31.03.2021.
In the village of Bjelajci near Pakrac works started on installing solar equipment on four houses not connected to the power grid. Director of the Fund Siniša Kukić with his colleagues visited the worksite.Bjelajci is one of the most isolated villages around Pakrac, and because of complicated property rights, building the infrastructure for connection to the grid would be lengthy and expensive. So, the pilot-project was launched to try and solve the issues of access to electricity through the cooperation of the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, national energy distributor HEP ODS, and the Croatian government.
“I’m satisfied that 5 kW solar panels will soon be installed and commissioned on four houses that had no electricity so far. All systems are expected to be up and running until mid-April. This pilot-project is one of the ways to fight energy poverty, and we’d like to cover the entire Croatian territory with similar projects, meaning all households that have no connection to the power grid,” said Director Kukić.
These are the most socially vulnerable groups, for whom accessible and free energy could significantly improve the quality of life. Apart from this pilot-project, in cooperation with the social welfare centres, last year the Fund co-financed energy renovation of houses to the citizens at risk of energy poverty. Around HRK 16 million of grant funding was approved for 89 houses. The specific energy renovation measures were financed in full – the thermal insulation of the building envelope and energy efficient windows, as well as the use of renewable energy sources for the heating systems.
