Slovenia’s Novo Mesto makes important step on path to energy independence

The Municipality of Novo Mesto has made an important step toward becoming the first major local authority in Slovenia to achieve energy independence.

In the presence of Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy Bojan Kumer, Mayor of Novo Mesto Gregor Macedoni and President of the Management Board of Petrol Sašo Berger signed an agreement on the construction of solar power plants on municipal land and structures.

The Municipality of Novo Mesto estimated that the new photovoltaic units would get it to a nearly 80% energy self-sufficiency.

The Ministry of the Environment, Climate, and Energy supported the project with co-financing of EUR 882,000 from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. The total cost of the project is EUR 1.1 million. The municipality secured support from the ministry and Petrol is covering the remainder.

The collaboration will be implemented as a public-private partnership

Within the public-private partnership (PPP), Petrol will build ten new solar power plants and will also operate them.

Mayor Gregor Macedoni explained that the new investment will include the construction of solar power plants at the Portoval sports center, primary schools Stopiče, Otočec, Bršljin, Dragotin Kete, and Brusnice, as well as kindergartens Pedenjped, Ostržek, Ciciban, and Videk.

The municipality also plans to install a community solar power plant on the old CEROD landfill and additional ones on the remaining municipal facilities and parking canopies.

Total production in the municipality would be 2.5 GWh annually

“This year, we have already installed six solar power plants, and together with four facilities from 2010 and planned additional capacities, the total production in our municipality will reach 2.5 GWh per year,” Macedoni stated.

According to the mayor, the goal remains clear – to achieve complete self-sufficiency of the municipality with electricity from renewable sources

Minister Bojan Kumer underlined that the signing demonstrates that the path set by the ministry, more than three years ago, was the right one.

The projects, in his words, are primarily beneficial for the citizens. “Together, we will all be better prepared for future energy challenges,” Kumer stated.

According to him, the municipality has become a good example, and it will continue on the same path.