SET 2020 – Region gathers in Trebinje to discuss energy transition

Region/EU February 21, 2020 | Comments: 0Author: Vladimir Spasić

Photo: Pixabay

The gathering of leading energy experts from the Balkans and Europe, as well as decision makers from governments in the region, will showcase the pace of the energy transition and the potential of investments in renewables. The event is scheduled for March 5 and 6 in Trebinje.

The Trebinje Energy Summit – SET 2020, under the slogan Energy Future of the Western Balkans, is organized by the City of Trebinje, SET Trebinje and power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), under the auspices of the Government of the Republic Srpska and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

CEOs of the largest state-owned energy companies in the region will participate in the event

The gathering will also be a place where the region will present its investment potential, especially, in renewable energy sources.

CEOs of the largest state-owned energy companies in the region – ERS, Elektroprivreda Hrvatske Zajednice Herceg-Bosne (EPHZHB), Elektroprivreda BIH (EPBiH), Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) and Elektroprivreda Crne (EPCG), will attend the summit.

Luka Petrović, CEO of ERS, will speak about the company’s goal to build 1 GW in renewable energy facilities over the next ten years. The participants of SET 2020 will have the opportunity to hear about the company’s latest investment – Vlašić wind farm, from Bajazit Jašarević, CEO of EPBiH.

The experience of companies from the EU in the region will be presented by Robert Krklec, director of HEP Generation, a division of power utility Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP), and by Mitja Tashler, director of Termoelektrarna Šoštanj, which is a subsidiary of Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE). Aleksander Mervar, director of Slovenia’s transmission system operator (TSO) ELES, will try to explain the entity’s place in energy transition.

Janez Kopač, director of the Energy Community Secretariat, will point out what are the region’s commitments on the road to EU

Borko Torbica, vice president of Elnos Group, will talk about how an electricity company from the region has grown to become a European concern, while Stefan Krneta, CEO of Dwelt startup, will present how company’s software conquered Europe.

Zoran Obradović, CEO of wpd Adria, and Leopold Heninger, CEO of Voith, will describe the experience in doing business in the region from the point of view of EU companies.

Janez Kopač, director of the Energy Community Secretariat, will once again point out what the region’s commitments on the road to EU are, as well as the possible solutions.

SET 2020 will also cover energy efficiency, as one of the greatest potentials of the region. Ankica Barbulov, ESCO consultant, is about to explain how the ESCO model can help. Bojan Bogdanović, Principal Fund Manager, Renewable District Energy, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), will present the projects implemented by the EBRD to support the use of renewables in district heating and cooling systems.

The organizers invited all interested companies and individuals to register for this event by submitting an online application by email to or by phone to +387 59 222 536, by February 28 at the latest.

250 participants submitted applications

Aleksandar Branković, SET’s managing director, has told Balkan Green Energy News that more than 250 participants have submitted their applications.

The region has shown great interest in SET 2020, sending a message that this kind of gathering was more than needed, he said.