Agroforestry Uncovered / Sustainable Farm

Wind protection is a long-standing indigenous practice in traditional agriculture of many regions.

In attempts to improve or establish wind protection schemes with trees, it makes sense to study the link that can be observed between traditional and relatively recent but promising agroforestry practices. And it makes sense as well to try to quantify phenomena taking place in such traditional and promising practices alike.

In the case study in Croatia reported here, the farmer requested CCRES to assist in providing the agrometeorological input into the set-up of experiments under conditions in farmers' fields, with a system of wind barriers with trees (plums, walnuts, pine, and maple), in irrigated crops in Lika Region.

By simply inspiring ourselves from their intelligence we can start to imitate the the way forests function. We can understand what the dynamics and principles of nature and apply them to our agricultural systems. This is a challenge for the farming industry, as it means a deep change on a philosophical level and technical level. 

Zeljko Serdar, CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES ( CCRES )

HAARP experiments caused artificial aurora over Croatia this weekend.

Here, if no one wants to tell you, I will. HAARP experiments caused artificial aurora over Croatia this weekend.

Watchers of the night sky along much of Croatia catch a red splotch of light up high over the weekend. Though it might look like the aurora, the red “airglow” in the ionosphere is a byproduct of a rare, four-day-long set of experiments at the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program — or HAARP — in Gakona.

“Each day, the airglow could be visible up to 300 ... miles from the HAARP facility,” according to a statement from the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

By creating an artificial aurora with equipment on the ground, researchers hope to learn more about the natural aurora.

HAARP is composed of instruments designed to study the ionosphere, the area roughly 50 to 400 miles above Earth, separating the livable surface of the planet from space.

High-frequency radio pulses will excite electrons in the ionosphere, artificially mimicking the same phenomenon that causes the northern lights naturally from solar energy kicked off by the sun.

UAF and several out-of-state research programs are conducting the experiments. “Scientists will investigate ionosphere mechanisms that cause optical emissions,” according to the statement. “And they’ll investigate how satellites can use plasma waves in the ionosphere for collision detection and avoidance.”

One application of the research is developing a new method for tracking “space junk,” the remnants of man-made objects like old launch vehicles or bits of spacecraft trapped in Earth’s orbit, according to Paul Bernhardt, HAARP’s chief scientist.

“Traditionally, space debris is observed with satellite and ground sensors that use optics and ranging radars. These methods, however, cannot detect many smaller debris. University scientists have suggested a novel technique for locating space debris by measuring the electric fields that surround them while in motion,” Bernhardt said.

The HAARP site is about 200 miles northeast of Anchorage and about 230 miles southeast of Fairbanks, two of the state’s main population centers.

A much smaller version of the experiment took place in 2017, with researchers using ground equipment to stimulate an artificial aurora “the size of a thumbnail at arm’s length,” according to a university publication.

“The angle of visibility for anyone wanting to look for it will depend on a person’s distance from HAARP,” the Geophysical Institute said in this week’s statement. “Because of how the human eye operates, the airglow might be easier to see when looking just to the side.”

“Clear skies make for the best viewing. If visible, it will look like a broad airglow cloud,” said HAARP Director Jessica Matthews.

Though the experiments have a tentative schedule, Matthews cautioned they are subject to ionospheric and geomagnetic conditions and could be rescheduled or canceled if those are not met.

The work is part of a $9.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to learn more about the upper atmosphere and geospace.

Initially developed by the U.S. military, HAARP has long been the subject of conspiracy theories. After control of the facility was transferred to the University of Alaska in 2015, officials there began hosting an annual open house event in the hopes of dispelling those notions. For everyone else who puts their head in the sand, keep following the mainstream media. Željko Serdar

Start following your dreams NOW

If you catch yourself daydreaming during the workday, you’re not alone. We all think about following our dreams sometimes. But how do you know if you should actually go for it? 

