EN

11 households get electricity

08.03.2022.

As part of the rural electrification pilot project, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund financed the installation of PV panels in five more family houses that have so far not been connected to the power grid.

One of the houses is in the settlement Zaklopac in Gračac Municipality. The Jelača family – Milena, Stevo and their two daughters have been living there for 21 years, and a couple of years ago they started renovating their old house. “There is still plenty of work, the surrounding area has to be developed, and the interior of the house refurbished, step by step, but the most important thing now is that we have  electricity,” said the Jelača spouses, to whom the Fund financed the 5kW solar panels with the accompanying installations, the backup generator, the highest energy class refrigerator, and ten energy efficient light bulbs. In addition, the Fund has provided the resources for the maintenance of the installed systems to them, and to other households included in this pilot project.
Apart from improved comfort in the house, electricity will help them in their family business. The Jelačas are mainly engaged in livestock farming and fruit-growing. They are planning to increase the number of breeding cattle, and along with meat processing they intend to renew milk and dairy production. Considering the power of the installed PV system, they are planning to get bigger  refrigerators where they will be able to properly store the products produced by their family holding. They are also thinking about rural tourism because, as they say, this is the ideal area for the guests who want to enjoy the nature, peace and quiet. Even though some people might consider this type of life to be difficult, this family enjoys it. “We both love living in the rural area and we love to work. This is not a humdrum life, as we’re doing something else every day. Our daughters are attending high school in Zagreb, but they help us when they come home. People have to work, and when you love what you do, it means you are happy,” say the Jelačas.

The Fund developed this programme at the initiative of the Croatian Government, and so far 11 households had PV systems for electricity generation installed, worth in total around one million kunas.