Energy transition between promises and realities - a view from the European semi-periphery

Ančić, Branko and Cik, Tomislav and Grdenić, Goran and Holjevac, Ninoslav and Zidar, Matija (2023) Energy transition between promises and realities - a view from the European semi-periphery. Sociologija i prostor, 61 (3). pp. 437-463. ISSN 1846-5226 (Print), 1849-0387 (Online)

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Abstract

IN ENGLISH: Croatia, like some other EU countries, is poor with fossil fuels while at the same time has a significant renewable energy potential that is not sufficiently utilized. The current total energy import is around 50% of overall energy needs, and there is an increase in the share of renewables. In the electricity sector, an increase is happening due to investments in wind energy in the last decade, however, the largest share relates to the production from big hydropower plants stemming from the second half of the 20th century. Considering that Croatia’s coastal region is positioned in the Mediterranean, the major potential for renewable solar energy is obvious. The current share of solar energy represents only 1% of current electricity production and is one of the lowest in the EU. Citizens’ energy initiatives seem to be an important factor in intensifying the overall process of solarization, thus contributing to speeding up the process of energy transition. However, Croatia, like some other EU countries, has major social and legislative barriers to achieving this. In the article, we will present the multidimensionality of these obstacles by exploring energy inequalities in society (i.e. energy poverty issues), regional differences in citizens’ participation in the solarization processes, and the socio-technical barriers. We will also examine the potential of citizens’ engagement in energy transition. The data used for the analyses were collected as part of the ESF project “METER to a better climate”. --------------- IN CROATIAN: Hrvatska je, poput drugih zemalja EU, siromašna fosilnim gorivima no istovremeno posjeduje značajan potencijal u obnovljivim izvorima energije, koji nije dovoljno iskorišten. Trenutačan ukupni uvoz energije iznosi oko 50% ukupnih energetskih potreba te se bilježi porast udjela obnovljivih izvora energije. U elektroenergetskom sektoru dolazi do porasta udjela primarno zbog ulaganja u vjetroelektrane u zadnjem desetljeću, međutim, najveći udio odnosi se na proizvodnju iz velikih hidroelektrana iz druge polovice 20. stoljeća. S obzirom na to da je hrvatska obalna regija smještena na Mediteranu, očit je velik potencijal obnovljive solarne energije. Trenutačan udio solarne energije predstavlja samo 1% u trenutnoj proizvodnji električne energije i jedan je od najnižih u EU-u. Inicijative građanske energije čine se važnim čimbenikom u intenziviranju ukupnog procesa solarizacije, pridonoseći tako ubrzanju procesa energetske tranzicije. Međutim, Hrvatska, poput nekih drugih zemalja EU-a, suočena je s velikim društvenim i zakonodavnim preprekama u postizanju navedenoga. U ovome članku bit će prikazana višedimenzionalnost tih prepreka kroz istraživanje energetskih nejednakosti u društvu (tj. pitanja energetskog siromaštva), regionalnih razlika u sudjelovanju građana u procesima solarizacije, socio-tehničkih prepreka te ispitivanja potencijala za angažman građana u energetskoj tranziciji. Podaci korišteni u analizama prikupljeni su u sklopu ESF projekta „METAR do bolje klime“.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Language: English. - Title in Croatian: Energetska tranzicija između obećanja i stvarnosti – pogled s europske poluperiferije.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Energy transition, energy poverty, citizens’ energy, socio-technical regime, sociocultural aspects of energy (energetska tranzicija, energetsko siromaštvo, građanska energija, socio-tehnički režim, socio-kulturni aspekti energije)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Depositing User:	Karolina
Date Deposited:	08 Mar 2024 10:53
Last Modified:	08 Mar 2024 10:53
URI:	http://idiprints.knjiznica.idi.hr/id/eprint/1133

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