27th July 2026 · Novalja, Port Žigljen
On 27th July, Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar visited the Leonitus plant in Port Žigljen near Novalja — Croatia’s first facility generating 1 MW of green electricity from wave energy. The plant was delivered under the NACHIP project, funded through the European I3 instrument (Interregional Innovation Investments).
During the visit, the Minister was briefed on the plant’s operation, results achieved so far under real Adriatic conditions, and plans for the next phase of the project.
The technology
The plant converts wave energy directly into electricity — with no emissions and no fuel consumption. Unlike solar and wind power, wave energy is available continuously, day and night, making it a valuable addition to Croatia’s renewable energy mix and a stable source within a system that increasingly depends on variable generation.
Next step: green hydrogen
The next step in the project is green hydrogen production at a significantly larger scale. Green hydrogen, produced by water electrolysis using renewable energy alone, is a cornerstone of the European strategy for decarbonising industry and heavy transport — sectors that are difficult to electrify directly.
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