First commercial prosumer signs contract in Serbia

German company Gruner Serbian is the first commercial prosumer in Serbia. The conditions have been finally created for the electricity consumers who want to produce electricity for self-consumption, aiming to reduce bills and decarbonize.

Gruner Serbia, a daughter company of German Gruner A.G., a manufacturer of relays for the electrical and automotive industry, has signed an agreement with state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) for supply on net billing for a solar power plant of 500 kW capacity.

The investment in the solar power plant will pay off in about six years

The contract, which gives the company the status of a commercial prosumer, comes into force on April 1. It allows Gruner Serbian to sell the surplus of produced electricity to EPS at the contracted price. The contract is in line with the new regulatory framework.

For the design, preparation of technical documentation, and installation of the solar photovoltaic facility, the company contacted Belgrade-based company Conseko. The power plant received a use permit in January 2022.

The 500 kW solar PV facility will cover two-thirds of Gruner Serbian’s consumption. The company is expected to pay off the investment in six years.

EPS prepared contracts templates in early March

The contract between Gruner Serbian and EPS was signed only a month after the legal framework for introducing prosumers in Serbia was completed by EPS. Namely, EPS published contracts templates for supply with net metering for households and supply with net billing for companies.

The legal framework to regulate the status of commercial prosumers relates to the Law on the usage of renewable energy and the Law on Energy adopted in April 2021, and the Decree on prosumers, adopted in August 2021.