May 9, 2025
by in News

Europe has record battery storage capacity growth in 2024 but expansion slows

New battery storage installations last year in Europe came in at an all-time high 21.9 GWh in capacity, though the leap wasn’t as impressive as in the previous years. The total reached 61.1 GWh. “If Europe has already entered the solar age, the battery storage age is just beginning,” said Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, which issued the annual report.

Europe marked the eleventh consecutive year of record-breaking battery storage installations – in capacity terms, the addition was 21.9 GWh. According to SolarPower Europe’s update, the new capacity was 15% bigger than in 2023, after effectively doubling for several years in a row.

The battery fleet ended December at 61.1 GWh. The growth rate in 2024 was 56%, compared to the 94% registered one year before.

The region that was tracked consists of the European Union, United Kingdom and Switzerland. The EU alone closed 2024 with 18.5 GWh in newly installed battery storage capacity.

“If Europe has already entered the solar age, the battery storage age is just beginning. With solar energy mainstreaming across the continent, now is the time for European decision makers to put batteries at the centre of a flexible, electrified energy system,” the organization’s Chief Executive Officer Walburga Hemetsberger stated.

She urged the European Commission to double down on its efforts and adopt an action plan as part of a broader energy system flexibility package. “The recent electricity outage in the Iberian Peninsula is a stark reminder of why this is important,” Hemetsberger pointed out.

BESS projection puts EU likely below 2030 target

In the most likely scenario, 29.7 GWh of battery storage will be installed this year, translating to a 36% annual growth in new capacity and 49% in total. The report anticipates a sixfold increase to 118 GWh added in 2029. It would bring the entirety of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to 399 GWh, of which 334 GWh in the EU.

However, it is far below the levels required to meet flexibility needs in a renewables-driven energy system, the annual report’s authors warned. A study showed that the EU needs 780 GWh by 2030 to fully support the transition.

This year the share of the new front-of-meter BESS, in the utility scale segment, is seen at 55%, against last year’s 40%. The absolute level would nearly double. As for behind the meter, commercial and industrial (C&I) systems grow to 12% from 10% of the new fleet while residential installations decline from 50% to 33% in 2025.

Drop in power prices from crisis levels faded appeal of battery storage capacity

Residential battery deployment declined by 11% in 2024 after years of rapid growth. The report attributes it to the drop in electricity prices when the energy crisis subsided, the removal or reduction of subsidies in key markets and a parallel decline in the deployment of residential solar power units.

Home batteries account for 57% of the whole cumulative level.

New large-scale grid batteries surged 79% against 2023, marking a turning point for utility-scale storage.

Last year new C&I installations were 17% bigger, remain below their potential and holding at one tenth of the whole capacity for several years now, the document shows. Companies in the segment generally invest in battery storage to maximize self-consumption from on-site photovoltaics, avoid peak demand charges and reduce reliance on backup diesel generators.

Additionally, solar and storage allow businesses to meet corporate sustainability targets by reducing carbon footprint of operations. Lastly, the electrification of production processes, heating, and transport fleets is driving unique use cases and a need for storage.

Spain lags but seen rebounding, reaching top five in 2025

The top growers and their positions in the chart were the same as in 2023: Germany (6.2 GWh), Italy (6 GWh), the United Kingdom (2.9 GWh), Austria (1.1 GWh) and Sweden (1 GWh). Together they had a 78% share in both new and cumulative installations.

Germany added slightly less on an annual scale than in 2023 amid a drop in newly installed residential units. Italy’s home battery segment also decreased, but the large-scale segment’s capacity surge brought the market to new heights. The UK experienced a temporary slump due to project delays at the large-scale level.

Last year Spain added less than 250 MWh in battery storage capacity, making it the 14th-biggest market in Europe. Overall it reached 1.7 GWh, of which 90% were small-scale systems.

The country’s new battery installations were 41% lower than in 2023. The Spanish market has been declining since 2022, but it is expected to enter the top five this year, with 1.3 GWh, amid a utility-scale segment’s revival.

BESS market requires level playing field

SolarPower Europe said the authorities need to encourage the participation of hybrid projects of solar and BESS in renewable energy auctions.

“Contracts for difference must be settled based on energy production rather than energy injection. This will allow the asset operator to receive the CfD for the PV asset while generating additional market-based revenues from the BESS. These extra revenues will eventually lead to lower bids from developers and reduce the support costs for society,” the document reads.

