EU project expected to mobilize EUR 1.4 billion to tackle polluting household heating in Bulgaria
The European Commission has approved a EUR 16.7 million project to improve air quality in Bulgaria, with the EU contribution at nearly EUR 10 million. The LIFE IP CLEAN AIR project will be a catalyst for the mobilization of EU structural funding and national funds worth around EUR 1.4 billion in total to tackle polluting […]
Western Balkan coal power plants are health, economic liability for entire Europe – environmental organizations
Sixteen outdated coal power plants in the Western Balkans are a public health and economic liability for the whole of Europe, with people in the EU bearing the majority of the health impacts and costs, according to a new report by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Sandbag, Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, CEE Bankwatch […]
All Bulgarian rivers damaged in some way, 200 HPPs approved on top of 270 built – WWF
All Bulgarian rivers and their tributaries have been adversely affected by pollution, drought, wastewater, extraction of inert materials, and hydropower plants (HPPs), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has warned. A total of 270 hydropower plants have been built on the country’s 325 rivers, while 200 more HPP projects have been approved in the […]
Construction launched on flue-gas desulfurization systems at coal-fired power plant TENT A
The construction of flue-gas desulfurization systems has begun at thermal power plant (TPP) Termoelektrana Nikola Tesla (TENT A) under a EUR 167 million project. The project will reduce the coal-fired power plant’ sulfur-dioxide (SO2) emissions ninefold, from around 74,000 tonnes to 7,747 tonnes annually. The new flue-gas desulfurization systems at four units of TENT A […]
Applications for EUSEW 2019 Sustainable Energy Awards due by February 4
Nominations for this year’s edition of the EU Sustainable Energy Awards can be submitted online until February 4, 2019. The awards are part of the EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), organized by the European Commission (Directorate General for Energy and EASME), which will take place from June 17 to June 21. EUSEW is the biggest […]
EU concludes political talks on clean energy package, to cut subsidies for most polluting coal power plants as early as 2025
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and EU member states have reached a provisional agreement on a recast internal electricity market regulation and directive, concluding the political negotiations on the Clean Energy for All Europeans package. The provisional agreement envisages scrapping subsidies as capacity mechanisms for power plants emitting more than 550 gr of CO2 […]
Extending feed-in tariffs risks turning public opinion against renewable energy
Author: Pippa Gallop, Research Coordinator, CEE Bankwatch Network One of the main factors driving the controversial small hydropower boom in the Western Balkans is the availability of feed-in tariffs, providing investors with a near-certain income for several years. The aim of this policy has been to incentivise the development of renewable energy, however most of […]
Montenegro opens chapter 27 of EU accession talks
Montenegro has opened chapter 27 of EU membership negotiations, which deals with the environment and climate change. To provisionally close the most demanding and expensive chapter of EU accession talks, Montenegro will have to meet benchmarks concerning matters from air quality to the water sector and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), according to […]
