Promoting Energy Efficiency in Housing and Public Buildings through Renewables

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia Serbia

Date of latest update: 2026-01-14

Description

Description (EN):

In today's world, there is an increasing emphasis on sustainable energy and reducing CO2 emissions. In this context, solar energy becomes a key component of transitioning to cleaner energy sources. Analyzing solar potential plays a crucial role in optimizing the utilization of solar resources. The new Law in Croatia on the electricity market, in compliance with EU directives, provides the possibility of aggregating surplus electrical energy and/or establishing energy communities. Although this legislation is still not in place in Serbia, the partners will engage in the model setup and learn how to implement it when new regulations are in place. The PRO-EFFICIENT project focuses on two activities: 1) solar mapping analyzing all the roof surfaces of public buildings in terms of their solar potential and ranking them based on potential capacity and specific annual production and 2) establishing the baseline for the energy community setup, an innovative approach to energy management. Solar mapping enables important information about orientation, roof inclination, and isolation to become publicly available, as the three are crucial factors in deciding whether to set up a solar power plant. Thus, this information is to assist citizens to turn to alternative electricity sources but also businesses and investors in reaching decisions on implementing RES. The energy community brings together individuals and organizations to share and optimize energy production. Within this community, solar power plants play a crucial role. They produce electrical energy that can be used within the community or distributed to the grid. The potential for electrical energy production, depending on available roof surface and orientation, is not exclusively tied to end-user consumption. Some buildings (such as sports halls and schools) have large usable roof surfaces whose production potential exceeds their needs. On the other hand, certain buildings, due to their orientation, slope, structural statics, or property-related legal matters, are unable to produce electrical energy on-site. There are multiple benefits from energy communities to stakeholders such as higher specific annual production due to optimal positioning of production facilities, a smaller number of higher-capacity production facilities contributing to lower specific investment costs, Using less equipment and materials, i.e., a smaller number of production facilities, reduces the carbon footprint of the facilities, transparent sharing of electrical energy between users and participants in the energy community and lower maintenance operational costs for a smaller number of production facilities. Within the PRO-EFFICENT project, solar potential data is to be systematized and made publicly available in order to boost investments in the renewable energy (RES) sector. The 4 public bodies – municipalities and cities from the program area are to set examples of the usage of RES by jointly developing novel solutions – both solar mapping and energy communities, involving citizen and community engagement through education and awareness-raising activities. Moreover, the partners will implement an investment in 4 public buildings to ensure visibility of RES implementation within their area, contribute to energy savings and efficiency, and reduce CO2 emissions.

Actual Achievements (EN):