Now, that’s not a question for everyone because not everyone has a dream. You’ll regret it later. When you’re older, you may ruminate on what could have been. By then, changing courses will be more complicated. You’ll be struggling to make up for the lost time. It isn’t impossible, though, and it’s never too late to follow your dreams. That’s not intended to be a slight or a negative statement, but it is a reality that I learned the hard way. 

What does it feel like to see a dream come true?

It’s no secret that one of my dreams is seeing a country transformed by permaculture. Over the last few years, the vision of transformation has motivated everything I do.

When we first started casting the vision of transformation, I didn’t think it was something I’d see in my lifetime. I believed it so much I told people that on the front end so they would understand that I had big dreams, but I wasn’t completely crazy. You can inspire others. Eventually, young people and even your friends will ask how you made it to where you are. You can encourage them to pursue their own dreams, too.

Over time, as more and more people have joined me in my dream, I’ve come to realize that not only is transformation possible, but I believe I’ll see it before I die. I’ve gone from having a dream to have a belief, and that belief grows stronger every day. There’s no shortage of inspiration out there. Here are some of my favorite quotes about following your dreams.

“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.” - Oprah Winfrey

“Don’t dream your life, but live your dream.” - Mark Twain

“If you can dream it, you can make it so.” - Belva Davis

“A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.” - Nelson Mandela

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

“Each dream you leave behind is a part of your future that will no longer exist.” - Steve Jobs

Every person who sees a dream come true must first own that dream. They must see it clearly, and chase after it passionately with every strategy, skill, and talent they possess. Dreamers must call others to their dream and pay the price to move forward together with tenacity. 

But most of all, a dreamer must see and desire all the ways their dream will benefit others more than it benefits themselves. You need a lot of courage to build a happy life. We often focus on the reasons not to do something, so we must train ourselves to focus on the positive. Everyone in your life will have an opinion about your dreams. Some will offer valuable advice while others will try to stop you. Only one person’s opinion matters - yours. Keep this in mind as you start following your dreams.

If you need help finding the courage to follow your dreams, reach out for support. Having an objective outsider can help you set clear goals and stay accountable to yourself. Once you have a plan, there’s no telling what you can accomplish.

I’ve seen a lot of dreams come true in my life, but what I’m experiencing now is something different, something deeper, and it’s something I want so many others to experience too. I want everyone to know what it feels like to see a God-sized dream come true because it is amazing in a way I can’t even describe.

To quote my friend, Josip Babich, "I want more for you than I want from you. And I want bigger things for you now more than ever."

Let’s make it happen.

Permaculture / Getting Started

(From Zeljko Serdar/Facebook)

Permaculture is a design practice as much as it is a scientific topic of inquiry. When asked to sum up permaculture in a single word, my teacher and my friend Geoff Lawton used the term ‘design’ to encapsulate the purpose of the study. I’m pretty low-tech, so I drew my maps by hand. I believe this is the most accessible way to create maps. Almost anyone can draw on paper!

Some examples are:

Contour: Contour lines tell us where land slopes and where gravity sends water to drain.

Wind: We can’t help where the wind comes from, but we can buffer it.

Noise: Most of us have to deal with some noise that is out of our control such as a busy road or a neighbor with a yappy dog

.

Sunlight: Include the effects of neighboring trees as well as your own.

Snow/Fire: If these are common for you, map what direction they might come from so you can buffer their effects.

Wildlife: Map wildlife patterns that are significant challenges. I’ve mapped the most popular deer route on my map below.

Flooding/Drainage: Demonstrate how water moves on your site according to the contour lines and seasonal flooding.

Views/Privacy: Mark where you’d like to improve or retain privacy plantings, and where you can enhance beautiful views.

Crime: What direction might thieves or unwelcome folks come from? Certain components may help to reduce the threat.

Air/Water/Light Pollution: A neighbor with a floodlight, a neighboring farmer who sprays his/her crops, etc…

(From Zeljko Serdar/Facebook)

Identifying these sectors can help you brainstorm ways to minimize their effect or find a way to turn the problem into an asset 

I discovered some things in the process—things I wouldn’t have thought about until it was too late, things that would have cost me a lot of time to go back and fix. Believe me, if it seems like drawing maps is a waste of time, it won’t be. But you’ll never know until you give it a try. 