The EU must ensure transmission system operators (TSOs) procure balancing services in market-based procedures in which batteries can compete on a level playing field, the organization added. Some EU markets still rely on bilateral contracts that limit fair competition and exclude smaller storage assets, it underscored.

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May 9, 2025
by in News

Croatia’s HEP to install first floating PV plant on reservoir of HPP Dubrava

Hrvatska Elektroprivreda is preparing to build its first floating solar power plant, with a capacity of 12 MW. It will be installed on the reservoir of its Dubrava hydropower plant.

State-owned company Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP) has already installed one photovoltaic facility near HPP Dubrava, but it was ground-mounted. The Donja Dubrava PV plant has a capacity of 9.9 MW.

Combining hydro with solar into hybrid power plants is an increasingly popular solution for power companies. HEP is already building a hybrid energy park, the first in the country. It is located near the town of Benkovac.

The floating photovoltaic plant would have a barrier against waves and waste

Back in 2023, the company presented plans to build a floating PV plant as part of HPP Dubrava, on the Drava river. It has a capacity of 79.78 MW, while the average production, which started in 1989, is 350 GWh.

It is located near the town of Prelog, in northern Croatia.

HPP Dubrava is the last on in a cascade three multi-purpose HPPs on the Drava river. In addition to producing electricity, they contribute to water supply, flood and soil erosion protection, irrigation and drainage, and host roads. Now they are set to add solar panels.

HEP has submitted an application to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition for the evaluation of the need for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for its floating solar project.

The facility will be attached to the lake bottom with 62 anchors

It would be installed on a floating platform consisting of a prefab structure, buoys filled with expanding polystyrene foam, and an anchoring structure, the request reads.

The power plant would also have a barrier against waves and floating waste. The floating platform and the barrier are planned to be attached by steel ropes to the bottom of the lake at 62 spots.

The project comprises 19,812 solar panels with a capacity of 615 W, spanning 8.9 hectares. More details on the project can be found in an environmental protection report issued in October 2024 and updated in March by the Hrvoje Požar Energy Institute.

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May 8, 2025
by in News

Electricity prices for Slovenian firms among highest in EU in 2024

Last year, Slovenian households had cheaper electricity than the European Union average while the tariffs for other categories of consumers, including businesses, were among the highest in the EU, according to an analysis by Slovenia’s transmission system operator ELES.

The analysis, conducted by ELES CEO Aleksander Mervar, also showed network fees are significantly lower than the EU’s average.

Slovenia is in the bottom third of the list of the 27 member countries. As for its neighbors, domestic prices were higher than in Hungary and Croatia, and lower than in Austria and Italy, Naš Stik reported.

Last year, Bulgaria had the lowest prices in the EU, followed by Malta, Luxembourg, Hungary, and Croatia. When measured against purchasing power, prices in Slovenia are in the lower half of the list.

The Government of Slovenia has capped electricity prices for households

The analysis attributes the lower tariffs for households mainly to measures that the Government of Slovenia introduced. The two main interventions were setting a maximum price for 90% of consumption, and freezing the payment of a fee for subsidizing electricity production from renewables and high-efficiency cogeneration.

From January 1 to October 31, the maximum price was 8.2 eurocents per kWh in the lower tariff and 11.8 eurocents per kWh in the higher one. They were the maximum prices for 90% of consumption, while the remainder was set by suppliers in line with the market conditions.

Without government measures, the annual bill of the average Slovenian household, with an annual consumption of 4,000 kWh, would be higher by EUR 345.89 or 45.77%, according to the calculation.

ELES denies network fees impacted competitiveness of firms

The conditions for businesses were different. Prices for commercial and industrial consumers were among the highest in the EU. However, the domestic average was lower than in neighboring countries.

Businesses in Serbia experienced a similar issue last year.

ELES denied the claim by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia that high network fees lowered corporate competitiveness. The company argued they were significantly lower for commercial consumers, by 36.5% to 49%, than the EU average.

In addition, network fees are as much as 53% below the level in the countries surrounding Slovenia, according to the ELES analysis.

Network fees for households in Slovenia are among the lowest in the EU.

