Zelena energetska zadruga

What Zelena energetska zadruga does

Zelena energetska zadruga (ZEZ) is a Croatian non-profit cooperative founded in 2013 and headquartered in Zagreb. It operates as a citizen-energy intermediary, helping households, small and medium enterprises, and municipalities in Croatia adopt solar PV through group procurement, project design, education, and policy advocacy. The cooperative runs the Solarni klub community — a Facebook group with more than 30,000 members — and has toured more than 30 Croatian cities since 2020 to drive grassroots demand.

ZEZ's product surface centers on three offerings. First, it organizes group procurement rounds for residential and SME solar PV installations, enrolling cohorts (220+ participants for the 2026 round) that aggregate demand to negotiate better pricing and installer scheduling. Second, it developed and maintains the Sunči mobile app, described as the first Croatian app for monitoring the operation and electricity production of solar power plants for end users. Third, it launched ZEZ Sunce, a dedicated citizen energy cooperative that enables direct community investment in renewable energy projects.

Commercially, ZEZ blends a non-profit operating model with EU and EEA grant funding. Recognized grant awards include Horizon 2020 projects NUDGE and ReDream (2020), the LIFE-program Dobra energija-SEET project (2022, ~1.1M EUR), and the COMET project (2023, ~1.5M EUR). Group procurement generates fee-based revenue per household (on the order of 299-349 EUR), supplemented by project design, consulting, and education work for municipalities and SMEs. ZEZ is a co-founder of REScoop.eu and an active member of the Croatian REScoop Hub, positioning it within a broader European citizen-energy network. In 2025, its work was recognized with the GBC Croatia Project of the Year award.

Name

Zelena energetska zadruga

Legal name

ZELENA ENERGETSKA ZADRUGA

Website

https://zez.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zelena energetska zadruga is a Croatian non-profit cooperative founded in 2013 that helps households, SMEs, and municipalities adopt solar PV through group procurement, the Sunči monitoring app, and the ZEZ Sunce citizen energy cooperative, while running pan-EU grant-funded energy community projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar Energy Cooperative Services

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Owner’s Engineering, Grid Interconnection & System Studies (PVsyst/Performance Modeling, Protection Studies) (EUACAGAG), Solar Financing, Leasing & Ownership Platforms (Tax Equity, PPA, Securitization) (EUAMABAJ), Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD), Solar Grid Integration & Interconnection Services (Studies, Protection, SCADA, Forecasting) (EUAMABAI)

Keywords

• Solar energy services
• Citizen energy cooperatives
• Renewable energy consulting
• Solar installation services
• Energy community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Zagreb

HQ country

Croatia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services (Project Design & Engineering): Charges for preparation of main electrical engineering projects for solar power plants. Promotional price of 299 EUR for projects without battery systems, 349 EUR with battery systems. Services include HEP ODS communication for obtaining grid connection approvals.
2. Group Purchasing (Grupna nabava) of Solar Equipment: Organizes group purchasing of solar equipment (AIKO full black solar panels, high-quality substructures) enabling participants to benefit from bulk discounts (minimum 20% off equipment, 35% off solar panels in 2026 campaign). Provides administrative-technical support and turnkey installation for all participants.
3. Turnkey Solar Installation Services: Full installation of solar power plants under the 'key-in-hand' principle, including design, equipment procurement, mounting, permanent operation, and assistance with obtaining necessary permits. Revenue generated through the installation service fees embedded in group procurement pricing.
4. Advisory and Technical Support Services: Provides advisory services on solar energy, incentive programs, energy community formation, and regulatory frameworks. Customer support offered via phone and email for existing and prospective solar power plant owners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Zelena energetska zadruga (ZEZ) is a non-profit cooperative that designs, procures, and installs turnkey solar photovoltaic power plants for Croatian households, SMEs, multi-apartment buildings, municipalities, and energy communities. Core revenue comes from project design fees (main electrical engineering project at EUR 299–349) and turnkey installation services, bundled through a group procurement program that delivers 20–35% discounts on solar equipment and panels. Supporting offerings include the Sunči real-time monitoring app, the ZEZ Sunce citizen-financed solar plant, an Energy Communities Center, educational lectures, and policy/publication work.

