EuroEnergy enters Croatia with €150m wind power project

Libra Group renewable energy subsidiary to acquire 114-megawatt Croatian wind farm development as a first investment in key renewable market and new Eurozone member.

January 19, 2023
Athens – Greece

EuroEnergy, a renewable energy subsidiary of Libra Group with assets and operations in the European Union, has announced that it will acquire a 114-megawatt (MW) wind energy development in Udbina, Croatia. Representing a total investment of €150 million, the project will expand EuroEnergy’s European footprint to harness the potential of Croatia’s growing renewable energy sector. Significantly, the acquisition represents one of the country’s first clean energy investments since it became a member of the Eurozone in January 2023.

Located in the largest county in Croatia, Lika-Senj, in the municipality of Udbina, the project is expected to boost the local economy by establishing an office, hiring local personnel, and contracting local companies for the development, construction, and operation of the wind farm.

With an established presence in key markets, including Greece, Romania, and now Croatia, this acquisition will substantially increase EuroEnergy’s investment portfolio of solar parks and wind farms to an installed capacity of over 200 MW. In addition, the company has previously owned and managed 375 MW.

EuroEnergy is among the few private renewable energy platforms with extensive experience, an on-site presence, sizable operating assets, and a robust pipeline in emerging European markets. It is also committed to advancing innovative technologies to support operational excellence, most recently through deploying drone technology to inspect wind farms.

“We are proud to expand our portfolio into the Republic of Croatia, a market with enormous potential and a growing domestic renewable energy sector,” said EuroEnergy Chief Executive Officer Fanis Mermigkousis. “We are committed to ensuring the local communities are integrated throughout the process. Our work is helping ensure that Southern and Eastern Europe are part of the renewable energy transition, and we will continue to explore new geographies that advance the sector.”

The acquisition reserves the right to expand with an additional 70.5 MW of wind capacity, depending on electricity grid upgrades that can increase production. The broader growth of renewable energy in Europe, new upgrades to Croatian grid infrastructure, and a liberalized market with supportive legislation further advance this growth. The potential scalability of this project also supports the future incorporation of new, highly-innovative and green infrastructure solutions to Croatia.

“Our Group is dedicated to responsible innovation and growth, and we are proud to see EuroEnergy invest in Croatia’s energy future as it becomes part of the green transition,” said Antonis Menegas, Executive Vice President of Energy for Libra Group. “Across our global ecosystem, we are leveraging the insights of our network to build economies of scale. We look forward to following EuroEnergy’s progress as our Group continues to advance a pan-European renewable energy platform.”

Boris Katić, one of the three owners and original developer of this project, further commented, “We are pleased to welcome EuroEnergy and their team as a strong and experienced partner in the project. This wind project will provide a significant contribution to the sustainable development of this rural area by creating highly-skilled employment, improving the environment for local businesses and strengthening the regional road and power infrastructure. Located in the triangle between the three National Parks Plitvice, Paklenica and North Velebit, the wind farm is a crucial contributor to supporting and promoting the local communities in this remote region.”

About EuroEnergy

EuroEnergy is a renewable energy investment company with offices in London, Athens and Bucharest. Founded in Greece in 2007, EuroEnergy was established to increase the contribution of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to the traditional energy mix in Europe and the Mediterranean countries. Over the years, its portfolio has grown to encompass solar PV and wind assets in Romania and Greece. With a focus now on solar and wind energy, EuroEnergy has grown its RES portfolio by acquiring solar PV operating assets and under-construction wind projects. EuroEnergy’s operating assets track record consists of close to 0.5 GW of wind, solar and biogas projects.

About Libra Group

Libra Group is a privately-owned, global business group that encompasses 30 operating entities: 20 businesses predominately focused on aviation, energy, maritime, real estate, hospitality, and diversified industries, and 10 social initiatives. With assets and operations in nearly 60 countries, the Group applies the strength of its global network and capabilities to deliver cross-sector insights and growth at scale, while mitigating risk. Today, Libra’s Social Responsibility Programs include 10 social initiatives created to address unmet needs and grantmaking that helps people worldwide. Throughout its 30 entities, the Group is focused on maintaining its innovative culture supporting human potential, and always delivering growth with good – twin engines that power the Libra ecosystem.

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Energy minister Kostas Skrekas unveiled this project plan during a speech yesterday at the Renewable & Storage Forum, a two-day conference organized by energypress, continuing today.

Germany is believed to be seeking alternative green energy sources as, according to the minister’s comments at the conference, the country cannot develop RES projects in its south as a result of environmental measures protecting the Black Forest.

Sources informed that officials are working on an application for PCI classification concerning this grid interconnection.

Power grid operator IPTO, the sources added, has prepared plans for two alternative routes, one crossing Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Slovenia, before reaching Austria and Germany’s south, the other a subsea route from Albania’s coastline to Slovenia followed by an overland crossing to Austria and Germany’s south.

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Europe’s gas storage facilities are estimated to be close to 70 percent full in early August, according to data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), representing the continent’s gas infrastructure operators.

Europe’s gas storage units continued being filled at a rapid rate in late July, despite the reduction of Gazprom’s gas supply through the Nord Stream I pipeline, now operating at just 20 percent of capacity.

Given the continent’s current gas storage levels, European authorities are confident an 80 percent objective can be achieved by early October. However, storage level discrepancies between EU member states remains a challenge that needs to be dealt with.

German gas storage units are now 70 percent full, while the level in Italy is higher, at 73 percent. On the contrary, gas storage facility levels are far lower elsewhere, registering 48 percent in Bulgaria, 24 percent in Ukraine and 53 percent in Croatia.