Balkan Rivers Tour leads protests against Vjosa hydro plants
International environmental activists and domestic citizens gathered in Tirana in front of the office of prime minister Edi Rama to raise their voice against hydropower projects in Albania’s free-flowing rivers, particularly the Vjosa. The protest was the final act of the Balkan Rivers Tour: over 35 days, kayakers from various countries were paddling the most […]
Liria gets licences for power from 2.3 MW hydro project
With the publication of the official journal, company Liria Energji sh.p.k. was granted licences to produce electricity at hydropower plant Shpella Poshtë 2 with the capacity of 2.3 MW for 30 years. According to documents adopted by Albanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ERE), the enterprise is now also eligible to market and supply electrical energy for […]
IFC supports green bond to mobilize private funds
International Finance Corporation, member of the World Bank Group, said it invested USD 50 million (EUR 44.7 million) in a green or sustainable bond issue of the Industrial Development Bank of Turkey (TSKB). This is the first such security issued from Turkey in international debt capital markets. The issue size of the bond is EUR […]
Court blocks hydropower project Boškov most
A complaint filed by Macedonian environmental organisation Front 21/42 was sustained by the Administrative Court Skopje and declared the licence for the construction of a large hydropower project in Mavrovo National Park devoid of any legal basis. “With this, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is more than overdue to definitively withdraw its […]
Biodiesel in Serbia drying up from levies
Serbian drivers of diesel vehicles should already be pouring a share of 10% of biodiesel into tanks, as stipulated in obligations in the process of accession to the European Union. The deadline for implementation is 2020, while petrol stations still don’t have any biofuel in offer, as the government directive on mixing it with diesel […]
Romania revising national energy strategy
This year, the National Energy Strategy of Romania will be reviewed. Energy minister Victor Grigorescu ensures this does not mean that everything will start from zero, Romania Journal reported. “I think we are a major player in the region and this is not just a statement, but a fact. We export energy, sometimes even 10% of […]
SINN Power testing wave energy conversion in Heraklion
A wave energy converter module was installed at the Port of Heraklion to measure generated electricity and evaluate long-term functionality of components. The project by SINN Power was launched by shattering a bottle of champagne. The first tests were performed in November and the port authority aims to use wave energy to power its facilities. […]
Tekno Group opens largest solar power plant in Turkey
Tekno Ray Solar, with its Italian partner Enerray, opened Turkey’s largest photovoltaic facility, which in the first stage has production capacity of 18.5 MW. It is located in the central Anatolian province of Konya. The plant, planned for 22.5 MW, will meet electricity demand of more than 20,000 households, the company said in a press release. The […]