During the first reporting period, the PRO-EFFICIENT project successfully established a solid foundation for achieving its objectives and ensuring the effective implementation of planned activities. This initial phase involved intensive preparatory efforts across all partner institutions, demonstrating the added value of cross-border cooperation in addressing common challenges related to energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources. Key Achievements: 1. Administrative and Financial Preparations: - Contract No. 2024 HR-RS00125 for the implementation of the PRO-EFFICIENT project was signed. - A Partnership Agreement for the implementation of the Operation was concluded. - Partners initiated procurement procedures for professional support services, IT equipment, and promotional materials essential for smooth project management and visibility. - All partner institutions appointed project teams to participate in project implementation. - Representatives of partner institutions participated in workshops and training sessions to enhance their understanding of Interreg program requirements, ensuring effective coordination and project execution. - An advance payment amounting to 25% of the EU co-financing share was transferred to the designated foreign currency account opened at the Treasury Administration of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia (840-0000000441771-29 EUR MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION MALI ZVORNIK-HR-RS). - In line with their proportional share of the total project value, LP1 transferred advance funds to the remaining project partners. - The lump-sum amount allocated for project proposal preparation and contracting was also distributed equally among partners, with each receiving ¼ of the total amount. 2. Strengthening Communication and Visibility: - All partners established dedicated web pages and sections on their official websites to promote the project, along with visual elements such as banners, posters, and templates for online content. - Posts on social media platforms and news articles were published across various channels, raising awareness among the general public and stakeholders. 3. Coordination and Collaboration: - A series of online meetings and one in-person partnership meeting, hosted by Mali Zvornik, facilitated effective communication and alignment among partners. - The first in-person meeting on December 5 in Mali Zvornik involved both project team members and representatives of local government legislative bodies, ensuring a collaborative approach to decision-making and implementation. 4. Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building: - Training sessions and workshops organized by the relevant ministries in Croatia and Serbia provided valuable opportunities for capacity building. These sessions equipped project teams with the tools and knowledge necessary to navigate project visibility, financial management, and procurement processes within the Interreg program. This collaboration underscores the importance of institutional support in strengthening partners' capabilities to achieve project goals effectively. The project highlights the added value of cross-border cooperation by fostering joint learning, leveraging diverse expertise, and addressing challenges collectively. Alignment of activities across Serbia and Croatia ensures mutual benefits, promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy usage, and sustainable development in partner communities. These achievements establish a robust trajectory for the next reporting period, focusing on infrastructure investments, knowledge transfer, and increased stakeholder engagement. During the second reporting period, the PRO-EFFICIENT project transitioned from planning to implementation, achieving several concrete results that visibly demonstrate the benefits of cross-border cooperation. Activities focused on knowledge exchange, stakeholder education, procurement preparation for infrastructure investments, and raising awareness about renewable energy through communication and promotional actions. Key Achievements and Outputs: Successful Organization of the Study Visit All partners jointly participated in a study visit to Croatia and Slovenia (April 22–25, 2025), which included two expert lectures and six site visits showcasing good practices in energy efficiency and renewable energy use. Participants visited institutions, kindergartens, hospitals, and energy agencies, gaining valuable insights and inspiration for their local actions. This knowledge transfer strengthened cooperation and fostered mutual learning across borders. Implementation of Educational Activities PP4 (Krupanj) completed all six planned educational workshops for public sector representatives, NGOs, entrepreneurs, youth, and citizens. LP1 (Mali Zvornik) organized training for the public and NGO sector and SMEs, while remaining sessions for citizens and schools are scheduled. Partners PP2 (Kutjevo) and PP3 (Požega) initiated tender procedures to implement similar activities, demonstrating synchronized but locally adapted approaches. Procurement and Preparation for Investment Works Procurement processes for solar power plant installations have been initiated by all partners. LP1 (Mali Zvornik) started preparing technical documentation and is already reconstructing the building roof using own funds as a precondition for solar panel installation. Kutjevo and Požega are advancing with tender preparations, and Krupanj has completed all planned procurements, including expert services and IT equipment. Development of Solar Atlases and Energy Communities All Serbian partners have contracted services for the preparation of solar mapping atlases, which will provide detailed information about local solar potential. Kutjevo and Požega have also started preparatory activities for the formation of energy communities — a novel concept aimed at engaging citizens and local actors in renewable energy production. Promotional Activities and Community Engagement All partners continued to implement communication activities. LP1 and PP4 procured and distributed promotional materials (such as bags, T-shirts, caps, solar-powered chargers), which were used during educational events and will be further used at upcoming community events. Social media campaigns and local news posts have been launched to raise awareness among citizens and key stakeholders. Coordination and Partner Collaboration Multiple online coordination meetings were held to ensure smooth implementation and reporting. An in-person coordination meeting between Serbian partners was held in March in Krupanj, enhancing trust, transparency, and operational alignment across institutions. Added Value of the Cooperation - This period has clearly demonstrated how joint action and knowledge sharing between Serbian and Croatian partners can enhance local capacities, reduce implementation risks, and stimulate new ideas for sustainable energy solutions. Through coordinated education, joint visibility efforts, and shared planning, the project is empowering local communities to take ownership of their energy future and strengthen resilience through clean energy solutions.

