Dispatch from Croatia | March '26
***Our weekly Dispatches provide an overview of the most relevant recent and upcoming developments for the shift to climate neutrality in selected European countries, from policy and diplomacy to society and industry. For a bird's-eye view of the country's climate-friendly transition, read the respective 'Guide to'.***
27 Mar 2026, 08:00
Katarina Gulan, Marina Kelava
Stories to watch in the weeks ahead
- Croatia targets rise of energy prices – The Croatian government has introduced a 450 million-euro package of measures aimed at protecting households and businesses from rising energy prices driven by the war in the Middle East. The package extends efforts to limit increases in transport fuel prices, while electricity and gas prices will remain capped until 30 September. Prime minister Andrej Plenković said that the government had decided to continue with subsidy measures, contrary to earlier plans to phase them out.
- Curbing fuel tourism – Croatia's government plans to curb so-called “fuel tourism” by deregulating fuel prices on motorways, allowing them to rise and making it less attractive for foreign drivers to come to Croatia solely to fill up, said economy minister Ante Šušnjar. He added that demand had surged to record levels, with some distributors selling millions of litres of fuel in a single day, putting pressure on supply. The minister stressed that the priority is to ensure stable availability for the domestic market.
- Public building renovation – The Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and State Property has launched a new call for project proposals for the renovation of public sector buildings. One hundred and six million euros from the European Regional Development Fund will be available to increase the energy efficiency of public sector buildings, reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
The latest from Croatia – last month in recap
- Nuclear energy ambitions – In March, the Croatian parliament introduced a draft act on the development of nuclear energy, establishing the legal framework to build out the technology in the country. The strategic goal is for Croatia to produce at least 30 percent of its electricity from nuclear sources by 2040, nearly double the current share of around 16 percent, which comes from its stake in the Krško Nuclear Power Plant in neighbouring Slovenia. While the majority of parliamentary parties supported the act as a path toward Croatia’s energy independence, the opposition warned that such a strategic decision should not be made without up-to-date feasibility studies and clear information regarding the locations of future plants. The government is expected to adopt an activity programme for preparing the Nuclear Energy Development Plan within six months of the act coming into force, with the full plan due within twelve months.
- Geothermal potential confirmed – The public Croatian Hydrocarbons Agency has presented the results of geothermal potential research at four locations in central and eastern Croatia (Velika Gorica, Osijek, Vinkovci, and Zaprešić). At all four sites, experts discovered hot water at sufficiently high temperatures, exceeding 90 degrees Celsius. The next step is to drill four additional geothermal wells. Research activities will soon commence in Sisak and Karlovac (central Croatia) and Vukovar (in the eastern part of Croatia).
- National report highlights battery storage needs – The first national report on battery energy storage showed that it will not be possible to integrate larger amounts of renewable energy into the electricity system unless grid and battery systems develop in parallel. The report, which analysed transmission network constraints and the need for electricity storage in Croatia, identifies 22 priority locations with a potential of up to 1,700 megawatt (MW) of battery capacity.
Katarina’s picks – reading recommendations & events
- Major renewables conference to bring together industry leaders – The cradle of Croatian tourism, Opatija, will host Croatia’s leading renewable energy conference, “Renewable Energy Days 2026”, from 20 to 22 May. The event will bring together key stakeholders from across Croatia and Europe to discuss accelerating the green transition and meeting climate targets. Talks will focus on solar and wind power, as well as emerging technologies such as energy storage, green hydrogen and digital solutions.
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