SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY DEMONSTRATION ZONES IN THE DALMATIAN REGION Branimir Hrastnik, Lászlo Horváth and Dorijan Rajkoviæ Energy Institute “Hrvoje Požar”, Vukovarska 37, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel: +385 1 632 2598, Fax: +385 1 611 8401, E-mail: [email protected] Bernard Frankoviæ Faculty of Engineering - University of Rijeka, Vukovarska 58, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Tel: +385 51 651 401, Fax: +385 51 675 818, E-mail: [email protected] Ljubomir Mišèeviæ Faculty of Architecture – University of Zagreb, Kaèiæeva 26, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia Tel: +385 1 456 1222, Fax: +385 1 482 8079, E-mail: [email protected] Ranko Vujèiæ Split-Dalmatian County, Domovinskog rata 2, 21000 Split, Croatia Tel: + 385 21 300 037, Fax: +385 21 300 085, E-mail: [email protected] Abstract - The energy consumption in the Dalmatian region was estimated for residential and public sector, tourism, commercial sector and industry. The national energy programs for use of the solar (SUNEN) and wind energy (ENWIND) in Croatia assessed the solar and wind energy potential respectively. Fossil fuel and electricity consumption in the region, which is mostly used in households for the preparing of hot water and space heating, could be economically substituted by solar and wind energy. The situation is most promising for Adriatic islands, where solar thermal collectors, PV modules and wind generators could substitute conventional energy sources in satisfying the present thermal and electric demand. Dalmatian islands, characterized by small density of energy consumption, are proposed as unique candidates in Europe for the nomination as renewable zones, which could demonstrate the full potential of the renewable energy option. As a practical demonstration, the Island of Lastovo and the planned tourist village and yacht marina in the bay of “Jurjeva luka” are proposed as a first solar and wind demonstration project on the islands. Technical, economic, legal and institutional barriers, as well as shortages in financing the project identification process produced hereto an adverse environment for solar and wind applications in Croatia. This paper is an initiative to eliminate the barriers and intensify the solar energy use in Croatia providing the clean environment and activation of indigenous energy resources in the region. 1. INTRODUCTION economy. The tourist attractiveness of the Adriatic coast and islands originates from the characteristics of the physical “Do not sleep, o islands of ours, beautiful gardens floating environment and the combination of social and cultural within the sea” image of the Mediterranean region as the “cradle of Antun Mihanoviæ, Croatian poet, 1858 civilizations”. The combination of these factors together with The geographical position, Adriatic Sea, weather conditions its geographical accessibility makes it a popular tourist and mild climate make all seven littoral provinces in Croatia destination. Low tidal amplitudes facilitate the development best suitable for the use of solar and wind energy. In of seaside resorts and enable also cruise ships to reach any particular the Adriatic islands have the highest insolation coastal and island location. level of 2300-2800 sunshine hours per year. Islands are best Islands are natural ecological resources of healthy potential candidates for economic use of solar energy in agricultural production, of early vegetables (also in counter Croatia. (see Fig.1). Croatia has 718 islands, peninsula season), fruits, grapes and olives and of uncontaminated Pelješac and 389 cliffs and 78 reefs. The total territory of seafood and sea salt. Islands are ideal for bee farming due to islands is 3,113 km2. There are 15 large (area > 30 km2) abundant habitats of aromatic and medicinal (lavender, permanently settled “carrier” islands, 28 middle and smaller rosemary, marjoram, sage, etc.) herbs. Also islands with their (area 1-30 km2) “escort” also populated islands, and 33 larger meager and healing vegetation are ideal for sheep farming (1-15 km2) still unpopulated islands. and goat-breeding with a unique taste and quality of their meat. 1.1 The appeal of the Adriatic coast and islands Among all traditional activities, well known is both wine- The coastal areas and islands, outside urban areas of larger and olive oil productions. It has world-known geographical cities along the coast, are rather sparsely populated. This area origin and quality of natural products. with mostly rural characteristics, Mediterranean climate, For more than fifty years, coastal and island destinations look untouched nature and clean maritime zone is the virgin after tourism and supporting services. The present tourist environment unique in Europe. The region is the best