The Future Is Being Written on the Ground: RES Days 2025 Concluded with an Emphasis on Practice and Nature

It is precisely the local level – spatial planning, permits, and community acceptance – that is increasingly becoming the key element in achieving the green transition goals. The final day of the conference highlighted the most important point: the energy future is not built only in institutions but primarily in the communities that create it.

The first panel on the third day of RES Days 2025, which was also the sixth panel of the conference, opened up questions of the viability and prospects of cogeneration plants in Croatia, with an emphasis on those based on biomass and biogas. Although often overshadowed by solar and wind power plants, these facilities are crucial for the stability of the power system and for local circular use of raw materials, experts concluded in a discussion moderated by Marko Lasić, Director of Crossvolt.

At the very beginning, Marijan Cenger, Director of BIOEL, explained that there are currently around 40 active cogeneration plants in Croatia, with a total installed capacity of about 50 MW, but not all of them are operational.

– Several of them are not working, to be precise, more than half of them were shut down at one point. The reason? In 2022, following the start of the war in Ukraine, raw material prices rose by more than 100%. And unfortunately, institutions failed to respond in time – said Cenger, reminding that these plants were developed as part of serious investments in the green transition, with around 5 billion HRK of invested funds. After a turbulent period, the situation has stabilized. The plants now operate in a market-reasonable and positive manner, and integration with other sectors, such as agriculture, proved crucial for survival during the crisis.

Viktor Horvatinović, Director of Pearl Infrastructure, commented on the biomass situation.

– Over the last two years, we have seen a sudden abundance of raw material thanks to storms in Slavonia and large amounts of fallen wood. But I fear that has also lulled us a bit. This situation will not last longer than two more years, and we must start seriously thinking about alternatives – he warned. Horvatinović also pointed out that Croatia currently has 47 biomass plants with a total capacity of about 100 MW, most of which have contracts with HROTE. The key task now, he said, is to ensure the high-quality and rational consumption of the produced thermal energy, because without that, the sustainability of the facilities is lost.

Sandra Zokić, Director of the Directorate for Agricultural Land, Plant Production and Market at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, explained that the biogas and biomass sector was not neglected but rather deprioritized during times of crisis. She reminded that the entire administration first had to respond to extraordinary circumstances affecting primary agricultural production. She also announced the upcoming adoption of a new Ordinance on fertilizing products, which will allow broader use of commercial raw materials. One of the key steps forward in this regulation concerns the status of digestate and substrate.

– The Ordinance introduces clear categories for digestate and byproducts. Not everything that is not fertilizer should be automatically considered waste. These are resources that can have value in agriculture and beyond – said Zokić, adding that the Ordinance draft has already undergone public consultation, with over 2,000 comments received, and the document has been sent to the European Commission for review.

The Ordinance is definitely a step forward, believes Dinko Đurđević, Director of Green Energy Solutions.

– For the first time, byproducts from biogas production are seriously recognized for their value. But we must not forget that plants should strive for self-sufficiency – he said. When speaking about the potential of biomethane, he pointed out the related technological challenges.

– Biomethane is CH₄, just like natural gas. But to inject it into the grid, it must be purified. That means expensive filters and costly technology. And yes, literally, a gas pipeline must physically reach your system – Đurđević added.

Before the beginning of this panel, Dr. Tim Pettenkofer from the German Bioenergy Association joined the conference via video link and provided an international perspective by presenting the German model of transitioning from a system of guaranteed purchase prices (feed-in tariffs) to a market-oriented approach in the biomass sector. He emphasized that Germany has been moving away from fixed incentives for several years and shifting to a tender model that promotes competition and efficiency.

– Since 2022, all biomass tenders in Germany have been oversubscribed. Investor interest has far exceeded available quotas. This shows that a market-based approach can work, but only if it is supported by a stable regulatory framework and clearly defined long-term goals – said Pettenkofer, who also highlighted the importance of integrating biomass into the broader energy system, especially in the context of heating and sector coupling.

In his presentation ahead of the seventh panel, Bojan Linardić, Director of the Institute for Spatial Development at the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, spoke about the importance of integrating renewable energy sources into spatial planning. He emphasized the binding nature of the EU’s RED III Directive, which requires Member States to identify so-called “go-to” zones – priority areas for the development of RES. These zones, he said, must be clearly marked in spatial plans to accelerate the development of renewable energy projects and reduce administrative barriers. He also announced that the new Spatial Planning Act and Construction Act are being prepared, which will enable the systematic mapping of all spatial data relevant to the competent public authorities.

– Spatial planning must be based on reliable and accessible data, and without a quality spatial basis, it is not possible to implement the green transition in a sustainable manner – Linardić said.

PANEL The Role of Local Authorities in the Development of RES

The seventh panel of RES Days 2025 encouraged discussion on legislative updates, practical challenges in the field, and the need for improved interdepartmental and interinstitutional coordination. It was moderated by attorney-at-law Tihana Posavec Vlašić from the Law firm Posavec Vlašić & Mećar.

Margareta Premužić, Senior Advisor in the Directorate for Spatial Planning of the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, announced the adoption of two new laws by the end of the year, stressing that these are not amendments but entirely new regulatory frameworks.

One of the foreseen novelties includes planning of battery storage facilities. Premužić explained that two types of battery systems will be defined: those that are part of RES production facilities and standalone storage systems that can be planned independently. Both types must be near substations, and their primary purpose will be storing self-generated energy to stabilize the grid.

Arijana Andri, Head of the Department for Physical Planning, Construction, Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County, spoke about the County’s adaptation to the development of RES projects in the context of legislative changes. One major challenge, she noted, was defining connection points and substations that previously were not flexibly planned.

