In Croatia, industrial and manufacturing companies can now build battery storage systems without prior designation in spatial plans, following a new directive from the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and State Assets (MPUGDI). The move addresses a problem long flagged by the Croatian Renewable Energy Association (OIEH): requiring a spatial planning procedure at municipal level would have significantly slowed the development of battery projects in Croatia.
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According to the OIEH, very few cities and municipalities have included such installations in their existing spatial plans, meaning implementing the projects would have required prior amendments and additions to those plans, and in some cases even a strategic assessment, potentially causing delays of several years.
OIEH taking the initiative
The OIEH submitted a formal request to the ministry seeking an official position on the matter, and association representatives also discussed the issue and possible solutions with the ministry directly. The ministry has now translated the industry's arguments into applicable law, issuing the new directive on battery storage systems and spatial planning to the relevant administrative departments of the counties and the City of Zagreb.
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Site conditions also considered
The directive states that standalone battery installations should in principle be included in spatial plans, but until those plans are adopted, county authorities should already grant permits for storage systems in industrial and commercial zones. They must take into account surrounding development, the necessary infrastructure, integration into the existing landscape and other relevant site conditions. The new directive replaces all previous ministry statements on the spatial planning of battery storage systems. (su)
The full MPUGDI guidance document is available on the OIEH website
