The County of Primorje-Gorski kotar is a significant traffic and energy node with an exceptional number of production power plants, electricity transmission lines, oil and gas pipelines.
The County and its existing energy infrastructure will continue to play an important role in the future development of the energy industry of the Republic of Croatia and Southeast Europe. It is a fact that the construction and annexing, i.e. modernization, of new power plants is planned precisely in the area of the Primorje-Gorski kotar County, said plants to cover all levels, from local and regional to national and European.
The energy system in the area of Primorje-Gorski kotar County is comprised of plants and facilities for the production, transfer and distribution of all levels of energy (thermal power plants, hydroelectric power plants, oil refinery, public heating plants, industrial boiler plants and city gas companies, gas pipelines, oil pipelines, oil products pipelines…). From a global perspective, the County energy system has a dual function.
Firstly, it is an integral part of the whole national energy system.
For that purpose, around 80% of capacities have been built, whereas taking account of the efficient use of said capacities is in the hands of the state. The second, but not less important, function of the County energy system is providing for the needs of final energy consumers in the County, both quantity- and structure-wise.
The following goals have been set in the energy sector domain:

• Ensure the preconditions for the affirmation of the Primorje-Gorski kotar County as a significant energy node in Croatia, as well as Southeast Europe,
• Build a terminal for liquefied natural gas,
• Continue gasification of the entire County area by building regional and thereafter local gas pipelines, paying particular attention to transferring large power plants to natural gas as an energy-generating product used as fuel,
• Instigate the use of renewable energy sources on a regional level and increase energy efficiency,
• Ensure prerequisites for the use of decentralized energy sources, cogeneration and trigeneration plants, biomass power plants, etc.

Aside from the aforementioned goals, the realization of prerequisites for goals on a local level is also a matter of aspiration:

• Ensure quality availability of electric power systems to settlements,
• Encourage the use of natural gas as an ecologically acceptable energy-generating product,
• Encourage the use of highly efficient heat pumps with a view of decreasing energy consumption,
• Ensure prerequisites for using decentralized renewable energy sources,
• Ensure prerequisites for the implementation of energy efficiency measures (planning new plants as being solely low-energy, even passive, and additionally improving the energy traits of existing plants).

Taking into account all aforementioned facts, it should be said that the energy sector is one of the main economic sectors on which the development of Primorje-Gorski kotar County is based.
It is possible to make investments in the development of power plants of national and European significance:

1. In the construction of an LNG terminal,
2. In the modernization and/or construction of a new combined gas power plant (in the area of Urinje and/or next to the LNG terminal),
3. In the construction of the Vinodol Hydroelectric Power Plant,
4. In the construction of the Valići Hydroelectric Power Plant and appertaining accumulation.

Projects of regional and local significance are:

1. Investments in the regional gas-distribution network through the Gorski kotar gasification project, followed by the Islands of Rab, Cres and Lošinj,
2. Building cogeneration and trigeneration plants within work zones of regional (Miklavje, Kukuljanovo etc.), as well as local nature,
3. Using wind potential by building wind power plants (analysis of potential site has been drafted),
4. Using solar energy (whether by installing solar and photovoltaic collectors on existing buildings, or by investing in solar farms for which an analysis of potential Site has been drafted),
5. Investing in cogeneration plants on wooden biomass in the area of Gorski kotar and possibly building a hydronic network for the settlements of Gorski Kotar,
6. Investing in the construction of mini anf micro hydroelectric power plants.

Contacts of Primorje-Gorski kotar County bodies of authority and County’s associations that may be at one’s disposal at any given time for the preparation and implementation of specified projects are as follows:

1. Administrative Department for Regional Development and Infrastructure
Adamićeva 10/III, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Phone: +385 51 351 604
Fax: +385 51 351 643
E-mail: razvoj@pgz.hr

2. Administrative Department for Construction and Environmental Protection
Riva 10/1, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Phone: 385 51 351 202
Fax: +385 51 351 203
E-mail: graditeljstvo@pgz.hr
Web: www.pgz.hr

3. Public Institution “Institute for Physical Planning of Primorje-Gorski kotar County”
Splitska 2/II, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Phone: +385 51 351 772
Fax: +385 212 436
E-mail: zavod@pgz.hr
Web: www.zavod.pgz.hr

4. Regional Development Agency PORIN
Ciottina 17 b, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Phone: +385 51 634 330
Fax: +385 51 634 340
E-mail: rraporin@porin.hr
Web: www.porin.hr

5. Regional Energy Agency KVARNER
Ciottina 17b, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Phone: +385 51 631 844, +385 51 634 330
Fax: +385 51 263 751
E-mail: darko.jardas@reakvarner.hr
Web: www.reakvarner.hr