05.10.2018.
More than 700 participants attended the Days of the regional development and EU funds held in Solaris, where Director Dubravko Ponoš took part in the panel entitled “Energy Transition”. A discussion was held on the methods to motivate the inhabitants of the Croatian islands to adopt the new technologies and renewable energy sources.
Throughout history, the inhabitants of islands have always faced specific challenges concerning energy supply; however, nowadays, when the use of technologies such as solar collectors and heat pumps, as well as other renewable energy sources has become mainstream, this dependence could be significantly reduced. This is demonstrated by numerous experiences form Europe that could be successfully implemented in the development policies of our islands. “Through different co-financing programmes the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund wishes to stimulate local self-government units and the inhabitants of islands to start using “green technologies” to the greatest possible extent, and to strive to reach a certain level of energy autonomy. However, we have to put energy transition into the wider context of low-carbon development and circular economy, because life on the island has its challenges with regard to, for example, waste disposal. Along with the possibility to use the models of co-financing offered by the Fund, the prerequisite for major change is information and education of the citizens, which is something we will work on continuously, because that is the only way to effect the desired changes”, pointed out director Ponoš during the discussion.
Other panellists included the State Secretary at the Ministry of Environment and Energy Ivo Milatić, Tanja Huzjak from the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, Edo Jerkić from the Coop for Ethical Financing, Darko Jardas, the director of the Kvarner Regional Energy Agency, Zoran Kordić, manager of the Green Energy Coop, Martin Bućan, representative of Split-Dalmatia County, and Dražen Balić from the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar. The participants referred to the best practice examples that could be applied on our islands. The goal is for the islands to become energy independent, as well as the places of innovations in the energy sector and pioneers on the path to a complete energy transition.
In the Solaris exhibition area, the Fund set up a stand promoting information and education campaign “Za Ljepšu našu” (For an even Lovelier Croatia), which was visited by the Minister of Regional Development Gabrijela Žalac and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
