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Factsheet for measure HR-2023-27/3265 Updated – measures in Croatia

Joint procurement of solar power panels

Grupna nabava solarnih elektrana

Country Croatia , applies regionally
Time period Temporary, 02 July 2023 – 10 August 2023
Context Green Transition
Type Other initiatives or policies
Category Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future
– Support for spending, stimulus packages
Author Predrag Bejakovic (Faculty of Economics, Business, and Tourism (FEBT), University of Split) and Eurofound
Measure added 04 August 2023 (updated 20 January 2025)

Background information

The Green Energetic Cooperative (Zelena energetska zadruga) aims to make the process of installing solar panels faster, simpler and more profitable for all those who are 'struggling' with understanding offers for equipment, choosing an installer, ensuring installation dates, changes in prices and other current events on the market.

The Cooperative has tested group procurement, and it provides the support at every phase of the realization through the On the Sunny Side non-profit service.

Content of measure

Natural and legal persons from the area of the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County were invited to participate in the group procurement of solar panels at the beginning of July 2023. The invitation is open until 10 August 2023. A larger number of participants will help achieve better equipment procurement and installation conditions for all involved.

The support includes the procurement of equipment and installation services for the solar panels and related equipment. In collaboration with the partner installers of solar panels, the Cooperative has prepared for the participants two purchase options. These options differ in terms of the stability of the equipment and service on the market and the terms of the warranty and support after installation.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

17 November 2024

The Green Energetic Cooperative (Zelena energetska zadruga - ZEZ) has invited all citizens interested in installing a solar power plant for their family home, company, or business to apply for the latest round of group procurement of solar power plant equipment. Applications were open from 20 May to 7 June 2024. Through group procurement, the organizer offered discounts on high-quality equipment, along with security and support throughout the entire implementation process, following a 'turnkey' approach. In previous procurement rounds, ZEZ achieved significant results, including i) Approximately €1,000 in savings per participant, amounting to a total of about €200,000 in savings; and ii) 2 MW of newly installed solar capacity. In this round of group procurement, ZEZ aimed to secure at least a 15% discount compared to market prices for solar power plant equipment. The final discount depended on the total number of participants in the group procurement.

27 November 2023

Citizens from all over Croatia who want to install a solar power plant for a family home, company or trade can participate in the group procurement of equipment and installation of solar power plants. The group purchase is organized by “On the sunny side”, the service of the Green Energy Cooperative for support in the implementation of solar power plants. They offer three procurement options, the goal is to ensure greater profitability of installing a solar power plant by choosing high-quality equipment at more favorable conditions, as well as security and support in the entire process of its realization. They began with the group procurement process with the aim of making the process of realizing a solar power plant faster, simpler and more profitable for all those who 'struggle' with understanding offers for equipment, choosing an installer, ensuring installation dates, changes in prices and other current events on the market. The discount that the participants will get by participating in this process of realization of the solar power plant will be calculated in relation to the number of participants in the offer, and the service estimates that the discount will amount to at least 15% on market prices. In addition, it is possible to obtain a discount of 50% on the construction of the main project of the solar power plant. About 50 citizens participated in the group procurement organized this summer for the areas of the City of Zagreb and the Zagreb County, and now the offer is open for the whole of Croatia. The call for participation in group procurement is open until 25 January, 2024, and interested individuals and legal entities can pre-register for participation via the registration form.

Use of measure

The final amount of equipment and the number of participants in the group purchase will determine the discount that the participants will receive by participating in this process. Installation of solar power plants is scheduled for the end of 2023. This can be a significant stimulus for Croatian citizens and companies to install the solar panels and to better accept green energy.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Applies to all businesses Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
Other social actors (e.g. NGOs)
No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement as case not in social partner domain No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

There was no involvement of social partners in the design and implementation of the measure but they can also apply if they are willing to invest in solar energy.

Views and reactions

Social partners in Croatia always support various measures related to digital and green transition.

Sources

  • 02 July 2023: Support for green transition (Podrška za zelenu tranziciju) (nasuncanojstrani.hr)
  • 02 August 2023: The group procurement (Grupna nabava) (lidermedia.hr)
  • 27 November 2023: Novi val zajedničke nabave (New wave of joint procurement) (h-alter.org)
  • 24 May 2024: The new group procurement of solar power plant equipment (Nova grupna nabava solarnih panela) (www.zez.coop)

Citation

Eurofound (2023), Joint procurement of solar power panels, measure HR-2023-27/3265 (measures in Croatia), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/HR-2023-27_3265.html

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