Project outputs: Solar mapping and introduction of energy communities(EN)
Online platform „Solar Atlas“(EN)
Testing the Effectiveness of Solar Panel Installations in Enhancing Renewable Energy Usage(EN)

Thematic information

Innovation capacity and awareness-raising Renewable energy Energy efficiency

Priority: (VI-A_HR-S_2) Cooperating for greener and climate change resilient programme area

Priority specific objective: RSO2.2. Promoting renewable energy in accordance with Directive (EU) 2018/2001, including the sustainability criteria set out therein

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 044 Energy efficiency renovation or energy efficiency measures regarding public infrastructure, demonstration projects and supporting measures

Partners (4)

Lead Partner: Opština Mali Zvornik

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 102143310

Address: Kralja Petra I, 15318 Mali Zvornik, Serbia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.malizvornik.ls.gov.rs

Total budget: EUR 156 528.80

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 133 049.48

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 23 479.32

Contractors:

Name: WOLF DOO
VAT registration or tax identification number: 103771774
Name: INDNETS DOO
VAT registration or tax identification number: 105193773
Name: EFFECTIVE TIME
VAT registration or tax identification number: 109931690
Name: INFOFIN DOO - ROYAL DRINA
VAT registration or tax identification number: 105920040
Name: EKOENERG DOO
VAT registration or tax identification number: 71690188016
Name: LUNAMOON DOO
VAT registration or tax identification number: 12960183245
Name: BDC doo, Zagreb
VAT registration or tax identification number: 32986581405

Opština Krupanj

Name: Opština Krupanj

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 101395334

Address: Maršala Tita , 15314 Krupanj, Serbia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.krupanj.org.rs

Total budget: EUR 108 234.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 91 998.90

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 16 235.10

Contractors:

Name: Zega doo Krupanj
VAT registration or tax identification number: 111500635
Name: BC Group Computers
VAT registration or tax identification number: 107902275
Name: Stupar dizajn
VAT registration or tax identification number: 104605835
Name: Lunamoon doo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 12960183245
Name: Resur.cent. Frušk.-dunav.reg.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 108870080
Name: Ekonerg doo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 7190188016
Name: BDC doo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 32986581405

Grad Požega

Name: Grad Požega

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 95699596710

Address: Trg Sv. Trojstva , 34000 Požega, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://www.pozega.hr/

Total budget: EUR 207 270.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 176 179.50

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 31 090.50

Contractors:

Name: LUNAMOON d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 12960183245
Name: Alles d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 23412849119

Grad Kutjevo

Name: Grad Kutjevo

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 51418894400

Address: Trg graševine , 34340 Kutjevo, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://www.kutjevo.hr/

Total budget: EUR 204 120.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 173 502.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 30 618.00

Contractors:

Name: Lunamoon d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 12960183245
Name: Z-EL d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 11374156664

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Krupanj

Promoting Energy Efficiency in Housing and Public Buildings through Renewables

Partners and Projects info

City of Požega

Promoting Energy Efficiency in Housing and Public Buildings through Renewables

Partners and Projects info

City of Kutjevo

Promoting Energy Efficiency in Housing and Public Buildings through Renewables

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Mali Zvornik

Promoting Energy Efficiency in Housing and Public Buildings through Renewables

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Promoting Energy Efficiency in Housing and Public Buildings through Renewables

