ZAGREB, January 29, 2018 – Croatia has already met EU energy goals for the period until 2020, but it should do a lot more when it comes to meeting objectives for the period until 2030 and use the huge potential of solar and wind energy, European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, who is in charge of the energy union, told Croatian reporters on Monday, ahead of his visit to Croatia on Tuesday. Šefčovič will speak at a conference on Croatia’s new energy strategy and meet with the country’s most senior officials.
The EU has set three goals for 2020 – reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, increasing the share of renewable energy sources in total energy consumption by 20%, and reducing energy consumption by 20% in relation to 1990.
As for 2030, new goals have been set – reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40%, increasing the share of renewable energy sources by 27% and increasing energy efficiency by 27% in relation to 1990.
Šefčovič said that energy goals were very ambitious and that the Paris climate agreement envisaged carbon-neutral greenhouse gas emission in the second half of the century. He noted in that context that Croatia could produce three times more wind and solar energy than it is currently producing.
Šefčovič also pointed to the need to reform the gas sector and to the importance of building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the island of Krk not only in terms of Croatia’s energy security but energy security in general.
