New Forces Shaping the Energy Sector

Zagreb, 13 February, 2026 – The “Internship Program,” jointly organized by ENNA Group and XEnergy, concluded with a formal award ceremony recognizing the successful completion of the student internship. The final project presentations and a closing networking event were held on Thursday, February 12, 2026, in Zagreb.

Throughout the program, eight female students, divided into four teams and guided by mentors, worked for a total of four weeks on real-life project assignments while gaining insight into business processes within the energy company ENNA Next. As a supplier of electricity and natural gas to business customers, and a provider of solar power plants, battery storage systems, and virtual power plant (aggregation) services, ENNA Next offers an ideal environment for gaining hands-on experience in the energy sector.

“I learned what sustainable energy looks like in Croatia – the legal aspects, the infrastructure, how projects are developed, and the role ENNA Next plays in the process,” said Zara Plevko, a fourth-year student at RIT Croatia, after completing her internship. She worked on the project “The Role of Battery Storage Systems in Increasing the Energy Independence of Households with Photovoltaic Systems.”

Her teammate, Lola Ranogajac, also studies at RIT and is a second-year undergraduate student in International Business.

All participating students worked on specific, hands-on topics throughout the internship and agree that the experience gave them valuable insight into how engaging, dynamic, and complex the modern energy sector truly is.

“I learned much more about the electricity market itself, while my university studies currently place greater emphasis on generation and system design. In particular, I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of renewable energy sources for the market,” said Lucija Perkić, a second-year student at the Zagreb University of Applied Sciences (TVZ), who worked on the project “The Impact of Solar and Wind Power Generation on Electricity Prices and Imbalance Volumes in the Power System.”

She was joined on the project by Ana Nuić, a fifth-year student of Petroleum and Geoenergy Engineering at the Rudarsko-geološko-naftni fakultet in Zagreb.

“The moment I will especially remember is solving tasks together with my colleague Lucija. Through our daily collaboration, we not only learned and supported each other throughout the internship, but also developed a friendship. This experience showed me how much learning through practical work suits me and how important environment and teamwork will be in my future career,” Ana emphasized.

The students who completed the internship particularly highlighted the contribution of their mentors, as well as all other experts at ENNA Next who shared their knowledge and experience throughout the program.

We would like to extend our special thanks to the mentors who led their teams: Marijeta Majer, Branimir Herceg, Nikolina Čović, and Luka Krilić.

Jana Delač, a fifth-year student at Zagreb University of Applied Sciences, specializing in Digital Transformation, highlighted that she will especially remember the moment she realized she was an integral part of the team and that her contributions truly mattered. The internship confirmed her desire to work in a dynamic, team-oriented environment with room for professional growth.

“I worked in a real-world environment with concrete deadlines, people, and unpredictable situations. The most valuable experience was understanding how theory works in practice and recognizing how crucial communication is in every process,” Jana said. She collaborated with Martina Pervan, a third-year student at TVZ, on the project “The Future of Energy Sales: Transition from Energy Seller to Provider of Energy Solutions.”

“At university, you only learn about the concept of energy itself, but not about energy management or sustainability, which this internship clearly demonstrated! In life, you need to try everything and explore, without fear of the unknown or the pressure to be perfect. Through this internship, I learned things and gained experience that will benefit me for life,” emphasized Martina.

Marta Žejinski, a fourth-year student in Mechanical Engineering at TVZ, was part of a team with Lucija Crnoj, a third-year undergraduate student in Informatics specializing in E-Business at Zagreb University of Applied Sciences. Marta noted that the internship showed her the multiple paths she could take in her career and helped her discover the type of company she would like to work for in the future.

“I worked with real data, which can be unpredictable, and gained a much deeper understanding of electricity trading than I could have at university,” Marta said, adding that every opportunity to learn something new should be embraced.

At the closing ceremony, the students presented the projects they had worked on, and the event featured remarks from Nela Vlahinić, President of XEnergy, and Nenad Ukropina, Director of ENNA Next.

“We are delighted that this program allowed us to open a window for you into the world of energy and the energy transition. From what I’ve heard from colleagues, you liked the view through that window. Over the next 10 to 15 years, the energy sector will no longer look as it does today. There is a lot of talk about artificial intelligence and its impact on jobs. In this field, AI will only be a tool, but without you, there is no future for energy. I am glad we got to meet you, and our doors are always open,” said Nenad Ukropina, Director of ENNA Next.

Nela Vlahinić, President of the XEnergy network, expressed gratitude to the ENNA Group, and specifically ENNA Next, for their collaboration in implementing the “Internship Program.” She gave special thanks to the mentors and congratulated the students who participated in the program.

“We are very pleased that you had the opportunity to complete your internship in a modern, progressive, and flexible company. Congratulations on recognizing the opportunity for your own development. The business world, the market, and our way of life will change irreversibly in the coming years. What will set you apart from others is precisely this experience and the knowledge you have gained. Investing in yourself is always by far the most rewarding investment,” Vlahinić said.

Congratulations to all students on successfully completing the internship, and thank you to their mentors, the ENNA Group and ENNA Next teams, and XEnergy partners for making this program a success!