Potencijal malih hidroelektrana u Republici Hrvatskoj

Ovaj rad se bavi analizom potencijala malih hidroelektrana u Republici Hrvatskoj. Male hidroelektrane su, prema važećoj zakonskoj regulativi u Hrvatskoj, hidroelektrane instalirane snage do 10 MW. S obzirom na ulazak Hrvatske u Europsku uniju, koja promovira što veću integraciju obnovljivih izvora energije te na potrebu prilagodbe hrvatske energetske politike ciljevima EU, glavni je zadatak ovog rada odrediti koliki je potencijal za izgradnju malih hidroelektrana u Republici Hrvatskoj. Potencijal malih hidroelektrana u Republici Hrvatskoj počeo se istraživati osamdesetih godina prošlog stoljeća, kada su se malim hidroelektranama smatrala postrojenja instalirane snage do 5 MW. Postojeća istraživanja nisu uzela u obzir sva moguća ograničenja koja umanjuju tehnički potencijal za izgradnju malih hidroelektrana, u prvom redu ograničenja zaštite prirode i okoliša, ali i prostornoplanska ograničenja. Stoga je u ovom radu ponajprije razjašnjena razlika između prirodnog potencijala, tehničkog potencijala te ekološki prihvatljivog potencijala. Uzimajući u obzir razlike između tih pojmova, prikupljene su i analizirane sve postojeće podloge o potencijalu malih hidroelektrana u Hrvatskoj te je dan pregled najizglednijih lokacija za izgradnju malih hidroelektrana po vodotocima u Hrvatskoj. Za realizaciju projekata malih hidroelektrana nužno je poznavanje važeće zakonske regulative vezane za projekte malih hidroelektrana, posebno u području energetskog sektora te zaštite prirode i okoliša, kao i prostornog planiranja. Zbog toga je napravljena detaljna analiza zakonodavnog okvira vezanog za male hidroelektrane na temelju čega su određeni najznačajniji koraci u proceduri realizacije projekata. S obzirom da samo postojanje tehničkog potencijala nije dovoljno za ulazak u neki projekt, nužno je analizirati i ekonomsko-financijsku stranu ovakvih projekata te mogućnosti sufinanciranja istih. U radu je stoga napravljena ekonomsko-financijska analiza isplativosti jedne male hidroelektrane iz skupine najizglednijih lokacija, s osvrtom na iznose investicijskih troškova i troškova pogona i održavanja kod malih hidroelektrana općenito. S obzirom na vrlo visoke specifične investicije, nužan je određeni oblik sufinanciranja izgradnje ili proizvodnje električne energije iz malih hidroelektrana da bi se takvi projekti isplatili u prihvatljivom vremenskom razdoblju. Stoga su analizirani postojeći oblici poticanja projekata malih hidroelektrana u Republici Hrvatskoj, ali i u ostalim državama Europske unije. Na temelju svih navedenih analiza, zaključeno je da u Republici Hrvatskoj postoji značajan potencijal za izgradnju malih hidroelektrana, a time i mogućnost doprinosa ostvarenju energetskih ciljeva Europske unije, ali složene i dugotrajne administrativne procedure te visoki investicijski troškovi uvelike otežavaju i usporavaju realizaciju ovakvih projekataThis paper analyzes the potential of small hydro power plants in Croatia. According to the current legislation in Croatia, small hydro power plant refers to those with installed capacity up to 10 MW. Considering the accession of Croatia to the European Union, which promotes greater integration of renewable energy sources, and the need for adjustment of Croatian energy policy goals to the EU goals, the main task of this paper is to determine the potential for the construction of small hydro power plants in Croatia. First researches on small hydro power potential in Croatia began in the early 1980s, when the term small hydro power plant referred to plants with installed capacity up to 5 MW. Earlier studies on potential did not consider any possible limitations which reduce technical potential of small hydro power plants, such as environmental constraints and spatial planning restrictions. Therefore, this paper clarifies the difference between natural hydro potential, technical hydro potential and environmentally acceptable hydro potential. Taking into account the differences between these terms, all existing researches on the small hydro power plants potential in Croatia were collected and analyzed and an overview of the most likely locations for the construction of small hydro power plants in Croatia was given. The knowledge on legislation regarding small hydro power plants is relevant for the realization of such projects, especially in the field of energy sector and environmental protection, as well as spatial planning. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the legislative framework for small hydro power plants was made, based on which the most significant steps in the procedure of project implementation were determined. Given that the existence of technical potential is not enough to start a project, it is necessary to analyze the economic and financial side of small hydro power plant projects and the possibilities for financing such projects. Analysis of economic and financial profitability of one small hydro power plant was made in this paper, with brief analysis of the amount of investment costs and operational and maintenance costs of small hydro power plants in general. Given the very high specific investments, a certain co-financing of the construction or the electricity production from small hydro power plants is necessary in order for such projects to be paid off in a reasonable time period. Thus the existing forms of financial support for small hydro power projects in Croatia, as well as in other EU countries, were analyzed. Based on all conducted analyses, it can be concluded that there is significant potential for small hydro power plants construction in Croatia, and realization of such projects contributes to achievement of the European Union energy goals. However, very complex and time consuming administrative procedures as well as high initial investment costs significantly complicate and delay the implementation of small hydro power plant projects in Croati