Project acronym: PRO-EFFICIENT

Project ID: HR-RS00125

Project start date: 2024-06-15

Project end date: 2026-06-14

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

Mali Zvornik biomass heating plant construction (EN) | The construction of a biomass heating plant recently began in a small town on the Drina River. The project worth EUR 2.35 million is financed from a loan, where payment will be deferred for the first two years. The Municipality of Mali Zvornik implemented two boilers on wood chips, with a capacity of 900 kW each, and a 2.5 MW gas unit for reserve purposes. The municipality used biomass (wood chips) instead of oil and gas. Public utility Drina is in charge of the project, and the funds were secured, with the support of the Government of Serbia, from a loan approved by Germany’s KfW Development Bank. Besides building on the knowledge and previous experience of the lead partner, the project PRO-EFFICIENT will further develop the use of renewable energy resources in local communities and foster cross-border collaboration in educating the citizens about the relevance and practical purpose of sustainable infrastructural development across Europe. (EN), R-SOL-E project - Belišće (Croatia), Gorjani (Croatia), Novi Sad (Serbia) (EN) | The R-SOL-E project (short for Renewable Solar Energy) builds on the potential for renewable energy sources in the cross-border area and contributes to increasing the energy efficiency of public buildings. The 20-month (Project start date: 2017-06-15; Project end date: 2019-02-14) implementation focused on awareness raising of using solar energy as an eco-friendly way of producing energy and continued to do so during the final event. The PRO-EFFICIENT project will rely on experience, good practices, and knowledge exchange in terms of developing the potential for a long-term cross-border network of participants and fund providers to build sustainable energy supply mechanisms. (EN), Greening the Public Sector - Rehabilitation of the VMA Hospital (Belgrade)
(EN) | This project is part of the Western Balkan Investment Framework Initiative (WBIF). PRO-EFFICIENT can build on it/make use of it by raising awareness among the general public regarding communal and individual responsibility for environmental sustainability within particular socio-economic frameworks. It can also provide long-term grounds for educating and engaging the citizens to actively participate in setting up and maintaining a sustainable network of stakeholders through cross-border collaboration with Croatia. PRO-EFFICIENT will provide the information to build the effective methodological framework for equipping the project participants for educational activities and move the public sector further in terms of engagement for developing green solutions in restructuring and maintaining existing public sector built capacities. (EN), Water Supply, Wastewater Collection and Sludge Management for Subotica (EN) | The project aligns with the PRO-EFFICIENT’s aims and strategies in terms of focusing on renewable energy sources. Partnering organizations within the PRO-EFFICIENT project will build on the above-mentioned initiative by developing a sustainable backbone for keeping a structured source for data, knowledge, and experience exchange to provide a platform that will be used for advancing the long-term cross-border collaboration in managing renewable emerging resources. (EN), Biosol + in Nova Gradiška (partnership with Šabac) (EN) | From February 1st, the city of Nova Gradiška embarked on the IPA cross-border project Biosol+, aiming to construct a larger number of solar power plants on the roofs of eight municipal institutions, with a total capacity of 100,000 kW.
Photovoltaic plants will be installed on the Home in Ljupina, the building of the NK "Slaven" in Ljupina, the Home of Croatian Veterans, the municipal pools, the Community Center (NAMA), the new city council building, the childcare facility, and the Recycling Yard. In addition, the plan includes the acquisition of electric bicycles with charging stations for the needs of the city administration, as well as the promotion of all activities, as announced by the city on its website.
The total value of the project is EUR 338,999.94, of which the EU is co-financing EUR 220,000.00.
This IPA cross-border project lasts until October 31, 2023. The leading project partner is the city of Šabac from the Republic of Serbia, and the other partners are the city of Nova Gradiška and the LAG, Western Slavonija.
PRO-EFFICIENT provides ground to build on this initiative by furthering cross-border cooperation within the domain of renewable energy sources. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 676 152.80

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 574 729.88

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 85.00%

Co-financing sources:

IPA/IPA II/IPA III: Amount, EUR 574 729.88. Co-financing rate, 85.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Analysis of the solar potential within 3 partner areas
Analysis of the 2 territories for setting up the energy communities
Technical project for further financing of energy community prepared for City of Požega
Report on Study Tour: Enhancing Policies and Practices in Renewable Energy Implementation
Joint report drafting and publishing
Educations related to energy efficiency and renewables usage
Community Engagement and Media Coverage Report for the Event
Promotional material
Promo video