Product overview

Zelena energetska zadruga (ZEZ) operates as a non-profit cooperative providing comprehensive solar power solutions. The core offering is turnkey solar power plant installation services segmented by customer type (family houses, businesses/trades, multi-residential buildings, cities/municipalities), supported by group procurement programs offering discounted equipment (AIKO full black panels, mounting structures). Key products include the Sunči mobile application for real-time solar monitoring, the ZEZ Sunce citizen-financed solar plant initiative, and the Energy Communities Center for community energy participation. Supporting services include educational lectures, a solar calculator tool, and the customer support service 'Na sunčanoj strani'. The company pioneered Croatia's first 100% citizen-financed solar installations on public rooftops with annual returns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ZEZ Sunce: Citizen energy community initiative allowing citizens to invest in and share solar energy production, with the first assembly deciding on profit distribution and community fund.
• Sunči

Products and services

• Turnkey Solar Power Plant Installation End-to-end solar PV system delivery covering main electrical engineering project design, equipment procurement (AIKO full black panels, mounting substructures), installation, HEP ODS grid connection, and permit support for households, SMEs, multi-apartment buildings, and municipalities in Croatia.
• Group Procurement Program (Grupna nabava) Collective purchasing program offering bulk discounts on AIKO full black solar panels and high-quality mounting structures (20+ year warranty), bundled with free project design, administrative-technical support, and turnkey installation for participants.
• Sunči Mobile Application Croatian-language mobile application for real-time monitoring of solar plant production and household electricity consumption via Shelly smart devices, providing visual displays and load-management recommendations to residential solar customers.
• ZEZ Sunce — Citizen-Financed Solar Plant Citizen-financed solar power plant initiative in which citizens invest in shared solar projects and receive returns through an annual community assembly deciding on profit distribution and a community fund.
• Energy Communities Center (Centar za energetske zajednice) Advisory and support service helping citizens, businesses, and institutions establish energy communities, participate in group solar projects, and share produced energy under formal community ownership structures.
• Main Electrical Engineering Project (Design Service) Standalone main electrical engineering project preparation for solar power plants, with promotional pricing of EUR 299 (without battery) or EUR 349 (with battery), including HEP ODS communication for grid-connection approvals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 65.5% annual electricity bill savings through solar power plant investment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institut za političku ekologiju (IPE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 September 2025Partner in the 'Premostimo jaz: Ubrzanje za energetske zajednice' (Bridging the Gap: Accelerating Energy Communities) project, contributing political ecology research and advocacy expertise.
• Terra HubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 September 2025Partner in the 'Premostimo jaz: Ubrzanje za energetske zajednice' project, contributing civil society expertise on sustainable development and energy transitions.
• Udruga gradova u RH (Association of Towns of Croatia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2023Co-publisher and partner in the '(O)sunčani krovovi hrvatskih gradova' manual for municipal employees, published by ZGRADOnačelnik.hr and the Association of Towns.
• Regionalna energetska agencija Sjeverozapadne Hrvatske (REGEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2023Expert partner in the publication of the '(O)sunčani krovovi hrvatskih gradova' manual, contributing regional energy expertise for Croatian municipalities.
• Fond za zaštitu okoliša i energetsku učinkovitost (FZOEU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2023Expert partner in the '(O)sunčani krovovi hrvatskih gradova' manual and key national co-financier of solar projects, providing subsidies for household and municipal solar installations.
• Konrad Adenauer StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2023Partner supporting the publication of the '(O)sunčani krovovi hrvatskih gradova' manual for municipal employees.
• REScoop.eu (European Federation of Energy Cooperatives)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023European federation of 2,250 energy cooperatives with 1.5 million members. ZEZ is a member and is coordinated as the Croatian partner in the COMET project. REScoop.eu provides access to best practices, policy frameworks, and a pan-European network of citizen energy cooperatives.
• Electra energy (Greece)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023Partner in the COMET project ('Coalitions for Citizen Energy Catalysis in Eastern EU'), contributing Greek expertise on energy cooperative development in Southern Europe.
• Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023Partner in the COMET project, contributing academic research expertise on energy policy and citizen energy transitions from the Baltic region.
