VIDEO – Perspective: GGF committed to financing green energy portfolio in the Balkans by Carrie Walczak
The development of renewable energy programs in the region has been slower than it was anticipated and governments need to take certain steps, primarily related to the regulatory framework, in order to encourage further progress of the sector. The Green for Growth Fund (GGF) can offer support for worthy projects to overcome obstacles in project […]
EU dependency on fossil fuel imports on rise despite energy consumption decrease
In 2015 gross inland energy consumption in the European Union (EU) is below its 1990 level but EU dependency on fossil fuel imports is on the rise. Gross inland energy consumption which reflects the energy quantities necessary to satisfy all inland consumption amounted in the European Union (EU) to 1,626 million tonnes of oil equivalent […]
Small is not (always) beautiful: small hydro development in the Western Balkans
By Igor Vejnović, Hydropower Policy Officer, CEE Bankwatch Network It has long been recognized that the human and environmental costs of large dams are extremely high — just recently the failure of the overflow channels at the Oroville dam, California, almost triggered a tragedy. Across the Balkans, however, instead of coming up with genuinely new ideas, […]
SINCRO.GRID project to secure regional electricity supply
Four Slovenian and Croatian transmission and distribution system operators (TSOs and DSOs) are implementing the SINCRO.GRID project aimed to secure regional electricity supply. The SINCRO.GRID project implements an innovative cross-border approach with the aim to solve short-term operational security issues impacting Slovenia, Croatia and the whole South-Eastern Europe (SEE) region. A key aspect of the […]
REACH project proposes steps to tackle energy poverty in SEE
It is estimated that more than 30% of households in South-Eastern Europe (SEE) live in energy poverty. The REACH project implemented by NGOs from four countries in SEE provides EU and SEE decision-makers with policy recommendations and empowers households to save energy. While between 10% and 25% of EU citizens live in energy poverty, the […]
EU recycles 44 percent of waste, target is to reach 50
European Union member states recycled 44 percent of municipal solid waste in 2014, bringing them closer to the target of 50 percent by 2020, as set by the EU Waste Framework Directive. The 33 members of the European Environmental Agency (EEA), including Serbia, recycled 34 percent in the same year. The amount of recycled waste […]
EU to reduce issuing carbon credits by 2,2 percent annually
The European Parliament supported the European Commission’s proposal to reduce the number of carbon credits by 2,2 percent each year from 2021 as against 1,74 percent in the existing legislation. The MEPs are already planning to increase that percentage to 2,4 by 2024 at the earliest, announced the European Parliament. Carbon credits are permits issued […]
Zorlu Energy to distribute First Solar’s PV modules in 26 countries
American solar panel manufacturer First Solar announced that it has entered into a collaborative sales agreement with Zorlu Holding, a Turkish business and industrial conglomerate. Zorlu Energy is to distribute First Solar’s high-performance thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules in 26 selected markets. The sales agreement is the latest of its kind to be signed by […]