Zeljko Serdar, CCRES

Croatia's new solar plants with a total capacity of 350 MW by 2030.

           Željko Serdar/Novigrad

Croatia plans new solar plants with total capacity of 350 MW by 2030. In the forthcoming five-year period the average of investments into solar power plants will amount to 150 million kuna per year. This investment on average enables the construction of additional 20 MW of solar capacities annually. Croatian state-owned power utility Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP) plans new photovoltaic plants with a combined capacity of 350 MW by 2030, as in the next five years alone it will invest 750 million kuna ($113.7 million/100 million euro) in solar capacity.

Hrvatska elektroprivreda je u rad pustila petu po redu veliku neintegriranu (samostojeću) sunčanu elektranu. Riječ je o sunčanoj elektrani Kosore Jug priključne snage 2,1 MW, izgrađenoj na južnom dijelu Radne zone Kosore na području grada Vrlike.

U elektranu je na površini od 2,6 hektara ugrađeno gotovo 5.500 fotonaponskih modula. Očekivana godišnja proizvodnja od oko 2,9 GWh bit će dovoljna za zadovoljavanje potrošnje oko tisuću kućanstava. HEP je u ovu elektranu investirao oko 11 milijuna kuna.

Prva sunčana elektrana u portfelju HEPa je Kaštelir, snage 1 MW, koju je HEP u pogonu preuzeo 2019. godine. Elektrana je smještena na lokaciji Sabadin na području općine KaštelirLabinci u Istri.

Godišnja proizvodnja SE Kaštelir iznosi 1,4 do 1,5 GWh električne energije. To je jedina HEPova sunčana elektrana statusu povlaštenog proizvođača sa zajamčenom otkupnom cijenom. Na istoj je lokaciji 2021. godine izgrađena i puštena u rad i druga faza SE Kaštelir.

Sunčana elektrana Marići/HEP

Elektrana snage 2 MW godišnje će proizvoditi oko 2,9 GWh električne energije. Na površini od približno 40.000 četvornih metara instalirano je 9.240 fotonaponskih modula domaćeg proizvođača, tvrtke Solvis iz Varaždina. Vrijednost investicije iznosila je 15 milijuna kuna.

U istri je od prošle godine u pogonu i Sunčana elektrana Marići snage 1 MW. Elektrana je izgrađena na području općine Žminj, a godišnje će proizvoditi oko 1,2 GWh električne energije. Vrijednost investicije iznosila je 9 milijuna kuna. I u ovu se elektranu ugrađeni Solvisovi fotonaponski moduli. U planu je proširenje elektrane za dodatna 2 MW.

2,9

GWh očekivana je godišnja proizvodnja sunčane elektrane Kosore Jug

Do sada najveća HEPova sunčana elektrana izgrađena je na otoku Visu, a u pogon je ušla 2020. godine. Priključna snaga SE Vis je 3,5 MW, a smještena je na lokaciji površine 5,5 hektara, na brdu Griževa glavica u blizini naselja Žena Glava.

U elektrani je instalirano 11.200 fotonaponskih modula, a ugrađeno je pet frekvencijskih pretvarača nazivne snage 720 kW, proizvoda domaćeg proizvođača, tvrtke Končar, u suradnji s kojom je HEP realizirao ovaj projekt. Očekivana prosječna godišnja proizvodnja je oko 5 GWh električne energije čime se mogu podmiriti potrebe oko 1.600 kućanstava.

Izgradnjom sunčane elektrane, otok Vis dobio je vlastiti izvor obnovljive energije i veću sigurnost opskrbe električnom energijom. Vrijednost investicije iznosila je 31,3 milijuna kuna. U tijeku je postavljanje baterijskog spremnika uz sunčanu elektranu.

Sunčana elektrana Kaštelir/HEP

Baterijski spremnik snage 1 MW i kapaciteta 1,44 MWh koristit će se za pružanje usluga uravnoteženja elektroenergetskog sustava te u svrhu očuvanja stabilnosti mreže na otoku.

