20 March 2019

SUCCESSFUL BIOMASS CONFERENCE: CROATIA NEEDS LONG-TERM ENERGY STRATEGIES

There are big expectations of biomass in achieving the energy transition in Croatia, which has the potential to be the main energy resource in decarbonization of the entire energy supply system. This was one of the key messages from the 9th International Conference on Biomass and Renewable Energy Sources that was held in Zagreb last February.

Taking into account climate change, the world economy will be turning more and more to renewable sources. Assistant Minister of Environmental Protection and Energy Mr Domagoj Validžić, on behalf of the Croatian Government, announced the new energy legislatives until 2030, especially in regard to the incentive system. More than 270 participants agreed: the energy transition is already happening, and renewable energy sources are no longer the result of enthusiasm, but an imperative! In order to make a better supply of raw material for energy market, Croatian Forest Management Company invested considerable amount in new technologies with the aim to mobilize additional quantities of biomass, estimated at a range of 500,000 to 1 million cubic meters, said President of the Management Board Mr Krunoslav Jakupčić. In apparent deindustrialisation in the transition countries, wood processing companies and wood fuel producers believe that further support is needed in order to invest in new projects, including pellet production and cogeneration plants, because "without chimneys, there is no progress", particularly regarding employment in rural areas. Bioenergy and biomass are still a complex and sometimes controversial issue in Croatia and neighborhoding countries, but current open dialogue between relevant institutions and forestry companies in Croatia confirms that biomass has more and more important role in national and international policies.
Croatian Biomass Association CROBIOM is committed to promote the greater use of biomass as the generator of rural development, emphasized President Mr Davor Zec. CROBIOM, along with the Croatian Wood Cluster, is the organizer of the conference and continues to implement activities that have contributed to the increased use of RES in the Republic of Croatia over the past years, and will continue to do so in future.

For more information contact Mr. Marijan Kavran:
CROATIAN Wood Cluster & CROBIOM
Krsnjavoga 1
HR-10000 Zagreb / Croatia
Tel. +385 1 6329111 / 114
E-mail: info@drvniklaster.hr 
E-mail: info@drvnipelet.hr