Albania freezes new hydropower projects on environmental concerns
Albanian Energy and Infrastructure Minister Belinda Balluku has said she will freeze work on new hydropower plants (HPPs) and launch an investigation into 182 licenses issued to build 440 HPPs. The announcement follows a meeting with residents of Gramsh, who are protesting against the construction of two HPPs on the Devoll river. The plants are […]
How is Balkan region progressing on energy and climate plans?
Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Greece are among 7 EU member states that failed to submit drafts of their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to the European Commission by the December 31, 2018 deadline. In the region, Romania, Slovenia, and Croatia have officially published their draft plans, while Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo*, Serbia, and Bosnia and […]
KESH adopts climate risk management plan
Albania’s state-owned power utility KESH, whose production is almost entirely dependent on hydropower plants (HPP), has adopted its first climate risk management plan, a strategic approach to address the challenges posed by rising temperatures and increasing hydrological variability. KESH operates a 1,350 MW hydropower cascade on the Drin River. It is facing challenges due to […]
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 […]
Business interests of coal, oil, gas, nuclear are main obstacle to 100% renewable electricity worldwide
Serbia has enough potential to cover energy demand with renewables only, including solar, wind, biomass, organic waste, hydropower, and geothermal. The main obstacles to 100% renewable electricity worldwide are the business interests of coal, oil, gas, and nuclear, says Energy Watch Group (EWG) President Hans-Josef Fell, author of the 2000 German Renewable Energy Sources Act […]
Lack of public participation reason to challenge any permit granted for small HPP – Energy Community
Public participation is an essential part of environmental assessment procedures, which must be implemented by all Contracting Parties. If this obligation is not met the Secretariat will initiate a dispute settlement case to ensure that Energy Community (EnC) law is implemented in practice, said the EnC’s Secretariat in its statement on small hydropower (HPP) development, […]
Kosovo* to transfer 100-120 MW in licenses from hydropower to solar, wind projects – minister
Kosovo’s* Ministry of Economic Development aims to transfer the quota of 100-120 MW for hydropower projects to solar and wind power projects, Economic Development Minister Valdrin Lluka said at the opening of the Green Festival in Prishtina. The Green Festival, held for a third year in a row, promotes green businesses and raises awareness and […]
Petition handed to EBRD calling on IFIs to drop “destructive hydropower in the Balkans”
Representatives from the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign to save the continent’s last undammed rivers have handed in a petition endorsed globally by more than 120,000 people, calling on international development banks to rein in financial support for hydropower projects in the Balkans, according to a press release from CEE Bankwatch Network, one […]