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May 8, 2025
by in News

EU outlines measures to end Russian gas, oil imports by end-2027

The European Commission set out a plan to phase out by the end of 2027 the purchases of Russian natural gas, including in the form of LNG, and oil. The package includes proposals aiming to replace Russian nuclear fuel and materials as well.

The European Union will end its dependency on Russian energy by stopping the import of Russian gas and oil and phasing out Russian nuclear energy, while ensuring stable energy supplies and prices, the European Commission said. Its new REPowerEU Roadmap targets full energy independence from Russia.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU was lowering the share of Russian fossil fuels under the REPowerEU plan and via sanctions. However, Russian gas imports rebounded last year by 18%, led by Italy, Czechia and France. The commissioners argued that the “overdependency on Russian energy imports is a security threat” and called for new coordinated actions.

Von der Leyen: It is now time for Europe to completely cut off its energy ties with an unreliable supplier

“The war in Ukraine has brutally exposed the risks of blackmail, economic coercion and price shocks. With REPowerEU, we have diversified our energy supply and drastically reduced Europe’s former dependency on Russian fossil fuels. It is now time for Europe to completely cut off its energy ties with an unreliable supplier. And energy that comes to our continent should not pay for a war of aggression against Ukraine. We owe this to our citizens, to our companies and to our brave Ukrainian friends,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated.

The volumes of imported Russian gas fell to last year’s 52 billion cubic meters from 150 billion in 2021. The share of Russian gas imports dropped from 45% to 19%. All imports of the country’s coal have been banned by sanctions. Russian oil imports have shrunk from 27% at the beginning of 2022 to the current 3%.

Member states need to roll out national plans by end-2025

The new measures have been designed to preserve the security of energy supply while limiting any impact on prices and markets. They would be applied in parallel to advancing the energy transition.

“Last year we in the EU paid EUR 23 billion to Russia for our energy imports. That is EUR 1.8 billion per month. This needs to stop,” European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen stressed.

The administration in Brussels expects to replace up to 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas by 2030, which means a decrease in demand by 40-50 billion by 2027. It sees an increase in liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacities by 200 billion cubic meters by 2028, which is five times more than current EU imports of Russian gas. The EU still hasn’t imposed sanctions on Russian LNG.

Member states will be asked to prepare national plans by the end of this year, the announcement reveals. All the measures will be accompanied by continuous efforts to accelerate the energy transition and diversify energy supplies, including via the aggregation of gas demand and a better use of infrastructure, according to the document.

Administration in Brussels intends to tackle Russian shadow tanker fleet carrying oil

The European Commission said the proposed measures would improve the transparency, monitoring and traceability of Russian gas.

“Crucially, new contracts with suppliers of Russian gas (pipeline and LNG) will be prevented, and existing spot contracts will be stopped by the end of 2025. This measure will ensure that already by the end of this year, the EU will have slashed by one third remaining supplies of Russian gas. The commission will further propose to stop all remaining imports of Russian gas by the end of 2027,” the plan reads.

Under the roadmap, the commission will put forward new actions to address Russia’s shadow fleet transporting oil. It said the vessels are circumventing sanctions and the international oil price cap.

EU depends on Russia for quarter of its uranium conversion, enrichment needs

As regards nuclear, the proposals coming next month cover enriched uranium and supply contracts co-signed by the Euratom Supply Agency (ESA) for uranium, enriched uranium and other nuclear materials. The EU intends to increase its production of medical radioisotopes.

“While diversification efforts might create uranium and fuel price volatility over access to uranium supply on global markets, major impacts on electricity prices are unlikely as the price of nuclear fuel and related services represent only a small portion of the final cost of electricity from nuclear power plants,” the plan adds.

The EU intends to increase its production of medical radioisotopes

More than 14% of uranium was sourced in the EU from Russia in 2024. The commissioners highlighted the concentration of uranium conversion and enrichment services – needed to transform processed uranium into the material for nuclear fuel manufacturing – in a limited number of companies.

In 2024, around 23% of the whole EU demand for uranium conversion services and almost 24% of enrichment was covered by Russia.

While more than 85% of uranium is produced in Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia, Namibia, Niger and Russia, uranium mines currently operate in many countries and unmined deposits exist in some EU member states.

It will take years to make use of domestic, other Western resources

European enrichment companies have expansion plans but the first new enrichment installation is not expected earlier than 2027.