Sve navedene elektrane dio su HEPova plana da do 2030. godine u sunčanim elektranama ima 350 MW instalirane proizvodne snage.

Pozivamo sve zainteresirane partnere za razvoj i prodaju projekata obnovljivih izvora energije

Hrvatska elektroprivreda nastavlja istraživati mogućnost integracije u svoj proizvodni portfelj projekata obnovljivih izvora energije koji su završeni ili se nalaze u visokom stupnju razvoja.

S tim ciljem, na internetskim stranicama Hrvatske elektroprivrede objavljen je trajni javni poziv zainteresiranim partnerima za izgradnju i prodaju projekata obnovljivih izvora energije na području Hrvatske.

Novi javni poziv je upućen pravnim ili fizičkim osobama zainteresiranim za prodaju projekata: neintegriranih (samostojećih) sunčanih elektrana u razvoju i pogonu (snage uključivo i veće od 5 MW), prodaju projekata vjetroelektrana u pogonu (prednost imaju lokacije s više od 2.500 sati rada godišnje) te prodaju projekata hidroelektrana u razvoju i pogonu (snage uključivo i veće od 1 MW).

Poziv je, također, upućen i jedinicama lokalne samouprave (gradove i općine) zainteresiranim za izgradnju sunčanih elektrana, odnosno pripremu prostornoplanske dokumentacije za projekte sunčanih elektrana na površinama većim od 100.000 m2.

Prednost u odabiru imat će lokacije s većim brojem sunčanih sati i boljim mikrolokacijskim uvjetima.

Sunčana elektrana Vis/HEP

 Hrvatska elektroprivreda d.d (“HEP”) istražuje mogućnost razvoja i izgradnje projekata obnovljivih izvora energije (OIE) u Republici Hrvatskoj te integracije već gotovih ili u visokom stupnju razvoja OIE projekata u svoj proizvodni portfelj. Uvažavajući zacrtane strateške ciljeve i potrebu za diversifikacijom projekata obnovljivih izvora energije, HEP traži:

zainteresirane Partnere za razvoj i prodaju projekata obnovljivih izvora energije na području Republike Hrvatske

Jedinice lokalne samouprave (gradove i općine) zainteresirane za izgradnju sunčanih elektrana čiji će se doprinos u razvoju i izgradnji Projekta očitovati kroz zajedničku pripremu prostorno-planske dokumentacije potrebne plohe za projekte sunčanih elektrana, površine veće od 100.000 m2.

Prednost u odabiru imat će lokacije s većim brojem sunčanih sati i boljim mikrolokacijskim uvjetima. Modeli i načini suradnje, kao i poželjni uvjeti odabira plohe za izgradnju sunčane elektrane, naknadno će biti definirani sporazumima o suradnji s jedinicama lokalne samouprave.

Partnere (pravne ili fizičke osobe) zainteresirane za:

Prodaju projekata neintegriranih (samostojećih) sunčanih elektrana u razvoju, snage uključivo i veće od 5 MW. Prednost u odabiru imat će lokacije s većim brojem sunčanih sati, boljim mikrolokacijskim uvjetima i prostorno-planskom dokumentacijom spremnom za razvoj projekta. U razmatranje će se uzeti Partneri koji imaju minimalno ishođenu lokacijsku dozvolu.

Prodaju projekata vjetroelektrana u razvoju. Prednost pri odabiru imat će Partneri koji imaju ishođenu pravovaljanu građevinsku dozvolu i lokacije s više od 2.500 sati rada godišnje. U razmatranje će se uzeti Partneri koji imaju minimalno ishođenu lokacijsku dozvolu.

Prodaju projekata vjetroelektrana u pogonu. Prednost pri odabiru imat će lokacije s više od 2.500 sati rada godišnje.

