Ministers on region’s energy transition: Countries have right to choose their own energy mix

Energy, economy, and foreign ministers of Bulgaria, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Republika Srpska (an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Serbia believe that energy knows no borders, which requires regional cooperation, while they are adamant that every country has the right to determine its own energy mix. According to the ministers, who spoke at the Summit […]

European Commission: Albania should urgently diversify away from hydropower, properly conduct environmental assessments

Albania is moderately prepared in the area of energy, according to the European Commission’s latest report on the country’s alignment with the EU acquis. Albania’s national energy strategy 2018-2030 has been adopted, the Chapter 15 section of the report notes. However, the country has delayed electricity market reforms and should accelerate implementation of the connectivity […]

Vattenfall CEO Magnus Hall named new president of Eurelectric

Vattenfall President and CEO Magnus Hall has been appointed new president of Eurelectric for the next two years, according to press releases from the Sweden-based energy company and the pan-European electricity sector association. Eurelectric, the European industry association for the electricity sector, represents over 3,500 companies in more than 30 European countries in power generation, […]

Montenegro scraps feed-in tariff surcharge

The Montenegrin government has decided to abolish the surcharge paid by consumers through electricity bills to fund the feed-in tariff scheme for privileged power producers. The funds collected through the surcharge will instead be secured through coal excise duty. Answering MPs questions in the parliament, Prime Minister Duško Marković said the abolition of the surcharge […]

Top 3 in April: Renewables’ share of global capacity, Equinor, Bulgaria’s electricity export tariff

The International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) announcement that total renewable energy generation capacity reached a third of total installed electricity capacity worldwide at the end of 2018 made it to the number one spot on our English-language Top 3 Most Read list for April. The list is also available for our portal’s Serbian/local language version. […]

Investors alone have benefits from small hydropower plants – citizens, state and municipalities have none

The authorities did not consider the possible environmental impact when they lightly issued construction permits for small hydropower plants (SHPPs) and approved incentives for privileged electricity producers. And then the adept investors saw the opportunity to make profits – they lobbied to adjust regulations and, coupled with poor inspection work on the ground, the situation […]