place accommodation capacities are 137,500 and 37,900 beds in for holidays, leisure, recreation, sport, medical treatments and coastal and island hotels, respectively. There are also motor- many other activities, like culture, arts and art design. The camp capacities for 208,000 and 60,900 persons in coastal region offers potentially excellent opportunities in tourism and island destinations, respectively. In addition, many local and supporting services, but also in other branches of inhabitants and residents of larger coastal and continental cities have their spacious weekend houses and comfortable The coastal area and islands are quite unsuitable for mass apartments for holidays and leisure. They offer private industrial manufacturing, energy production and incineration accommodation in 20,000 and 14,000 apartments along the plants, which could result in adverse liquid and/or gas coast and on islands for tourists, respectively. Many of those effluents, or solid wastes (Hrastnik 1999). The aim of this capacities offer their rooms for board from May to October. paper is to show the potential, that indigenous energy sources Residential and public buildings, hotels, tourist villages, like solar-, wind- and small (wind-pumped) hydro-energy restaurants and other business sectors need heat, cold and plants could by 100% cover (at least) the expected growth of electric energy. We expect that energy consumption could island’s energy consumption in the 21st century. The solar grow by 7.5% per year, which means that energy demand in and wind (primary) energy sources are microeconomically the region will be doubled by 2010. competitive by the local climatic conditions. AD RI AT IC S EA Fig. 1 - Geographical position and solar insolation in Croatia in (h/a) and social problems. On the other side, developing Adriatic 1.2 Development opportunities of the region islands is not a problem of Croatia alone. In the near future Higher energy and transportation costs for goods and people, Croatia will be also a part of Europe. The development of the time-consuming and mostly quite insufficient daily region and thereof long-term business opportunities represent connections with main land and particularly with other challenges for many existing European interdisciplinary islands, lesser job opportunities, education difficulties, teams of today. poorer medical care, long distance from urban cultural and art centers and lesser entertainment opportunities make 1.3 Bilateral and multilateral co-operation opportunities islands at the very start less competitive to the coastal and Most of the islands need high qualified consulting experts in hinterland regions in the country. During the last fifty years building, solar and wind energy technologies, water-supply, most young people emigrated from the islands. The proper agriculture, manufacturing capacities, computer software, usage of natural and most of renewable resources, is an telecommunication, transport logistics, waste-management, answer how to motivate young people to return and stay on fire-protection, and many others. The potential island’s GDP islands. Fast local sea transport, global telecommunication could be by a factor of ten higher, if bilateral and multilateral and diverse (also expert) job opportunities, will be the international cooperation could bring the necessary expert strongest motivation. Also the island’s development policy teams together, who are familiar with new technologies and must change. Policy towards islands must not be created in new ideas. Croatia has neither enough experts nor available the regional densely populated coastal cities, which year after funds to do it alone in the next 10-20 years, which appears as year need bigger budgets as to solve their acute urban needs large disadvantage both for Croats and the whole Europe. 1.4 Sustainable infrastructure Islands’ industry The islands’ infrastructure, which is bearing much Only 262 TJ/a is an industrial energy consumption on resemblance to the coastal, continental or urban one, can not islands, where 39% is covered by electricity and 61% is be made sustainable. The problems of water- and energy covered by heating oil and LPG. The rough estimates of supply, means and routes of transportation, goods energy consumption by industrial branches are shown in distribution infrastructure (storehouses, cold storage Table 3. capacities, fleets of transport boats and vehicles, ships for Tourism and catering special purposes, ...), waste treatment systems and others, The energy consumption in tourism and catering of 322 TJ/a, must be adopted in a unique way to adapt on islands’ local where most energy is used for space heating and preparing of conditions and categories of geographical, climatic, social, HW. Electricity (71%) and heating oil (29%) practically economy,