• Solidarity Economy Center (Hungary)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023Partner in the COMET project, contributing Central European perspective on energy community development.
• Focus — društvo za održivi razvoj (Slovenia)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023Partner in the COMET project, contributing Slovenian expertise in sustainable development and citizen energy.
• PLZ Spoldzielnia CoopTechHub (Poland)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023Partner in the COMET project, contributing Polish cooperative development and technology expertise.
• Cooperativa de Energie (Romania)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 November 2023Partner in the COMET project, contributing Romanian expertise on energy cooperative development in Eastern Europe.
• Zaklada SolidarnacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022Partner in the 'Umanjimo im brige' (Let's Reduce Their Worries) campaign providing energy savings packages to elderly citizens in energy poverty in Zagreb and Zagreb County. Raised over 8,000 EUR in donations. ZEZ distributes energy efficiency packages (LED bulbs, draft stoppers, radiator foil, etc.) with personal advisory visits.
• Istarska županija (Istrian County)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Lead partner in the 'Dobra energija – SEET' project worth 1.4 million EUR, co-financed at 85% (1.1 million EUR) through the EEA/Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. Project aims to install 1 MW of solar capacity on 22 public buildings across Istrian County and partner cities (Pula, Poreč, Cres, Čakovec, Zaprešić, Ivanić-Grad).
• Istarska regionalna energetska agencija (IRENA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Partner in the 'Dobra energija – SEET' project, providing regional energy expertise for solar installation on public buildings.
• Greenstaat Energy AS (Norway)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Bilateral partner from Norway in the 'Dobra energija – SEET' project, contributing international expertise in solar energy development.
• Stiftelsen Seed Forum NorwayminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Bilateral partner from Norway in the 'Dobra energija – SEET' project, contributing seed funding and business development expertise.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Enercoop: French renewable energy cooperative supplying green electricity to members and developing community-owned renewable generation. Directly comparable to ZEZ as a member-driven, non-profit cooperative advancing citizen-owned solar and wind across France.
• SOM Energia: Catalan/Spanish renewable energy cooperative operating generation assets on behalf of members and offering green electricity supply. Directly comparable non-profit cooperative model with strong focus on citizen-owned generation projects.
• EWS Schönau: German energy cooperative that took over the Schönau grid and now supplies renewable electricity while developing citizen-owned generation. Comparable as a long-established, member-driven renewable energy cooperative with both supply and generation functions.
• Our Power: Austrian renewable energy cooperative developing community-owned solar and wind projects. Directly comparable non-profit, member-owned cooperative model focused on citizen participation in renewable energy.
• Bürgerwerke: German network of citizen energy cooperatives pooling renewable electricity supply. Comparable to ZEZ as a cooperative platform enabling citizen energy participation and supply across multiple local energy cooperatives.
• Ecopower: Belgian cooperative producing and supplying renewable energy on behalf of its members, with active development of wind and solar projects. Closely comparable in member-owned cooperative model and citizen energy production focus.

Others

• REScoop.eu: European federation of 2,250 energy cooperatives with 1.5 million members — of which ZEZ is a member. Comparable as the umbrella network coordinating advocacy and best-practice sharing across the European citizen energy cooperative movement that ZEZ operates within.

Broad incumbents

• HEP (Hrvatska elektroprivreda): Croatian state-owned electricity incumbent including HEP ODS (distribution system operator) which ZEZ interfaces with for grid connection approvals. Comparable as the dominant broad incumbent in Croatian electricity that ZEZ cooperates with and competes against in adjacent segments.

Emerging players

• Cooperativa de Energie: Romanian energy cooperative organization and ZEZ's partner in the LIFE COMET project. Comparable as an emerging regional player in Eastern EU citizen energy development with similar cooperative-development focus.
• Focus – društvo za održivi razvoj: Slovenian sustainable development NGO and ZEZ's partner in the LIFE COMET project. Comparable as a regional civil-society organization working on citizen energy and sustainable development in a neighboring market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zezcoop
• Facebookfacebook.com/zelenaenergetskazadruga
• Instagraminstagram.com/zez_coop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zelena-energetska-zadruga-zez

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zelena energetska zadruga