“Moreover, the global uranium conversion industry is facing obstacles in ramping up production due to technological complexity and market uncertainties, and new conversion capacities are currently announced only for early 2030s. The EU’s nuclear sector also continues to rely on Russia for some spare parts and maintenance services,” the European Commission said.

EEB: Replacing Russian gas with US gas is senselless

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) noted that imports of Russian gas including LNG rose 18% in 2024 despite no growth in demand.

Numbers of shadow LNG tankers from Russia have also increased, as have indirect imports of Russian energy via third countries, it added. Plans to tackle the shadow fleet are vague, the organization claimed. It went on to label the United States a clearly unreliable trade partner.

“Phasing out Russian coal and gas only to replace it with a dependence on US fracking gas is not in the EU’s security or financial interests. EU countries should instead focus on accelerating their deployment of wind and solar energies. The technologies to move to 100% renewable energy are available,” EEB’s Policy Manager for Climate and Energy Luke Haywood underscored.

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May 8, 2025
by in News

Belgrade Energy Forum 2025 – top delegations coming from EU, Southeast European countries

Final preparations are underway for the third Belgrade Energy Forum, BEF 2025. Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski and Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović will open the event. One of the key speakers is Director Christian Zinglersen of the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). The ministerial panel consists of ministers and representatives of the governments of Montenegro, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, which is one of the two entities making up Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Senior delegations from the European Union and five countries in the region, eight panel discussions and more than 50 distinguished speakers – energy experts and representatives of energy companies – all prove that the third Belgrade Energy Forum (BEF 2025) will host key stakeholders in Southeast Europe’s energy transition on May 14 and 15.

The conference, organized by the region’s leading energy portal Balkan Green Energy News, will be the meeting point of the representatives of regional and international institutions and organizations as well as the representatives of the business community from the region, Europe and the world. Register in time via this link.

The participants in the first panel at BEF 2025, called ‘High-ministerial panel on SEE regional cooperation and energy transition strategies’, are:

  • Petar Đokić, Minister of Energy and Mining, Government of Republic of Srpska
  • Admir Šahmanović, Minister of Energy and Mining, Government of Montenegro
  • Dr. Illés Boglárka, State Secretary for Bilateral Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Hungary
  • Jovana Joksimović, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Mining and Energy, Republic of Serbia
  • Marija Pujo Tadić, Special Envoy for Climate Action, Government of the Republic of Croatia
  • Dario Liguti, Director, Sustainable Energy, UNECE

Director of EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) Christian Zinglersen will deliver one of the keynote speeches. It is one of the European Union’s most important institutions in the energy sector. He is coming to BEF 2025 at a very important moment for the Energy Community contracting parties and the transposition of the EU’s energy regulations into national law.

Đedović Handanović: The energy transition knows no borders

Ahead of her participation at BEF 2025, Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović stressed that the energy transition knows no borders and that it is why regional cooperation is of key importance.

“I am glad that energy experts from the entire region will convene in Belgrade, as only through a coordinated approach we can secure a more stable energy market, faster decarbonization and greater investments in renewable energy sources,” Đedović Handanović stated.

In addition to participating in the high-ministerial panel, Montenegrin Minister of Energy and Mining Admir Šahmanović will hold several bilateral meetings in Belgrade.

Šahmanović: The goal is not only clean energy, but just transition as well

“The energy transition is not just a technical challenge – it is a development opportunity and a civilizational leap. For the Western Balkans it is a chance for us to build an economy based on sustainability, connectivity and responsibility toward future generations. Montenegro believes that a successful transition depends on our capability to act together – through the planning of joint capacities, exchanging green energy surpluses and a coordinated approach toward partners and investors”, he said.

Šahmanović underscored that the goal is not only clean energy, but also a just transition – one that creates jobs, lowers poverty and brings growth to every part of the region. “We are ready to be a reliable partner in that joint future,” he added.

Đokić: Through joint efforts to an energy future that is economically stable, environmentally acceptable and socially responsible

The Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska is again an institutional partner of BEF 2025, which, in the words of Minister Petar Đokić, represents proof of the ministry’s dedication to promoting energy sustainability, improvement of regional cooperation and attracting investments in the energy sector.

