Renewables

RS citizens pay over EUR 6 million in incentives for small hydropower plants in 2018

Photo: Pixabay

Published

March 20, 2019

Comments

0

Share

Published:

March 20, 2019

Comments:

0

Share

The Ministry of Energy and Mining of Republika Srpska (RS), an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has unveiled a list of legal entities and individuals that received electricity production incentives for small hydropower plants from 2016 to 2018.

The list shows that small hydropower plants (SHPPs) received BAM 12.5 million (over EUR 6 million) in incentives, financed by citizens through electricity bills. In 2017, about EUR 4 million in incentives was paid, slightly down from 2016, when the amount stood at nearly EUR 4.1 million, Capital.ba reported.

In 2018, a total of 21 firms received incentives for 27 SHPPs, with the largest amount going to Rogatica-based Hidroinvest. This investor received over EUR 1.5 million in incentives for two small hydropower plants in 2018.

In 2018, a total of 21 firms received incentives for 27 SHPPs, with the largest amount going to Rogatica-based Hidroinvest

A company called EHE followed suit, receiving around EUR 1 million for two SHPPs, ahead of Elektrodistribucija Pale, a subsidiary of state power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), with some EUR 860,000, and Eling MHE, which got some EUR 700,000.

Even though critics say the concession fee and incentive system in place for small hydropower plants in BiH is economically unviable, Republika Srpska will continue subsidizing electricity production by SHPPs, Capital.ba wrote.

Instead of abolishing incentives for small hydropower plants, the changes to the law scrapped incentives for wind farms, which have a far less negative environmental impact

Despite ERS acting General Manager Luka Petrović having announced that incentives for SHPPs would be scrapped, the RS parliament recently adopted changes to the law on renewable energy sources and efficient cogeneration, proposed by the entity’s government. Instead of abolishing incentives for small hydropower plants, the changes repealed incentives for wind farms, which have a far less negative environmental impact, the portal wrote.

This is one of the major changes in the regulatory framework recently announced in the countries of the Energy Community, including Northern Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

Comments (0)

Be the first one to comment on this article.

Enter Your Comment
Please wait... Please fill in the required fields. There seems to be an error, please refresh the page and try again. Your comment has been sent.

Related Articles

International Day of Forests-Forests and innovation new solutions for a better world

International Day of Forests 2024 – Forests and innovation: new solutions for a better world

20 March 2024 - The 2024 International Day of Forests 2024 is all about innovations. They can help us restore, protect, and sustainably utilize our forests.

EU-Critical-Raw-Materials-Act-crma-looser-social-environmental-rules

EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act adopted with looser social, environmental rules

19 March 2024 - Pursuing strategic autonomy, the European Union put together the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) after a major delay in the last phase

global-recycling-day-2024

Global Recycling Day 2024 to celebrate #RecyclingHeroes

16 March 2024 - Global Recycling Day 2024 is putting the spotlight on people, places, businesses and activities that showcase the importance of recycling

Solar Startup Award 2024 Solar Materials recycling

Solar Startup Award 2024 goes to Solar Materials for recycling tech

07 March 2024 - The startup has developed a recycling technology that allows the recovery of raw materials from solar panels at a 98% rate