Ugljevik 3 power plant project not to use approved environmental permit
Bosnia and Herzegovina committed not to use the environmental permit issued as a result of the non-compliant environmental impact assessment procedure of the planned 600 MW Ugljevik 3 thermal power plant (TPP) in Republika Srpska, the Energy Community (EnC) Secretariat said in a press release. The commitment came as a result of mediation conducted under […]
Ministry drafts law to prohibit small hydropower plant construction in protected areas
The Ministry of Environmental Protection has drafted a law banning the construction of small hydropower plants (SHPPs) in protected areas, State Secretary Ivan Karić has told Reuters, adding that the draft will be sent to the government and parliament in early 2019. “If this extreme non-ecological trend of diverting streams into pipelines continues, we would […]
Energy Community Ministerial Council sets direction for adopting 2030 energy and climate targets
Energy Community Ministerial Council, held today in Skopje, took some key decisions, including the adoption of General Policy Guidelines on 2030 energy and climate targets, the selection of 21 infrastructure projects of regional significance, and re-opening of the negotiations on amendments to the Treaty establishing the Energy Community. The meeting, which brought together ministers of […]
Energy Community, EBRD issue joint Policy Guidelines for implementing Energy Efficiency Obligation schemes
The Energy Community (EnC) Secretariat and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have issued joint Policy Guidelines to help countries in the region design and implement an Energy Efficiency Obligation (EEO) scheme in line with Article 7 of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. According to the Secretariat’s press release, Article 7 requires EU […]
Business interests of coal, oil, gas, nuclear are main obstacle to 100% renewable electricity worldwide
Serbia has enough potential to cover energy demand with renewables only, including solar, wind, biomass, organic waste, hydropower, and geothermal. The main obstacles to 100% renewable electricity worldwide are the business interests of coal, oil, gas, and nuclear, says Energy Watch Group (EWG) President Hans-Josef Fell, author of the 2000 German Renewable Energy Sources Act […]
Serbia pushes back introduction of renewables auctions by a year, extends existing support decree
The Serbian government has extended the decree on incentives for the production of electricity from renewable energy sources and high-efficiency heat and power cogeneration until the end of 2019. Experts say that the extension of the decree, which was set to expire on December 31, 2018, is good for all ongoing renewables projects, but that […]
Macedonian day-ahead market launch scheduled for the end of November 2019
The launch of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s day-ahead market (DAM) is scheduled for the end of November 2019, while the go-live of Bulgaria and Macedonia (BG-MK) market coupling will follow in January 2020, the Energy Community Secretariat said in its latest Western Balkans 6 (WB6) Electricity Monitoring Report. WB6 parties failed to finalize […]
Albania’s power generation quadruples in Q3
Albania’s net domestic production of electricity in the third quarter of 2018 almost quadrupled, reaching 1,630 GWh, compared to 418 GWh of electricity generated in Q3 2017, which could boost the country’s economic growth to 4% this year. According to the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), public hydropower plants (HPPs) contributed 80%, while independent HPPs […]