“The ministry and I have been actively contributing from the start to the work and discussions of this significant event, which gathers the most important players in the energy sector – institutions, investors, experts and other stakeholders. The forum stands out as a platform bolstering the exchange of ideas and experiences, and the results of these discussions contribute to identifying concrete solutions for challenges in energy,” Đokić pointed out.

He expressed confidence that joint efforts can result in the creation of an energy future that is economically stable, environmentally acceptable and socially responsible.

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May 7, 2025
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Global solar power capacity hits 2.2 TW in 2024, with Turkey among top growers

The world added 597 GW of photovoltaic capacity last year, achieving an astounding 36% rate of growth, SolarPower Europe found. China accounted for 55.1% of all new installations. Turkey is in the global top ten with its 1.42% annual share, while Greece is sixth in the world in the category of solar capacity per person.

SolarPower Europe calculated a much higher global total, 2.2 TW, for photovoltaic facilities at the end of 2024, than the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – 1.87 TW. The Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2025-2029 showed annual growth of 36%, by a record 597 GW. The increase itself was 33% higher than in 2023, the update reads.

Photovoltaics accounted for 81% of all new renewable electricity capacity added worldwide. While remaining a modest contributor to overall electricity generation for now, its share reached 6.9%, nearly doubling in just three years. It took nearly 70 years to reach the first terawatt, but only two to more than double it.

Total global capacity is projected at 7.1 TW by 2030

Other renewables accounted for 25% of electricity output in 2024.

In its “most realistic,” moderate scenario, the report’s authors anticipate a 10% increase in new installations to 655 GW this year. Annual growth rates remain in the low double digits through 2029, reaching 930 GW. Total capacity is projected at 7.1 TW by 2030, compared to the 11 TW renewable energy target from the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28.

China hosted 44% of global solar fleet at end-2024

A key issue is the uneven distribution of solar market growth, SolarPower Europe pointed out. China grew by 329 GW, which is 30% more than in 2023 and more than the combined total of the other top 10 markets! Of note, IRENA measured just 278 GW.

China’s increase was 55.1% of the global total last year. It hit 985 GW overall, the report reads. It is 44% of the global photovoltaics fleet, after 40% in 2023 and 34% in 2022. In IRENA’s statistics, China topped 50% of all solar power installations in the world.

Turkey spikes 76% to 19.7 GW

Turkey, the largest country in the region that Balkan Green Energy News covers, delivered 8.5 GW, catapulting its capacity by 76% to complete 2024 at 19.7 GW.

Its addition made up 1.42% of the world’s annual increase, earning it the seventh position. Turkey’s absolute increase was five times higher than in 2023. Rooftop photovoltaics attributed a stunning 90%.

There are nearly 70 companies in the country actively engaged in PV module manufacturing, with a total capacity exceeding 40 GW. Several investments in solar cell production increased the segment to 2 GW altogether in annual terms.

The number of countries with expansion greater than 1 GW per year is 35, after 31 in 2023. The group, which includes Greece, Romania and Bulgaria, is seen getting ten more members in 2025.

EU within reach of 2030 target

At the end of last year, Europe had a total installed capacity of 407 GW, which is 25.2% more than in 2023. The European Union accounted for 338 GW, growing 23.9%.

The medium scenario suggests the EU would climb to 797 GW altogether by 2030, exceeding the REPowerEU target of 750 GW. But it is 11% lower than in last year’s outlook.

In 2024, solar power generation in the European Union surpassed coal for the first time. Its share in the electricity mix exceeded 10% and reached 20% or more in markets such as Cyprus, Greece, Hungary and Spain. The last two even touched 25%.

Germany is Europe’s largest solar market for 13 years in a row. Overall capacity surged 21% to 101 GW.

Romania is advancing in 2025 by an estimated 67% to 2.9 GW. The government provided strong backing for the rally, advancing large-scale solar projects.

Greece is sixth in world in watts per capita

The report reveals that Germany became the third country hosting more than 1 kW of solar power per capita. It spiked 20.5% to 1,187 W.

The first is Australia, which leaped 10.9% to 1,521 W per person. The Netherlands advanced 13.4% to 1,491 W.

All other countries in the top 10 chart are in Europe. Greece is in the global vanguard, in the sixth place, after spiking 40.3% to 964 W for every inhabitant.

