Serbia has become a part of the South-East European electricity market and also one of key markets for some important factors in the sector, Tanjug learnt from participants at the international conference on renewable energy dubbed ‘World Future Energy Summit’, which was held in Abu Dhabi from January 14 to 19.
U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Carlos Pascual stated that Serbia has come a long way over the past few years and that it has learnt a lot.
Serbia has become a part of the South-East European electricity market and an example of how the regulatory sector and standards should be implemented in a country with so many borders in the sector of electric energy, Pascual said in an interview for Tanjug.
President of Vestas Mediterranean Juan Araluce y Martinez de Azagra stated that 2012 and 2013 will be difficult business years due to the economic crisis, but they would also be of key importance for overcoming the crisis.
He pointed out that competent bodies are working on initiation of cooperation with companies and institutions in Balkan countries.
We believe that Serbia is an important market because it holds considerable potential, Martinez de Azagra told Tanjug and expressed hope that the share of wind exploitation in Serbia would be upped in the forthcoming period.
The delegation of the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS) conferred with Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol.
He underscored that all countries need renewable energy sources which constitute the main tool for resolving problems regarding energy safety and environment protection.
The price of energy obtained from renewable sources is higher than that obtained from conventional sources, and this is why it is important for governments to establish which projects they would back and the way in which decisions would be adopted, Birol said.
Serbia is not a country that can affect global energy sources, but it is influenced by them, Birol said and added that any global price drop or hike affects Serbia, which is why the country has to try and reduce its reliance on imported energy sources and make greater use of the local sources.
EPS representatives also met with Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development and formerly the EU’s top man for energy, and Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Adnam Amin.
The EU commissioner for development said Serbia’s accession is a process which has involved lots of talks and negotiations regarding status, but noted that several political issues remain unresolved.
I believe Serbia is taking good steps toward EU accession and it is clear these steps need to be taken, and I believe the accession process will be very successful in the end. It is clearly very important to be a part of the EU, even though there are objections sometimes, but the benefits of membership are big. I encourage you to overcome the barriers, said Piebalgs.
In energy, you are very closely and successfully integrated into the EU, it is true the Serbian energy sector has come far in approaching the EU, especially in implementation of regulations and regulating the market by joining the Energy Community of South East Europe. Still, this is just one area and the accession road is a long one, he said.
In a statement for Tanjug, Amin reminded that Serbia is a very important member of IRENA and that the very fact Serbia is a member shows the Serbian government is concerned about the future of energy.
The energy sector is the foundation for economic and sustainable development, and this is time for changes and transformation of policies, technologies and economies. We are ready to work and cooperate with Serbia and there are many areas and potentials, but we need assessments of which technologies are the most suitable. Serbia has a strong industrial foundation and huge potential for developing renewable energy sources and green energy. We are looking forward to green energy projects in Serbia in the near future, Amin said.
The Fifth World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi is the world’s foremost annual meeting committed to advancing future energy, energy efficiency and clean technologies.
The conference was opened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and attended by the prime ministers of China and South Korea, and ministers and representatives of international energy organizations.
This year’s summit brought together representatives of 650 companies from 35 countries.
Source Emg