Prodaju projekata hidroelektrana u razvoju, snage uključivo i veće od 1 MW. Prednost pri odabiru imat će Partneri koji imaju ishođenu pravovaljanu građevinsku dozvolu. U razmatranje će se uzeti Partneri koji imaju minimalno ishođenu lokacijsku dozvolu.

Prodaju projekata hidroelektrana u pogonu, snage uključivo i veće od 1 MW.

 HEP poziva sve zainteresirane Partnere da na e-mail adresu oglas-projekti@hep.hr pošalju Pismo namjere sa sljedećim podacima:  

Jedinice lokalne samouprave trebaju dostaviti pismo potpisano od strane gradonačelnika ili načelnika s kartografskim prikazom i podacima (katastarska općina, katastarska čestica, površina plohe, očekivano vrijeme izmjene prostorno-planske dokumentacije) predložene lokacije za izgradnju sunčane elektrane.

Partneri (pravne ili fizičke osobe) trebaju dostaviti sljedeće podatke: naziv i nositelj projekta, snaga elektrane, analiza isplativosti za projekte u razvoju, podaci o godišnjoj proizvodnji za projekte u pogonu, lokacija elektrane (kartografski prikaz i broj katastarske čestice), status za projekte u razvoju (navod o posjedovanju građevinske/lokacijske dozvole, navod o statusu rješavanja imovinsko-pravnih odnosa i navod o statusu priključka na elektroenergetsku mrežu) i navod o očekivanoj otkupnoj cijeni projekta.

Pismo namjere mora biti napisano na poslovnom memorandumu s navedenim kontaktnim podacima (adresa, e-mail, broj telefona) odgovorne osobe zainteresiranog Partnera.

HEP će iskaze interesa zainteresiranih Partnera primati trajno, odnosno do opoziva.

Nakon primitka Pisma namjere s osnovnim podacima i obavljene preliminarne evaluacije projekata, HEP će odabranim partnerima uputiti zahtjev za slanjem detaljnijih informacija.

 Više informacija na: 

HRVATSKA ELEKTROPRIVREDA d.d.

Ulica grada Vukovara 37, 10 000  Zagreb  ·  Tel: +385 1 63 22 111 www.hep.hr

Croatia

 

Why should you never visit Croatia? Don’t visit if you don’t like…

Colour

If you don’t like all the colours of the world, don’t bother coming.

History

Croatia has a lot of history. It’s got one of the best preserved colosseums in the world, Roman towns and memories from Croatia’s painful war. If you don’t like history, don’t bother coming.

Art

Don’t like art? Don’t bother coming.

Food

If you don’t like huge portions, good food and delicious deserts? Don’t bother coming.

Physical Activites

If you don’t like hiking, mountain biking, sailing, swimming, paragliding, white water rafting, kayaking, skiing and waterskiing, don’t bother coming.

Architecture

If you don’t like architecture, don’t bother coming.

If you don’t want to go on a holiday that is life changing, don’t bother coming to Croatia.

However, if you do, I’ll be happy to recommend places to stay and things to do in Croatia!

Europe 2020 indicators - Croatia

The energy sector in Croatia

Croatia has around 4.28 million inhabitants and rich potential for renewable energy and energy efficiency. In 2016 the country produced 57.3 percent of its total primary energy supply, including around 20 percent of the oil it consumes, and around two thirds of natural gas. Unlike most of its Western Balkan neighbours it no longer has its own coal reserves.

Croatia produces only about half of its own electricity, depending on hydrological conditions. Most of the electricity generation capacity is owned by Hrvatska Elektroprivreda, the state-owned electricity group. In 2015, 57% of domestically generated electricity came from hydropower, 20% from coal, 12.4% from oil/gas, 7% from wind, 2.3% from biomass and 0.5% from solar. In other words, non-hydropower renewables accounted for just under 10% of generation. Krsko nuclear power plant in Slovenia, of which HEP owns 50 percent, also contributes to Croatia’s electricity supply but is counted under imports in the statistics.

Electricity generation in Croatia, 2015, GWh

Although Croatia has made some progress in using its wind and solar PV potential in recent years, this there is still much more potential that has not been exploited. Solar thermal is also underused compared to the obvious potential in this very sunny country.

