In cooperation with the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Property and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, The Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund plans to implement a programme worth 25 million euros that will fully finance the energy renovation of family houses for the most vulnerable households.
To this end, the Fund has published a Call for expressions of interest and invites all citizens – owners of family houses whose situation corresponds to the definition of an energy-poor household to fill out a questionnaire published on the website. The completed questionnaire together with the applicant's statement, photo documentation, and proof of the legality of the house must be submitted to the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund by 31 May 2025 by post, e-mail, or at the reception office.
To prepare and send the necessary documentation, citizens can also request professional assistance from regional energy agencies, competent social welfare institutes, competent county offices, cities and municipalities, and other legal and/or natural persons.
After the collected data is processed, the conditions and criteria of the public call for energy poverty will be defined, which should be published by the end of the second quarter of this year.
The Act on Amendments to the Energy Efficiency Act defines an energy-poor household as a household that does not have access to basic energy services that ensure a basic level of living and health standards. This includes adequate heating, hot water, cooling, lighting and energy to power household appliances, the absence of which is caused by a combination of factors, including at least affordability, insufficient disposable income, high energy expenditure, poor energy performance of buildings and poor energy efficiency of homes.
According to data of the Central Bureau of Statistics, 4.6 percent of people in Croatia in 2024 lived in households where they could not afford adequate heating in the coldest months. To help citizens who find it difficult to settle their energy bills, the Fund will fully finance the costs of installing thermal insulation, replacing joinery, installing energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, as well as installing RES systems.
By achieving the goals of the green transition, the financing of such projects aims to improve the quality of living conditions of citizens living at risk of energy poverty.
