engleski

Comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks for renewable energy sources in European Union, Croatia and countries of the region

Energy sector is now days facing two major challenges – ensuring the security of energy supply to end users and mitigation of related adverse environmental impacts, especially in the light of Kyoto Protocol obligations fulfilment. The task of regulatory framework in every country is to properly respond to these requests taking into consideration also requests for energy sector restructuring and liberalisation within specific national circumstances. Special place in energy policy of the European Union as well as Croatia and other countries in the region belongs to the renewable energy sources (RES), which can be a significant part of the solution for energy sector's major concerns. Comprehensive regulatory framework has to provide legal and institutional support as well as economic incentives for enhanced utilisation of renewables with the goal of removing the major barrier for stronger RES penetration into the power system – still significantly higher electricity production price in comparison with conventional sources. The main strategic and political goal in Croatia as well as in all countries in the region is the accession to the European Union, which implies the incorporation of all requests defined by relevant European directives into the national regulatory frameworks. Thus, detailed analysis of European regulatory framework for enhancing the utilisation of RES, its comparison with current national regulatory framework and definition of all actions needed for establishment of stable and favourable regulatory framework, which will trigger new investments in RES facilities, especially from private sector, is a necessity. This paper gives the comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks for enhanced RES utilisation in the European Union, Croatia and countries of the region. For this purpose the findings of the VBPC-RES (Virtual Balkan Power Centre for Advance of Renewable Energy Sources in Western Balkans) project are used. This project belongs to the EU Framework Program 6, where the research work is funded by European Commission, Directorate General on Research and Technology Development (DG RTD) and International Co-operation Activities (INCO). The aim of the project is to promote the RES use in Western Balkans countries through dissemination of knowledge about the best available technologies and regulatory measures. The aim of this paper is to compare Croatian regulatory framework for renewables with the European Union’ s as well as with the regulations in other countries of the region, especially Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Romania and Bulgaria. The most usual barriers for stronger RES penetration into the power system are identified and solutions based on the best European practices are suggested

regulaton; rewables; Croatia; region; European Union

nije evidentirano