Overview
Zagreb El-To CHP Power Plant is an operational gas-fired combined heat and power facility in Croatia with a capacity of 86.8 MW, serving the Zagreb area.
Zagreb El-To CHP Power Plant is a gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) facility located in Croatia, near the capital city of Zagreb. With an installed capacity of 86.8 MW, it operates as a medium-scale power plant within the country's energy grid, providing both electricity and heat to the surrounding region. The plant utilizes natural gas as its primary fuel, a cleaner-burning fossil fuel compared to coal or oil. As a CHP plant, it achieves higher overall efficiency by capturing waste heat for district heating or industrial processes. The facility operates under Croatian and EU environmental regulations, including the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU), which sets emission limits for SOx, NOx, and other pollutants. Best Available Techniques (BAT) for gas-fired CHP plants are applied to minimize environmental impact. The plant plays a key role in the local energy supply, supporting Zagreb's district heating network and contributing to the stability of the regional power grid. Its gas-fired technology offers flexibility to balance intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind, aiding Croatia's transition to a low-carbon energy system.
Environmental context
The plant's gas-fired CHP design reduces CO2 emissions per unit of energy compared to separate heat and power generation. Its location near Zagreb means emissions are subject to strict EU air quality standards. The use of natural gas minimizes SOx and particulate emissions, while NOx is controlled through combustion optimization or selective catalytic reduction. The plant's moderate capacity and modern technology help limit its local environmental footprint.
Frequently asked questions
The Zagreb El-To CHP Power Plant is located in Croatia, near the capital city of Zagreb, at coordinates 45.8069 N, 15.9498 E.
Zagreb El-To is a combined heat and power (CHP) plant that runs on natural gas, producing both electricity and heat for district heating.
The plant has an installed capacity of 86.8 megawatts (MW), making it a medium-scale gas-fired power plant.
Gas-fired power plants in Croatia must comply with the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU) and national emission standards, including limits on SOx, NOx, and CO2. Best Available Techniques (BAT) are required for emission control.
A combined heat and power (CHP) plant captures waste heat from electricity generation for heating purposes, achieving higher overall efficiency (up to 80-90%) compared to separate heat and power generation.