The priority of the Energy Ministry in the past months has been to create regulations facilitating investments, especially in the field of renewable energy sources, Serbian Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlović told a conference dedicated to green energy. She announced that a model agremeent on the purchase of electric energy from renewable sources would have been adopted by July 10, which is to facilitate investments in that field. By that time, an energy development strategy will have been adopted as well.
Serbia’s task and obligation towards the European Energy Community, of which it is a member, is to haramonize its laws with EU standards in order that investments in the energy sector be intensified. A few months ago, regulations on benefits in the electric energy field were adopted in accordance with EU directives and Serbia is obliged to, by 2020, has some 27% of electric power produced from renewable sources in ultimate consumption. A plan for an increase of energy efficiency in stages, with a 9%e reduction of primary consumption by 2018, has been drawn up. The realization of investments in the energy sector is a prerequisite for economic development, initiating industries and opening new work positions, said Mihajlović.
The Ministry has done a lot to improve the business setting in this field in the past nine months, she said. Along with the legal and regulatory framework, complete conditions for investments in renewable energy sources in Serbia have been created. If there is a sector in which laws have been introduced, it is this, said Mihajlović at the conference, dedicated to renewable energy of water, wind and sun. In the next two or three years, Serbia could produce 1,000 megawatts of electric power from such sources – especially from biomass and small hydro power plants, said Mihajlovic. Two weeks ago, the government adopted a national action plan for exploring renewable energy sources, which is now being prepared in more detail. The Law on Energy is also to be amended in autumn. Serbia will adopt an energy development strategy by 10 July and some 20% of the previous one have been realized. Therefore the Ministry insists that the new strategy be realistic, applicable and based on reliable data and a good plan. Serbia has recently presented the first guide for investors in the field of renewable energy sources. It has been estimated that some EUR 500 million euros would have to be set aside for feed-in tariffs (incentives) for investors in order that they be satisfied.
Serbia has large potential sin the green energy and numerous projects for the revitalization of present and the building of new plants are under way. The priorities include the building of two reversible hydro power plants, „Bistrica“ and „Đerdap 3“ and of 317 mini hydro power plants, with the realization of projects for a more extensive use of biomass.
Source; MERZ/Serbia Energy