– Once an investor receives a connection point, they should be able to plan and implement it without going through an administrative maze – said Andri, adding that one-third of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County lies within an ecological network, highlighting the need to balance environmental protection with RES development.

Vjeka Kniewald, Development Director at Croatian Green Energy, addressed the challenge of aligning local spatial plans with RES projects.

– Solar and wind power plants are often planned as structures of national importance, but at the local level, they end up being inconsistent with lower-level plans. If permits are already obtained and we then have to change spatial plans, project timelines stretch even further.

– The same term can mean different things in different county plans. This is a major obstacle for investors – pointed out Kniewald.

Marina Prusina, Head of the Project Management at EnergoVizija, said that implementation of regulations varies significantly from county to county and sometimes depends on individual officials.

– We have had cases where a year after the law has changed, some officials were still not familiar with the new rules – she said, highlighting problematic collisions between higher-level legislation and local spatial plans, which often render requirements such as location conditions unfeasible in practice.

The head of the Municipality of Jasenice, Stipe Vulić, presented an example of good local practice. His municipality already has two solar and one wind power plant, all in the area of the former industrial zone Bravar.

– This is the area of the former alumina factory, a large project of the former country. Today, we use this space for projects in line with EU and green transition goals, he added, saying that until now the local community has not been involved, so they decided to further protect the interests of the local population and clearly communicate the benefits of RES projects to the residents.

Experts Agustín Riopérez, Director of DTBird, George Diakomanolis, COO at Irida AI Technologies, and Chris Wilson, Performance Engineering Manager at Boulder Imaging, presented how advanced technologies such as cameras, radars, and artificial intelligence can minimize the negative impact of wind farms on birds and bats. They emphasized the importance of aligning biodiversity protection with the need for efficient and uninterrupted renewable energy production.

They presented solutions capable of halting turbine operation within 25 to 60 seconds upon detecting risks to birds. Research has been conducted for some of these technologies, showing that 98.3% of birds were correctly identified, and less than 2% of turbine shutdowns were “false”. Certain systems can recognize over 100 different bird species.

PANEL Developing RES While Preserving Nature and the Environment – Practice, Challenges, and Solutions

The final panel of RES Days 2025 focused on whether current nature protection measures are truly enforceable in practice and where gaps between legislation, project design, and implementation tend to emerge. The panel was moderated by Tanja Valek, Director of Contracts and Risk Management at Energija projekt.

Mirna Mazija, Ph.D., Director of Supernatural, spoke about the significance of sensitivity maps, which have finally become available after years of announcements and anticipation. She stressed how these maps have transformed the profession’s workflow.

– For years we worked manually, literally project by project, location by location. Without systematic datasets, we had to research everything from scratch. She explained that the maps were created using several key criteria: presence and sensitivity of various species groups such as birds, bats, and large predators, ecological network coverage, special habitats, and protected areas. The maps now allow investors and consultants to assess risks more quickly and precisely, while also helping environmental authorities make clearer and more consistent decisions.

The sensitivity map initiative was praised by Nikola Pletikosa, Project Manager at ENCRO, who listed Germany and Portugal as examples of integrating ecological and technical criteria in national plans. He warned that continental Croatia may lack enough space for accelerated development of RES, which is why it is necessary to include two more components in the planning: accelerated development maps and infrastructure maps (e.g., transmission lines), which would also be covered by simplified procedures.

Aljoša Duplić, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Environmental and Nature Protection at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, noted that Germany served as a model for Croatia’s process.

– These maps are the result of a complex and lengthy process and form a critical foundation for future planning, including identifying areas for accelerated RES development – said Duplić, noting that the focus was solely on biodiversity, and other aspects of spatial planning have not yet been included. He also pointed out the unused potential of integrated solar systems, with an emphasis on the need to prioritize brownfield locations.

Dalibor Hatić, Director of OIKON, highlighted the problem of outdated and inaccurate data in the Natura 2000 network, noting that some species and habitat data date back more than a century. He emphasized as particularly problematic a situation when it is scientifically confirmed that a certain species is not present at a location, but that data is anyway not used and accepted.

Hrvoje Peternel, Ph.D., Director of Geonatura, stressed the usefulness of sensitivity maps as a baseline but reiterated the irreplaceable role of field research for every project. He warned of absurd situations where map data is treated as more accurate than field observations, leading to the notion that “nature must adapt to the paper,” rather than the other way around. He pointed out that any protection of a particular species must be based on accurate and current data.

Filip Fržop, Project Development Associate at TEC OI, shared experience of developing the 31 MW Dazlina wind farm. Following two years of monitoring, the project was approved with an environmental measure to paint one wind turbine blade black in order to reduce short-toed snake eagle mortality. However, this measure later led to a conflict with civil aviation regulations, which require white paint for visibility.

– Even the manufacturer could not issue a type certificate for the black blade – through the communication with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, it was finally agreed to replace the measure and instead of the black blade, a “shut-down on demand” system was introduced. The project successfully adjusted its documentation and moved toward the construction phase.

Conclusion of RES Days 2025 Conference

Over three days, the RES Days 2025 conference – through discussions on policy and legal framework, grid integration challenges, financial viability, innovations, and practical implementation – reaffirmed what experts, institutions, and investors increasingly emphasize: the green transition is not optional but essential.

The conference clearly showed the importance of open, informed, and reasoned dialogue on all the challenges ahead in the energy transition. In a time of geopolitical and market instability, domestic renewable energy production becomes not only an energy issue but also one of security – a matter of strategic autonomy for every country.

Croatia has the resources, the knowledge, and the partners. It has the opportunity to become the energy hub of the region and a leader in the green transition in the Adriatic and the Balkans. In the interest of the economy, security, and citizens, this is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.