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Energy efficiency and its role in the sustainable development – case study Croatia

European energy sector is entering a new era faced with serious challenges, above all disturbed security of supply caused by volatile oil prices and insecure natural gas supply paths, but also by the fact that existing power systems are aged. Reducing growing adverse environmental impact due to still prevailingly fossil fuel oriented energy consumption has become a number one priority. The greatest challenge in the concept of the sustainable development is in trying to reconcile the "development" with the "sustainable". It is clear that the economic growth is the best way known to help the poor today but it has to be handled with care, or it can leave a degraded or even devastated natural environment for the future. That explains why ecologists, economists and engineers have long held diametrically opposed views on development. The most difficult part is to work out what today’ s generation owes future generations, and how to reconcile that moral obligation with what we owe the poorest among us today. Those definitely include improving access for the poor to cleaner energy and to safe drinking water, two areas where concerns about human health and the environment overlap. Energy efficiency is recognised worldwide as a single most powerful and cost-effective way for achieving goals of sustainable development. Instruments developed to improve energy efficiency are at the same time oriented towards cleaner environment, better standard of living, and more competitive industry, creation of new work places and improved security of energy supply. The full potential for the implementation of energy efficiency programs in the Croatia depends crucially on one factor: Government. Promoting energy efficiency is one of the key elements of Croatian energy policy. However, the commitment to energy efficiency is still only declarative and additions in legislative and institutional framework are necessary in order to exploit existing potentials in the best manner. During the transition to liberalized energy markets the role of regulators and officials is vitally important. And as the California’ s sad example shows, governments can make a big difference by getting it wrong. It is clear when it comes to clean technology, the most effective boost that governmental officers can give to a sustainable energy future is to avoid picking winners. Instead, they would do better to provide a level playing field by scrapping the huge and usually hidden subsidies for fossil fuels, and by introducing measures such as carbon taxes so that the price of fossil fuels reflects the costs they impose on the environment and human health. Governments should keep open range of options for producing energy and for energy usage in the production processes. Within this paper evaluation of the present status in the implementation of the energy efficiency programs in Croatia are presented. The evaluation was based on results of detailed energy audits in the several public and private owned institutions and companies. Special attention was given to specific characteristics of analysed branches with the aim to clarify barriers for the implementation of rational energy management programs within each sub-branch.

energy efficiency; sustainable development; Croatia

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