Republic of Srpska adopts new law on renewable energy sources

The National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska has adopted a new law on renewable energy sources, which introduces auctions for premiums for the construction of power plants, as well as an option for individuals and businesses to produce green energy for self-consumption, and establish energy cooperatives.

Minister of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska Petar Đokić said the goal of the new law on renewable energy sources is to increase the use of renewables, facilitate the construction of renewable power plants and increase the share of green energy in total electricity production.

The current system of subsidies, with feed-in tariffs or guaranteed purchase prices, was retained only for small hydropower plants (SHHPs), ground-mounted solar power plants and wind farms with an installed capacity of up to 150 kilowatts, as well as for rooftop solar, biomass and biogas power plants of up to 500 kilowatts.

Hydropower plants with a capacity of more than 150 kW are not entitled to subsidies

All power plants with a larger capacity, but not more than 50 MW, will receive subsidies through auctions for premiums, Đokić stressed and added that hydropower plants with a capacity higher than 150 kW are not entitled to state aid.

Only companies that have location conditions and environmental permits can apply for auctions. It is possible to apply for a part of the installed capacity of the planned facility.

A renewable energy community or energy cooperative can also receive subsidies in the form of a premium if the installed capacity is lower than 150 kW.

Center for Environment: A good part of our comments was accepted

The Center for Environment has announced that a lot of its comments on the draft law on renewable energy sources and those from the members of Eco BiH, the largest environmental network in BiH, were accepted.

The organization said it is proud of the success they have achieved in limiting the incentives for hydropower plants to plants of up to 150 kW, and stressed that facilities with a capacity higher than 150 kW would not receive them.

As a result of the initiative for more opportunities for citizens’ energy projects, prosumers and energy communities were introduced by the law, said Viktor Bjelić from the Center for Environment.

He added the new law lifts administrative and financial barriers for citizens to produce energy for self-consumption.