Transnational experience exchange between countries towards speeding up EU renewable transition: example of Norway-Croatia

Abstract

Abstract The RePowerEU plan aims to increase wind energy capacity to 480 GW by 2030, with 300 GW coming from offshore wind farms, to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Due to Croatia’s substantial dependence on nautical and coastal tourism, along with significant concerns regarding negative environmental impacts, the installation of offshore wind farms has not been previously considered. However, due to increased demand for renewables, the offshore energy potential resurfaced. The recent Action Plan for the Uptake of Offshore Renewable Energy Sources in Croatia (May 2023) estimated offshore wind potential at 25 GW and identified more than 29 000 km2 of area available for offshore renewables. Norway, with its extensive experience in offshore engineering and pioneering developments in offshore wind, is a suitable partner in joint innovation and a resource for tried and tested best practices. In this collaborative research, a review of relevant documents, research articles, and interviews with industry experts from both from Croatia and Norway was conducted to obtain a broader perspective of the implications of offshore development in Croatia. As an outcome of this preliminary research, the paper outlines the required evaluations in the Croatian context, in terms of the social, environmental, legislative, and technical aspects that are to be considered for large-scale integration of wind energy into the Croatian grid. It also identifies the necessary grid improvements to achieve a reliable and sustainable grid of the future.