy in cooperation with the Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat and other relevant stakeholders.
In compliance with all epidemiological measures, the event was held in a high school sports hall. It gathered about 15 participants, including representatives of island municipalities and local organizers, representatives of the Split-Dalmatia County, Regional Development Agency, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Brač High School, City of Supetar Tourist Board, FLAG Brač, Arriva Ltd., and Agricultural cooperatives Supetar.
Mayor Marković emphasized she was particularly pleased that the strategy implies active participation of all administrative units on the island. She expressed her belief that to achieve desired developmental goals we need to encourage cooperation and unity. The island of Brač is one of 26 EU islands selected to prepare a strategy for the clean energy transition with the help of numerous experts hired by the Secretariat for EU Islands. This strategic document is a precondition for the withdrawal of the announced EU funds and the recovery plan. Mayor Marković underlined the importance of including entrepreneurs and citizens in the entire process of preparation, planning, and implementation. After all, financial resources will be available to everyone. She reminded everyone we could achieve energy transition only by joint action and engagement of all relevant stakeholders.
In the coming period, we aim to roll-out several projects and thus contribute to strategy implementation.
Mayor of Pučišća, Marino Kaštelan, recalled the event organized by the Renewable Energy Sources Croatia in Pučišća in August this summer. It was a working conference that brought together government representatives, experts, and investors. They contributed to the mapping of obstacles to investment and offered concrete solutions. Investors openly expressed dissatisfaction with the administrative procedures and the slow development of the infrastructure needed for successful project implementation. These impede achieving the climate goals to which we, as a member state, have committed ourselves. The Mayor took an example of the planned solar power plant in the Gornji Humac area needing a substation for completion. The HEP (the national power company) expects the substation to be financed and built by an investor and then handed over for management. The Mayor pointed out that this is an example of a conservative approach to project development. He concluded it should be changed to achieve concrete goals and enable investors to invest and develop projects.
Ana Ivković, from the strategy-developing company Porzana Ltd., presented the strategy focusing on the development process and specifics of the island of Brač. She thanked everyone who helped with data collection and plan drafting, especially representatives of the local community who were crucial for developing the document. The vision of the strategy is for the island of Brač to become fully energy independent by 2040. Ms. Ivković talked about energy consumption, goals, and island potentials, and she emphasized that road and maritime transport have the largest share in the CO2 production on the island. She pointed out that thanks to solar hours island of Brač has the potential above the national average. However, the prerequisite for using it is providing the necessary infrastructure.
In addition to this strategy, Split-Dalmatia County is in the process of developing the so-called JOINT SECAP for the whole island. It is an action plan for energy and climate-sustainable development, the first of its kind in our county. With the synergy of these two documents, the island of Brač has an excellent starting position for withdrawing funds and implementing projects in the coming period.
Maja Pokrovac from the Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia began her presentation with the quote: “Never miss a major crisis.”. She alluded to the current crisis and its potentials if we recognize opportunities. The synergy of all stakeholders at the national level is necessary and local communities need to be proactive and encourage change. She said Croatia has potential and has set ambitious goals with respect to the EU. We all need to be part of this plan to achieve the set results. Ms. Pokrovac emphasized that Dalmatia could be completely energy independent in ten years. Accomplishing that goal will depend on each individual, institution, organization, entrepreneur, and their cooperation. Islands are the key and should be at the forefront of the energy transition. The focus of the National Development Strategy is green and digital transformation. Islands must find their development direction to ensure benefits through savings, encouraging employment and investment, tourism branding, and repositioning.
The president of the Island Movement, Maja Jurišić, gave the last presentation. She emphasized the education, awareness-raising of the islanders, and their active involvement in all future processes.
The entire process of drafting the strategy involved various stakeholders: representatives of all eight island municipalities, educational institutions, entrepreneurs, and civic organizations. At the end of the event, they all signed an agreement on contributing to the energy transition. The stakeholders, accepting the impact of climate change and associated risks, agree to implement coordinated, practical action to build sustainable and efficient island communities by decarbonizing local energy systems and economies. With this agreement, all signatories have expressed their interest in actively participating in the coming period when significant financial resources will be made available for the implementation of energy transition strategies and the fight against climate change.
Photography by: Ante Mandić, Digitalvizija