Croatia could meet 100% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030 if it makes decisive investments in solar and wind power and upgrades its transmission network, according to a new study released by Greenpeace Croatia.

The study outlines a scenario in which Croatia could expand its solar power capacity to 5 GW and wind power to 4.2 GW within the next five years. For comparison, the country has only recently surpassed the 1 GW mark in installed solar capacity, despite being among the top in Europe for solar potential. The report highlights examples from neighbouring countries: Greece has added 7 GW of solar capacity and Hungary 5.5 GW over the past five years.

The report, titled “100% Renewable by 2030 – A Plan for the Green Transition of the Croatian Electricity Sector”, was developed by an expert team led by Professor Goran Krajačić from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Zagreb.

Greenpeace Croatia programme manager Petra Andrić told an event to unveil the report the energy transition is not only an environmental imperative, but also a strategic opportunity. “A strong shift towards renewable energy sources is an environmentally sound decision, but also a strategic move that strengthens our energy security, reduces dependence on fossil fuels and brings economic opportunities,” she said in a statement.

Professor Krajačić stressed that political will is essential to achieve the transition. “The main recommendations indicate that a firm political decision is needed in order for Croatia to achieve the satisfaction of its total electricity consumption from renewable sources,” he said. “Such a decision should include clear signals towards improving the electricity system and building and strengthening the network and ensuring energy storage.”

He also underscored the role of citizens in the transition, noting that renewable energy “encourages the democratisation of society by involving citizens in energy communities that produce, store and share energy, and in a way share their own energy future.”

The panel discussion also touched on key challenges such as administrative bottlenecks, the cost of the transition, the capacity of the transmission network, and investor interest in renewables. Participants included Dušica Radojčić from the Croatian parliament, Mario Stipetić of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets (MZOZT) and Davor Škrlec of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing. 

The study comes amid growing concern over the impact of climate change in Croatia, which has faced increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Greenpeace said the fossil fuel industry remains the main driver of the crisis, with losses now counted both in human lives and mounting material damage.

The group urged policymakers to act swiftly, arguing that the window to transform Croatia’s energy system is closing quickly.