The solarization project at SOS Children’s Village Lekenik, located between Zagreb and Sisak, was launched on the idea that a solar power plant represents a solution leading towards energy independence and the long-term financial sustainability of the village, according to the Green Energy Cooperative (Zelena Energetska Zadruga – ZEZ), which is implementing the project.
In the second phase, solar panels with a capacity of 250 kW were installed on the roofs of all fifteen family houses where SOS mothers and children live.
At 350 kW in total installed capacity, the solar power plant is the largest among SOS children’s villages in this part of Europe, ZEZ claims.
Annual savings to reach EUR 38,000
Before the implementation of the project, annual energy bills at SOS Children’s Village Lekenik were above EUR 80,000.
With the completion of the second phase, annual savings generated from the electricity consumed on-site and the surplus delivered to the supplier amount to around EUR 38,000, according to ZEZ.
Over the solar system’s minimum lifespan of 25 years, expected savings are estimated at EUR 1.17 million.
A model for other communities in Croatia and the region
The solarization of SOS Children’s Village shows that this is much more than an energy or environmental project. It is also a powerful financial sustainability mechanism for non-profit organisations, ZEZ stressed.
The project also combines social care, energy transition, and local development, serving as a model for other communities in Croatia and the region.
According to Mario Čović, Director of SOS Children’s Village Lekenik, with the completion of the solarization project, the village has taken an important step towards its long-term sustainability.
“We are particularly pleased that the achieved savings will be invested in children, including education, foreign language learning, summer holidays, sports and creative activities that enrich their upbringing. This project demonstrates how investing in renewable energy sources can deliver concrete benefits for both the environment and the community,” Čović explained.
He thanked all partners who recognised this vision.
Project implementation would not have been possible without partner and donor cooperation
The implementation of the project would not have been possible without the cooperation of partners and donors: SOS Children’s Village Croatia, Raiffeisen Bank, ZEZ, Kufner Group, and Biomasa Group. They donated a total of EUR 340,000 for the photovoltaic plant.
The project was led by ZEZ’s expert team in cooperation with partners and SOS Children’s Village Croatia.
“We are proud to have demonstrated that our team can deliver large-scale projects, coordinate partners, and handle everything from the initial idea to putting the facility into operation. Such projects simultaneously contribute to the environment, deliver concrete savings to beneficiaries in the SOS Children’s Village, and bring value to the local community as well as to the ESG goals of partners. In a time of climate crisis and volatile energy prices, together we are sending a message that energy should be renewable and produced locally, for the benefit of society and the community,” ZEZ manager Zoran Kordić underscored.
Keserić: Sustainability must be felt in real life
President of the Management Board of Raiffeisen Bank Liana Keserić stressed that it believes sustainability makes no sense if it remains solely on paper. It must be felt in real life, in her view.
The green transition is therefore not merely part of the bank’s business strategy, but an opportunity to support projects through partnerships that create a safer and higher-quality future, she added.
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