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

Other The Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy: This is the largest and most successful initiative of the European Commission, which actively involves local and regional self-government units in the fight against climate change. This initiative was launched in January 2008 with the aim of networking cities and municipalities in order to facilitate the mutual exchange of knowledge and experience on the efficient use of energy at the local level, which is precisely the intention of the PRO-EFFICIENT Project. In October 2015, the Agreement of Mayors and Adaptation of Mayors officially merged into the initiative Agreement of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and SEAPs acquired a broader meaning and became SECAPs, i.e. Action Plans for Energy Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change changes (Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan) with goals until 2030. In addition to mitigation measures, with new goals to reduce emissions by at least 40% by 2030, the plans foresee adaptation measures and analysis of vulnerability and risk from climate change in a certain area of the city or municipalities. Project PRO-EFFICIENT directly contributes to these goals through the activities of investing in pilot solar power plants, joint mapping of the solar potential of partner cities and municipalities, and raising the awareness of the wider community about the importance of renewable energy sources for local communities.
Other REPowerEU: This plan is a response to the hardships and global energy market disruption. The measures in the REPowerEU Plan can respond to this ambition, through energy savings, diversification of energy supplies, and accelerated roll-out of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels in homes, industry and power generation. The green transformation will strengthen economic growth, security, and climate action for Europe and our partners. The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is at the heart of the REPowerEU Plan, supporting coordinated planning and financing of cross-border and national infrastructure as well as energy projects and reforms, which is the key aspect of the PRO-EFFICIENT Project with it's development of joint solutions and pilot projects that will directly support the efforts to achieve REPowerEU goals.
Other NATIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY ACTION PLAN FOR THE PERIOD FROM 2022 TO 2024: This is a plan for achieving national framework goals for increasing energy efficiency as well as the mandatory cumulative goal of saving energy in immediate consumption. According to the "Energy and Climate Change" measure, the main goal of the program is to increase the use of energy technologies with lower carbon emissions and increased security of energy supply in Croatia, which is in line with the key goals of the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. Special attention in the implementation of the program is focused on energy efficiency measures and support for the use of renewable energy sources, including solar energy. This is a key aspect of the PRO-EFFICIENT project, which will contribute to the achievement of the set goals of this plan, through the encouragement of energy efficiency measures in areas of the Republic of Croatia that just need to start to engage more in the projects of setting up solar power plants and spreading awareness about the importance of using renewable energy sources.
Other Energy development strategies of the Republic of Serbia until 2025: The strategic goal of this strategy is to increase energy production from renewables in order to reduce import dependence and increase energy security. Actions include defining the technical potential of renewables, which is in line with the activities of state-of-the-art analysis of the solar potential of involved cross-border areas of the PRO-EFFICIENT project, and especially replacing the use of fossil fuels for heating. The total potential of renewable energy sources in the Republic of Serbia is 5.65 million toe (tons of oil equivalent) per year. The utilization of the potential, according to the latest available data from 2019, is 2.06 million tons of renewable oil. The PRO-EFFICIENT project will directly contribute to the strategic goals of the energy development of the Republic of Serbia through pilot projects of setting up solar power plants and enabling a better understanding of the solar potential in its area.
EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion The PRO-EFFICIENT project is in line with Pillar 3 of the EUSAIR dedicated to environmental quality. The pillar targets good environmental and ecological status to which implementation of RES greatly contributes, thus also indirectly targeting the EUSAIR goals to contribute to the goal of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, and restore them in so far as feasible, by addressing threats to marine and terrestrial biodiversity, in line with the relevant EU acquis and the ecosystem approach of the Barcelona Convention.
EUStrategyDanubeRegion The PRO-EFFICIENT project contributes to the EUSDR strategy's priority area targeting the Protecting the environment, supporting Priority Area 06 "To preserve biodiversity, landscapes and the quality of air and soils". Furthermore, the project is also contributing to the Building Prosperity pillar and Priority Area 09 of the EUSDR "To invest in people and skills" as it tends to change behaviors and introduce new concepts in the communities that require the building of human capacities.
EuropeanGreenDeal The project directly contributes to the objectives of the EGD as the project contributes to gas emissions and investment ins the RES, for which the targets have been set in EGD. The PRO-EFFICIENT targets ensuring a secure and affordable EU energy supply, empower consumers and help EU countries to tackle energy poverty and promote EU energy standards and technologies at global level.

Deliverable (other than infrastructural investment) areas:

Serbia (RS), Mali Zvornik
Serbia (RS), Krupanj
Hrvatska (HR), Požega
Hrvatska (HR), Kutjevo

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A IPA Croatia Serbia

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2026-01-14

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

27 / 27 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

94 / 94 (100%)

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Promoting Energy Efficiency in Housing and Public Buildings through Renewables

Description

Thematic information

Partners (4)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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