Final countdown to Belgrade Energy Forum 2026 on May 11-12

The fourth Belgrade Energy Forum, organized by Balkan Green Energy News, is set to open its doors on May 11 and 12 at the Hyatt Regency Belgrade hotel. In the 2026 edition, the premier B2B and B2G energy conference in Southeast Europe is welcoming a plethora of institutional partners and a record number of energy ministers from across the Western Balkans, to address the region’s transition amid shifting geopolitical and market realities. Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Energy Elnur Soltanov has confirmed his attendance.

With more than 50 eminent speakers and more than 400 participants attending, the two-day BEF 2026 is the central networking hub for decision makers directing the energy policy trajectory of Southeast Europe through 2030 and beyond. The annual event officially begins on May 11 with welcoming remarks from Founder and Editor of Balkan Green Energy News and Managing Director of Belgrade Energy Forum (BEF) Branislava Jovičić.

Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia Dubravka Đedović Handanović and Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski are headlining the opening ceremony.

Ahead of this year’s conference in the Hyatt Regency Belgrade hotel, Balkan Green Energy News established official cooperation with the energy ministries of North Macedonia, Montenegro, and the Republic of Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Energy Community Secretariat.

Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Energy Elnur Soltanov has confirmed his attendance. He is part of the ministerial panel – Securing the Energy Transition in Southeast Europe: Cooperation, Resilience, Leadership.

ADEX Group’s Chairman Anže Predovnik to participate in panel on CBAM’s impact

Among the prominent companies supporting this year’s gathering is ADEX Group, which participates as a Silver sponsor. Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the BSP Energy Exchange Anže Predovnik will contribute his expertise to the panel titled Impact of the Introduction of CBAM on the Regional Electricity Market. His participation comes at a vital time as the industry grapples with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and its influence on market liquidity and cross-border synchronization between the region and the European Union.

ADEX was established in a merger of national power exchanges BSP (Slovenia), HUPX (Hungary), and SEEPEX (Serbia).

EPCG advances toward decarbonized future with its first wind park

The forum welcomes Montenegro’s state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) as a Bronze sponsor. President of the Board of Directors of EPCG Milutin Đukanović is a featured speaker on the panel Power System Transition towards Flexible, Secure and Decarbonized Future.

The company is about to inaugurate Gvozd, its first wind power plant. Đukanović revealed that through its rooftop photovoltaics programs Solari 3000+, 500+ and 5000+, EPCG installed nearly 10,000 units since 2022. They have 111.7 MW in combined peak capacity. The company has a 639 MW project pipeline, consisting of solar, wind and hydropower and battery storage.

Serbia’s EPS navigating transition with responsibility, resilience

Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) is in the inner circle as a Friend of the conference. General Manager Dušan Živković will participate for the third consecutive year and speak on the same panel. Ahead of the forum, the CEO of Serbia’s state-owned power industry stressed that the energy transition is not a matter of choice but of courage and responsibility.

“Our task is to accelerate decarbonization while preserving the stability of the power system, because without energy security, there can be neither economic development nor social stability. In this process, EPS, as the largest energy company in Serbia, has a key role to play. We are ready to lead the transformation towards cleaner energy sources, but in a way that ensures a reliable supply at all times,” Živković stated.

The head of EPS highlighted the current focus on system flexibility, energy storage and new technologies, in addition to renewables.

“I believe that it is precisely through forums like this that we can arrive at sustainable solutions that connect the energy transition with a secure future for our region,” Živković added.

Essential financial insight from UniCredit Bank Serbia

Rounding out the group of partners is UniCredit Bank Serbia, which also joins as a Friend of the conference. Head of Specialized Lending Svetlana Cerović, one of the country’s main experts in renewable energy financing, will share her insights on the panel Emerging finance structures for the energy transition in Southeast Europe.

Ahead of her participation, she noted that market conditions have become increasingly challenging for renewables in the region. Open dialogue is essential to remove obstacles and accelerate investment, Cerović underscored. She added that the dedicated financing panel on May 12 would discuss how financial solutions contribute to future investments in times of uncertainty and the prerequisites for investment continuity.

“It is great to be back at BEF, the meeting point for leaders of the energy transition in SEE. UniCredit will have a strong presence at the forum, and we look forward to meeting you there!” Cerović said.

Visit the BEF 2026 registration page to book your place and join the discussions directing the energy policy trajectory.