Western Balkan countries once again commit to clean energy development, as EU warns them about hydropower
Western Balkan countries are renewing their vows to switch to clean energy sources under joint statements and declarations. However, the EU is calling for caution when it comes to hydropower, warning that the construction of hydropower plants (HPPs) must be in line with the sustainable development principles and the future EU requirements for countries in […]
EU project expected to mobilize EUR 1.4 billion to tackle polluting household heating in Bulgaria
The European Commission has approved a EUR 16.7 million project to improve air quality in Bulgaria, with the EU contribution at nearly EUR 10 million. The LIFE IP CLEAN AIR project will be a catalyst for the mobilization of EU structural funding and national funds worth around EUR 1.4 billion in total to tackle polluting […]
Waste management in Serbia – problems, challenges, and possible solutions
Serbia has handed the second draft negotiating position for chapter 27 to the European Commission, and the authorities expect the opening of the chapter, which deals with the environment, to be possible by the end of 2019. From the moment of accession (the assumption is this would happen in 2025), Serbia is proposing an 11-year […]
Western Balkan coal power plants are health, economic liability for entire Europe – environmental organizations
Sixteen outdated coal power plants in the Western Balkans are a public health and economic liability for the whole of Europe, with people in the EU bearing the majority of the health impacts and costs, according to a new report by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Sandbag, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, CEE Bankwatch […]
All Bulgarian rivers damaged in some way, 200 HPPs approved on top of 270 built – WWF
All Bulgarian rivers and their tributaries have been adversely affected by pollution, drought, wastewater, extraction of inert materials, and hydropower plants (HPPs), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has warned. A total of 270 hydropower plants have been built on the country’s 325 rivers, while 200 more HPP projects have been approved in the […]
Construction launched on flue-gas desulfurization systems at coal-fired power plant TENT A
The construction of flue-gas desulfurization systems has begun at thermal power plant (TPP) Termoelektrana Nikola Tesla (TENT A) under a EUR 167 million project. The project will reduce the coal-fired power plant’ sulfur-dioxide (SO2) emissions ninefold, from around 74,000 tonnes to 7,747 tonnes annually. The new flue-gas desulfurization systems at four units of TENT A […]
Air quality in Serbia unsatisfactory, implementation of measures goes hand in hand with economic recovery
Author: Filip Radović, Director, the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) In winter months, we are witness to increased air pollution in the region, while apps help monitor pollution levels. However, not all apps are equally reliable, Serbian Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) Director Filip Radović writes in an op-ed for Balkan Green Energy News. He says […]
Proper environmental impact assessment, cooperation with local community key for renewable energy projects
Renewable energy projects, especially those concerning small hydropower plants, have not been without controversy in the region, with investors often not acting in good faith. The other side of the coin is that investors that have done everything they were supposed to have often suffered damage over regulatory changes. In this interview, Zoran Obradović, managing […]