North Macedonia first to draft strategy in line with national energy, climate plans in Energy Community

North Macedonia’s draft Energy Development Strategy until 2040 is the first to comply with the rules of national energy and climate plans in the Energy Community, the Energy Community Secretariat said following the draft’s presentation. The document is also in line with the five dimensions of the EU Energy Union.

The draft is currently under public consultation, which started on October 31 and will last until November 30. In July Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi said that the country planned to adopt the Strategy by the end of 2019.

North Macedonia presented to the Secretariat the final draft of its Energy Strategy 2040, including with the perspective till 2030, which is the first to follow the overall structure of national energy and climate plans (NECPs) in the Energy Community and the timeframe indicated by the related Ministerial Council Recommendation, the Secretariat said.

All three scenarios of the energy strategy envisage the introduction of EU ETS

It covers the five dimensions of the Energy Union, although merging integration and security of energy markets and including an additional dimension on legal and regulatory aspects. The strategy sets out three scenarios, of which the intensive renewables one (green scenario) proved to be the most cost-effective. It incorporates also results from the study on 2030 targets, which the Secretariat launched in 2018 and finalized earlier this year.

Out of three scenarios, green scenario proved to be the most cost-effective

Following the first consultation round in July 2019, the Secretariat provided a new set of recommendations to fine-tune the strategy and to ensure due consideration and compliance with the development of energy and climate policies and targets at the Energy Community and EU level, Secretariat said in a press release.

Three scenarios – share of renewables to reach 35-45%

The draft envisages a reference, moderate transition, and green scenario. The energy efficiency goal is set at 34.9% (reference), 47.9% (moderate transition), and 51.8% (green scenario) compared to the BAU scenario. The draft proposes GHG emissions cut of 35.6% (reference), 60.2% (moderate transition), and 72.8% (green scenario) compared to BAU.

The renewables share in gross final energy consumption is planned to reach 35% (reference), 39% (moderate transition), and 45% (green scenario). In December last year, the Energy Community lowered Macedonia’s 2020 target from 28% to 23%.

All three scenarios envisage the introduction of EU ETS, but the year of establishment is different as well as the price of CO2.