January 10, 2020 – The Clean Energy Secretariat of the EU Islands ranked Krk among the top ten best practices in the whole of Europe related to the transition of energy.
Novi List reports that the island of Krk is one of the Croatian leaders in the efforts to implement programs related to ecology, energy efficiency and the transition to clean sources. Thus, it has been recognized as one of the ten best examples of good practice across Europe.
Namely, Krk is “seen, monitored and recognized” in the EU capital for their efforts to make their island clean, that is, green and (energy) sustainable.
In addition to the island of Krk, which is the only Croatian island to be included in the prestigious list of European energy-transition islands, the Dutch island of Ameland, the Irish Aran Islands, the Portuguese Azores, the Isle of Gigha, the Swedish Gotland, the Spanish Menorca, the Italian Pantelleria, the Danish Samso and the Greek Tilos are also on the list of good practices.
Recall, in 2012, the people of Krk adopted the “Island with 0 percent CO2 emissions” strategy, aiming to make the island the first CO2 neutral and energy self-sufficient island in the Mediterranean.
In the meantime, Krk has also done a study on wind farm development and solar power plant integration.
The use of LED technologies has reduced electricity consumption from 1.02 million kWh in 2010 to 734,864 kWh in 2018.
In order to reduce emissions, that is, carbon dioxide, which comes from traffic in 53 percent of the island’s total emissions, they have also worked on an electromobility program by building 12 charging stations for electric vehicles, and more recently eight charging stations for 80 electric bikes (which should soon come into use through a bike-sharing system).
The island of Krk also has an energy cooperative (founded in 2012), and two energy transition management companies have recently been established – Island Krk Energy (which will coordinate the process production and transmission of clean, solar energy from the future solar power plant Barbičin), but also Smart Island Krk, which, according to the intention of its founders from local self-government circles, should focus on smart processes and digitization.
Island Krk Energy develops a plan for the construction and operation of a 5 MW solar power plant, which should rise above Baska already this year. According to the plan of representatives of local self-governments and utilities, co-ownership in this project (and facility) should also be made available to all islanders, or island companies.
The same document published by the Clean Energy Secretariat of the EU Islands also recalls that local authorities in Krk adopted an updated version of their “Zero Emissions Development Strategy” in 2018 as an impetus for integrated and sustainable island development.
These efforts introduced a long-term socio-economic development model, with a particular focus on energy savings by increasing energy efficiency and the share of renewable energy sources (wind, solar and biogas).
The strategy envisages about 36.8 MWP of new photovoltaic installations (on roofs), as well as an additional 4 MWP of photovoltaic installations on the earth in the near future.
In addition, the plan also targets 25.2 MWP of wind power and 250 KWP of biogas plants.
The investment, whose total value is estimated at 89.65 million euros, is expected to make Krk completely energy independent in the coming decades.
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