O2 Challenge 2 in North Macedonia delays deadline to July 3
A government program is supporting micro, small and medium-sized North Macedonian firms in projects for climate change mitigation and the reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases. The timeframe for applications in O2 Challenge 2 has been pushed back to July 3 and organizers scheduled an info session to be held on June 29. The Fund […]
Coal power plants in EU shuttering amid jump in expenses from end-June
Exemptions in air pollution limits in the EU are about to be abolished, so owners of older coal-fired power plants will have fewer operational hours allowed. Another option, aside from closing the facilities, is to invest in efficiency and environmental protection, but with little to no guarantee it would be cost effective. While ČEZ is […]
COVID-19: Challenges and opportunities in the district energy sector
Author: Greg Gebrail, Energy Specialist and Bojan Bogdanović, Fund Manager – Renewable District Energy in the Western Balkans Fund (ReDEWeB), Sustainable Infrastructure Group in European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) District energy systems are commonplace in urban centers and district heating is the most common form of heating for urban homes and businesses in […]
Energy Community launches public consultation on policy guidelines on renewables self-consumers
The Energy Community Secretariat is seeking views on the draft policy guidelines on the integration of renewables self-consumers. The public consultation started on June 17, and it will last until July 17. Stakeholders are invited to submit their comments via an online questionnaire. The draft guidelines reflect the latest legal requirements stemming from the EU’s […]
SO2 emissions in Western Balkans coal plants six times above limit in 2019
There was no improvement last year on air pollution from lignite-fired industrial facilities reported to the European Environment Agency by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia and North Macedonia, Bankwatch said. A comparison with the national emissions reduction plans reveals coal plant sulphur dioxide emissions were increased and that they were six time higher than […]
40 artists back Blue Heart campaign to protect Balkan Rivers on occasion of World Music Day
Forty well-known artists from around the Balkan region are seeking to shake people up and help avert the looming destruction of nature in their home countries. On the occasion of World Music Day, which is celebrated annually on June 21, the artists take a stand in short video testimonies. Among them are Darko Rundek from […]
Rethinking financial sustainability for biodiversity
Biodiversity can be in the center of sustainable development, yet it requires systematic solutions and diverse mechanisms that enable retainment and reinvestment of funds into conservation. This new sourcebook deals with a range of additional financial instruments that may support planning and thinking about financing biodiversity, ecosystems and protected areas as investments in sustainable development. […]
Vienna powers second subway station with brake energy converter
When underground trains arrive at Altes Landgut in a southern district in Vienna, braking energy is recovered for illumination and the electric devices at the station. Friction creates heat and braking releases energy. After a successful pilot in 2018, the public transport operator in the Austrian capital introduced an inverter at another underground station. The […]