Source	Solar PV	Wind
IRENA Cost-competitive potential	3173 MW 4309 GWh	14384 MW 28317 GWh
SEERMAP Decarbonisation scenario (2050 minus 2016)	1839 MW 1837 GWh	3857 MW 7215 GWh
SEE-SEP The EU Road scenario	6950 MW 11830 GWh	3200 MW 8450 GWh

Renewables and energy efficiency development has been held back by a lack of political will resulting in small quotas for support for wind and especially solar. Croatia has not developed a new energy strategy since the over-ambitious and outdated 2009 one, so there has been no systematic debate about the country’s energy direction in recent years. In line with EU state aid rules, Croatia has now switched to auctioning and feed-in premiums rather than feed-in tariffs, but as of May 2018 had not approved the supporting legislation that would enable the system to function, this braking further development until this is resolved.

Much time and resources have also been lost on pushing outdated projects such as the 500 MW Plomin C coal power plant, to be run on imported coal, the 450 MW Peruća gas power plant, and large-scale hydropower projects in sensitive locations such as Ombla and Kosinj. The first three of these projects have now been cancelled after civil society campaigns highlighted their weaknesses. However a floating LNG terminal on the island of Krk is still planned, with support from the EU.

Croatia still has plenty of potential for energy efficiency improvements. Its energy intensity of total primary energy supply was 21.9 percent above the EU average in 2016. There is still plenty of work to be done to improve efficiency in the residential sector.

Sources:

1. Energy Community Implementation Report 2017 
2. BIH State Regulatory Commission for Electrical Energy – 2016 annual report 
3. IEA energy statistics
4. EIHP: Energy in Croatia 2016 

BONUS

The winners of the EU Sustainable Energy Awards 2018 were announced at an Awards Ceremony with the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, in Brussels.

12 projects across 4 categories made it onto the Awards shortlist this year.

CONSUMERS: Bio.Energy.Parc

In 2008, the 7,200 inhabitants of Saerbeck decided to become self-sufficient in renewable energy by 2030 implementing over 150 actions based on an approach to link people and profits and transforming an old army munitions site into a sustainable energy park.

“We are proud to have received this award. It’s a big ‘yes’ to continue our way. We have been working on this project for the past 10 years and we are not at the end yet. This prize gives us the motivation to continue,” on behalf of Bio.Energy.Parc.Saerbeck Guido Wallraven said.

PUBLIC SECTOR: PEACE Alps

Project supports Alpine authorities in making the transition to a low-carbon area. Involving more than 200 municipalities across 6 countries, PEACE_Alps focuses on energy management, building renovation and public lighting. It also helps authorities overcome barriers in implementing their strategic action plans.

“Have a good project that is a good idea, with a good team behind it. We have been lucky at PEACE_Alps with such a team. It’s about the spirit of the people and believing in the change and transition,” Silvio De Nigris accepting the award on behalf of PEACE_Alps said.

BUSINESSES: WiseGRID

Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, WiseGRID has developed a set of 9 solutions to improve the electricity grid and empower customers, by making the grid smarter, open and more consumer orientated.

“It’s very exciting. We are very happy about both our awards – from the jury and especially the citizens’ Award – this means that it’s not just the technology which is ready to help the energy transition but society is also willing to embrace the energy transition,” said Antonio Marques accepting the award for WiseGRID.

YOUNG ENERGY LEADERS: Czech Sustainable Houses

What began as an online hub providing information on sustainability, developed into an annual architectural competition inspiring young architects to lead the way in energy transition with their innovative, energy-saving designs.
“This award is for all the people that worked on Czech Sustainable Houses project. We started this project four years ago and we’ve created the largest student architecture competition. We also created a new system for energy management and households. We’re just a little grassroots organisation, but we’re dynamic,” explained Pavel Podruh, Czech Sustainable Houses project on hearing that his project won.

Croatian Center of Renewable Energy Sources (CCRES)