Sun for Forests

Programme: Support Program for the Economic Revitalization of Slavonia, Baranja, and Srijem

Total budget: 414.892,38 EUR

User contribution to funding: 214.892,38 EUR

Co-financing rate: 48%

Project Duration: 01.06.2025. – 31.03.2027. (22 mjeseca)

Objective: The goal of the project is to foster sustainable economic development in the Slavonia, Baranja, and Srijem regions through investments in renewable energy sources and improvements to the infrastructural conditions of the Wood Technology Centre in Vukovar-Srijem County. By installing solar panels, the project contributes to creating energy-efficient and environmentally friendly infrastructure, reducing operating costs, and enabling better conditions for entrepreneurs.

Lead partner: Vukovar-Srijem County

Project partners: Competence Centre Ltd. for research and development

Project summary: The increased demand for wood drying by local entrepreneurs in Vukovar-Srijem County has led to a significant rise in electricity costs, as wood dryers require substantial amounts of energy. These rising costs are creating mounting financial pressure on local entrepreneurs and Competence Centre, which provides essential support to the wood processing sector. This situation limits the CEKOM's ability to further develop and fulfill its core mission—supporting local entrepreneurs in improving their competitiveness and sustainability. To address these challenges, the project is designed to invest in renewable energy sources and improve the infrastructure of Competence Centre, thereby reducing operational costs and increasing energy independence.

The project includes a series of strategic activities such as installing a solar power plant with an energy storage system, implementing a system for collecting wood waste (sawdust), expanding the canopy for wood storage, and ensuring quality supervision of all activities. The installation of solar panels will reduce electricity consumption from the public grid by up to 40%, contributing to environmental protection, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and lowering CO₂ emissions by an estimated 75,405 kg. The sawdust collection system will enable the use of wood waste as fuel in the CEKOM's boiler room, supporting circular economy principles. Expanding the canopy will provide improved storage conditions for wood materials, reducing the impact of weather conditions and shortening drying times.

The project's goal is to reduce operating costs for local entrepreneurs, increase energy efficiency and independence, and create better conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises in the region. In the long term, the project contributes to sustainable economic development in Slavonia, Baranja, and Srijem by enhancing competitiveness in the forestry and wood industry sector, increasing investment attractiveness, and preventing population migration. The project has the potential to improve quality of life in the region by creating new opportunities for entrepreneurial growth, employing young professionals, and promoting sustainable development based on renewable energy sources and innovative infrastructural solutions.

Role of CEKOM: CEKOM provides advanced technological services such as wood drying, CNC machining, woodworking machinery operations, and 3D technologies. These activities aim to reduce operational costs, increase energy independence, and create better conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, the Competence Centre contributes to strengthening local economic competitiveness through innovation, sustainable development, and the application of modern technologies.