Solar Flex Croatia 2026 – Agenda

20/02/2026

The Solar Flex Croatia 2026 conference, taking place on 17 March at the Sheraton Hotel in Zagreb, will bring together more than 300 experts from the energy, business, financial, and regulatory sectors to discuss the role of batteries, system flexibility, and the evolving role of consumers in the electricity system.

The conference will present the results of the first national study on battery energy storage systems and provide concrete answers to key questions related to grid connection, market models, green tariffs, and the integration of battery storage systems into industry and households.

Renewable energy and batteries are no longer a question of the future – they are a business decision of today.

CONFERENCE AGENDA

Maja Pokrovac, Director, Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia
Arthur Daemers, Senior Policy Advisor, SolarPower Europe
Miljan Ždrale, Regional Director for Central Europe, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition tbc
Ministry of Economy tbc
Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets tbc

Ignacio Asenjo, Team Leader for Energy System Integration, DG ENER, European Commission
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development tbd

Presentations:
Study “Identification of Congestion Locations in the Electricity Grid and Battery Energy Storage Needs
in the Republic of Croatia”

Assistant Prof. Ninoslav Holjevac, PhD, Department of Energy and Power Systems, Faculty of
Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER)
Dražen Balić, PhD, Head of Energy Generation and Energy Markets Department, Energy Institute
Hrvoje Požar (EIHP)

Panel 1: CRO Flex – From Grid Congestions to Battery Solutions
The panel is dedicated to the results of the national battery study, which identifies critical grid
congestion points within the Croatian power system and defines the need and optimal locations for
battery energy storage systems as a key solution for increasing grid flexibility. The discussion focuses
on how batteries can mitigate congestion, enhance system stability, and support further development
of Croatia’s electricity network.

Panelists:
Full Professor Igor Kuzle, PhD, Head of the Smart Grid Laboratory, FER
Goran Majstrović, PhD, Head of Energy Transmission and Distribution Department, EIHP
Ljupko Teklić, PhD, Assistant Director, Development, Connection, Construction and Asset Management Department,
Croatian Transmission System Operator (HOPS)
Branimir Ivković, Head of Wind Power Department, ENCRO
Helena Kokot, Director of Legal, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, E.ON
Josip Tošić, PhD, Director, TOSKA
Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency tbc

Moderator: Saša Ćeramilac, journalist, host and communications advisor

Pauza za osvježenje i networking

Presentation: Alternative Forms of Electricity and Thermal Energy Storage
The presentation provides an overview of other forms of electricity and thermal energy storage beyond
battery systems, including hydroaccumulation, hydrogen, and thermal storage solutions. Particular
focus is placed on their role in managing variable generation from renewable sources, reducing peak
loads, and strengthening the resilience of the energy system.

Full Professor Goran Krajačić, PhD, Department of Energy, Power and Environmental Engineering,
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FSB)

Panel 2: Energy Storage – Beyond Batteries
The panel builds on the discussion about alternative energy storage solutions and broadens the
perspective on the systemic deployment of reservoir and pumped-storage hydropower plants,
hydrogen, thermal energy storage, and the integration of renewable gases into the energy
infrastructure. The objective is to demonstrate how a combination of different storage technologies
can contribute to a more stable and resilient energy system.

Panelists:
Mario Perić, PhD, Product and Solution Manager for New Energy Technologies, Končar
Ante Elez, PhD, Member of the Management Board, HEP
Marino Valjak, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Department Manager, Elektroprojekt
Ivan Šimić, Technical Director, EnergoVizija

Moderator: Ivan Andročec, PhD, Director of Renewable Energy and Innovation, INA

Presentation: Demand Response as a Contribution to Grid Flexibility

Ivan Zubec, Head of Software Development, KOER

Panel 3: Batteries in Support of Energy-Intensive Industry
The panel focuses on the role of energy-intensive industry in energy system flexibility, with an
emphasis on battery storage systems for optimizing energy consumption. Using practical examples,
the discussion explores the contribution of active consumers to grid stability through demand
response, virtual power plants, aggregation, microgrids, and integration of generation and
consumption at the point of use.

Panelists:
Vladimir Gagić, Head of Business Area – Control, Protection and Smart Grid Systems, Siemens
Marko Vukobratović, PhD, Director, Versolvio
Marko Lasić, Director, Crossvolt
Michael Strobel, Business Director Europe, Great Power
Vedran Belamarić, Director, Orbico Electro

Moderator: Milan Šteković Šutić, Sales Manager, JA Solar

Pauza za osvježenje i networking

Interview: A Green Tariff Model for Active Prosumers
RES Croatia presents a proposal for the introduction of a green tariff model designed for consumers
who generate and store electricity from solar power plants at the point of consumption. It outlines a
special tariff framework that recognizes active prosumers and provides for a preferential network use
charge for users who reduce grid load through self-generation and storage. The discussion addresses
the questions why the European Union introduced net-metering schemes and how a green tariff
model could encourage the broader deployment of solar systems and battery storage in Croatia.

Filip Kušević, Legal Advisor, RES Croatia

Panel 4: Active Consumers – The New Role of Households and SMEs
The panel focuses on the consumption flexibility at the household and SME levels through the
deployment of battery systems, heat pumps, closed distribution systems, microgrids, and energy
sharing models. The discussion addresses the role of end-users in energy management, cost
optimization, and contribution to the stability of the electricity grid.

Panelists:
Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund tbd
Ivan Burul, Advisor to the Management Board, HEP – Distribution System Operator
(HEP-ODS)
Tomislav Bunjevac, Member of the Management Board, ENNA NEXT
Anto Matijašević, Head of Product Management, Energy3000
Uprise tbd

Moderator: Veselina Harabajs, Head of Business Development, Green Energy Cooperative

Zaključak konferencije i ručak uz networking

Join us at Solar Flex Croatia 2026

1. STANDARD Registration Fee – Solar Flex Croatia 2026:

390,00 EUR + VAT (487,50 EUR)

For any additional information or inquiries, please feel free to contact us at  📩 konferencija@oie.hr

2. OIEH and SPE Members Registration Fee – Solar Flex Croatia 2026:

325,00 EUR + VAT (406,25 EUR)

A special promotional code for a discounted registration fee can be requested via the following email address📩 konferencija@oie.hr.

More information about the conference and topics related to power system flexibility is available HERE.

You can download the full conference programme in PDF format.

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Zagreb, HR
04:21, 21/04/2026
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