The 10th Energy Community Ministerial Council agreed on the implementation of EU Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of renewable energy (RES Directive) by the Energy Community. With the decision, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine commit to a binding share of renewable energy as part of their overall consumption in 2020. The shares for the nine Contracting Parties were calculated based on the EU methodology and reflect an equal level of ambition as the targets fixed for EU Member States.
“The European Commission strongly welcomes the Energy Community’s decision to adopt the RES Directive. The preparatory work has shown us the region’s big potential for increasing the use of renewable energy. This will not only contribute to more sustainable use of energy in Contracting Parties, but also bring about new business opportunities, attract investment and help the region to diversify its energy mix and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. With today’s decision, we open all cooperation mechanisms of the RES Directive to Contracting Parties, including statistical transfers and joint support schemes. This is a true win – win situation and paves the way towards a fully integrated European RES policy”, stated Mr. Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy yesterday in Budva, Montenegro.
The RES Directive establishes different mechanisms for cooperation on renewable energy within the EU and between EU Member States and third countries. With today’s decision and the acceptance of binding targets Contracting Parties will be able to participate in all cooperation mechanisms, meaning in particular that statistical transfers of renewable energy for the purposes of target achievement will be possible independently from physical flow of electricity. In addition, the decision lays down a number of adaptations to the rules for statistical transfers and joint support schemes between the Contracting Parties and EU Member States to ensure the original objectives of the RES Directive are preserved.
The debate on the possible adoption of the RES Directive in the Energy Community context started in 2009. However, the establishment of baseline data on the use of renewable energy by Contracting Parties and agreement on 2020 targets proved difficult at first due to the lack of reliable biomass data. For this purpose, the Secretariat conducted a supplementary biomass consumption survey study in 2011 which eventually allowed overcoming these problems. The final decision also contains a review clause that will allow taking into account emerging evidence.
The targets for the share of renewable energy in Contracting Parties in 2020 are the following: Albania 38%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 40%, Croatia 20%, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 28%, Moldova 17%, Montenegro 33%, Serbia 27%, Ukraine 11%, Kosovo* 25%.
Source Energy-community