It boasts the sunniest island in all Europe and enjoys above average sunshine for the continent, but Croatia is bottom of the European table when it comes to solar energy use, according to Greenpeace Hrvatska. It doesn’t have to be that way, as they explained to locals and tourists alike on a a recent tour of Istria to show how Croatian tourism can be 100% dependent on solar energy.
The message from Greenpeace Hrvatksa:
Petition in Support of Renewable Sources of Energy
Even though Croatia is one of the European counties with the most hours of sunshine, it is still at the very behind in the use of solar energy.
Along the Adriatic coast there are some 2,600 hours of sunshine, this makes the rooftops of hotels and camps ideal places for solar panels to be installed.
A scientific analysis, carried out by Greenpeace, shows that Croatia can completely transition to renewable energy sources and that this is especially beneficial in tourism. Tourism has been flourishing for years, so this is the perfect time to invest in clean energy.
Why tourism?
– Tourism is Croatia’s most important sector of economy, especially so along the Adriatic coast.
– Tourism deeply depends on the untouched natural beauty which is increasingly under threat of dirty fossil fuel projects both by direct pollution and by the increasingly devastating climate change caused by fossil fuels.
– Renewable energy sources, such as sun and wind, do not harm the environment and nature and at the same time they offer a solution to climate change.
– The Adriatic and the whole Mediterranean are extremely rich in sun light as a renewable energy source. Since the year 2000, the amount of electricity won from solar systems in the world has increased more than seven times.
– The cost of solar technology falls by an average of 15% annually and thus, along with energy won from the wind, has become the most cost-effective source for new power plants.
– Since 2000, the amount of electricity won from the solar systems in the world has increased more than seven times.
– Greenpeace’s scientific analysis shows that by mid-century Croatia may, economically viable, completely switch to renewable energy sources. The calculations in the study confirm the use of renewable sources of energy is especially worthwhile in tourism.
– In addition to financial benefits through energy savings, tourism companies make themselves increasingly attractive by using renewable sources.
– By choosing sustainable solutions, tourism companies establish themselves as socially responsible partners in the local community in which they operate.
For more information on the petition, visit the official Greenpeace Hrvatska website.
