15.12.2021.
HRK 110.5 million have been made available to the units of local self-government and companies through five public calls and calls for proposals launched by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund. Co-financed activities include the energy renovation of cultural heritage buildings and projects for the development of smart and sustainable solutions and services (“Smart City”), as well as measures aimed at reducing the emissions from transport. Comprehensive information about the programmes and this year’s outcomes of the Fund’s activities was presented in today’s press conference by the minister of the economy and sustainable development, Tomislav Ćorić, PhD, and the director of the Fund, Siniša Kukić.Minister Ćorić pointed out that all programmes implemented by the Ministry and the Fund fully comply with the European Green Deal and Croatia’s national goals for energy savings and reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases. “It is important for us to act in the field where the transition measures are most required, and to financially support the citizens, local communities, and entrepreneurs to make their homes more comfortable and healthier for living, local communities cleaner and more modern, and to enable entrepreneurs to be more competitive on the market. In the future, the programmes and measures we incentivise will be even more comprehensive, and the beneficiaries will have the opportunity to renovate their houses, buildings, install PV power plants, heat pumps, use more efficient appliances and equipment, we will promote the development of electric charging stations, and the purchase of electric vehicles, and many other programmes, all with the aim of reducing by 2030 the import of energy and replacing part of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources,” said minister Ćorić.
In 2021, the Fund allocated the total of HRK 850 million for different environmental and energy efficiency projects. Taking into account the requirements of local self-government units and the economy, new calls were designed and launched for the first time this year, and they were presented in today’s press conference. They include the co-financing of municipal vehicles and vessels using alternative fuels, air purification filters in public transport, and energy efficient tyres for carriers.
Director Kukić pointed out that the programmes of the Fund comply with the adopted national strategies and plans, encompassing a wide range of beneficiaries. “This year as well we have allocated the greatest share for the renovation of family houses, as much as 390 million kunas. Also, this programme stirred the greatest public interest, and we received 8495 applications from the citizens from all Croatian regions. Co-financing for more than 16000 energy efficiency measures, from thermal insulation and replacement of windows, all the way to using renewable energy sources,” said Kukić, adding that approximately 70000 kunas per project were applied for.
Apart from the renovation of houses, other successful calls were implemented during the year. Co-financing were approved for the purchase of energy efficient vehicles, utility equipment, remediation of dumpsites, construction of civic amenity sites, as well as for the projects for developing the visitor infrastructure in protected nature sites. Apart from this, the preparation of climate change mitigation and adaptation plans at the level of local self-government units is promoted, the project for the purchase of containers has been completed, and they should provide for improving the rate of separate collection of mixed municipal waste.
the next year should see new investment and the new cycle of the Fund’s calls that will be in compliance with many strategic documents. With regard to energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources, the goals we have to achieve are quite ambitious, and green transition should be expedited as much as possible.