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May 7, 2025
by in News

Federation of BiH secures EUR 83 million for just transition of coal regions

Bosnia and Herzegovina has secured EUR 83 million for a just transition project, which includes installing renewable power plants, social protection measures, and skills development in coal regions.

The funds are for the Federation of BiH, one of the two entities constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank has approved a EUR 79.90 million loan and a EUR 2.89 million grant to support Bosnia and Herzegovina’s National Energy and Climate Plan, enhance energy independence, foster job opportunities, and strengthen local economies in former coal regions.

It explained that the Just Transition in Select Coal Regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina Project would help repurpose post-mining lands in Banovići, Zenica, and Kreka, and facilitate the closure of underground works in Zenica. The project entails support for the installation of renewable energy systems at Banovići and Kreka mines.

The project has four components

The measures also involve social protection and skills development for workers and communities seeking opportunities outside the coal sector, the international financing institution noted.

The project will be implemented by the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry and the state-owned RMU Banovići coal mine operator and power utility Elektroprivreda Bosne i Hercegovine (EPBiH). It has four components.

The first focuses on enhancing the capacity of coal regions, their entities, and the state-level government to manage a just transition. It will support the Committee on Just Transition at the State Level, a state-level knowledge platform, and capacity building of the Interministerial Committee on Just Transition in the Federation of BiH.

The project includes the land repurposing master plans in Banovići, Zenica, and Kreka

Technical assistance to relevant FBiH ministries to enhance the existing regulatory laws on labor transitions will be provided.

Component 2 supports the repurposing of select post-mining lands in Banovići, Zenica, and Kreka, and closure of specific underground works in the Zenica mine. The segment includes implementing the land repurposing master plans in all three areas

The third part envisages the construction of new power plants. A photovoltaic system of 27 MW in peak capacity will be installed at two identified sites at the Banovići and Kreka mines. Annual power production is projected at over 30 GWh.

Sheldon: To make sure no one is left behind

Component 4 aims to mitigate the social and labor impacts of coal transition on workers and communities by covering the financial obligations toward the miners in Zenica, reskilling and retraining eligible workers in Banovići and Zenica, and supporting affected communities through community investment, the project reads.

According to the World Bank, BiH is developing a National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). The lender intends to ensure that mine closure is environmentally and socially responsible, supporting new job opportunities and strengthening local economies in former coal regions.

“This new project is an opportunity to boost BiH’s energy security while supporting communities, making sure no one is left behind,” said Christopher Sheldon, World Bank Country Manager for BiH and Montenegro.

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May 7, 2025
by in News

Kosovo* launches reconstruction of coal power plant unit

Kosovo Energy Corp. (KEK) began the reconstruction and modernization of one of the two units in its Kosovo B coal power plant. The works are part of a EUR 56.5 million project for the entire facility.

Kosovo* relies almost entirely on lignite in domestic electricity production, with a 92% share, the highest in the world. The failure of a gas pipeline project in 2021 and the sluggish development of wind and solar power projects have prompted the reconstruction of both old coal plants.

The works have officially started at last at Kosovo B, two years after government-owned power utility KEK signed a contract with General Electric. The entire project is worth EUR 56.5 million. Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the company is financing the investment on its own.

The B2 unit, commissioned in 1984, is undergoing modernization and B1 is supposed to be next. It is one year older.

Investment cutting pollutant emmissions by 60%

The government said the project would increase annual output at Kosovo B by more than 600 GWh. According to the energy strategy through 2031, the two units had 260 MW each in effective capacity in 2022. It compares to 339 MW from when they were built.

Acting Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli said the coal plant’s operating life would be extended by 20 years. The plan is to cut the emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides by 60%.

Capital repairs will be required once every ten years instead of every five years now, she underscored. Rizvanolli claimed the investment would cut power imports by EUR 23 million per year and boost exports by a minimum of EUR 20 million.

Budget much higher for reconstruction of one unit in Kosovo A coal plant

In February, KEK issued a call for the reconstruction of the Kosovo A3. The coal plant unit is 55 years old. The project is worth EUR 137.3 million.

The capacity would be raised to 215 MW from the current range of 120 MW to 140 MW. A3 originally had 200 MW.

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* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
May 7, 2025
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Self-consumption capacity set to break 1 GW in Greece

Renewable energy projects for self-consumption are expected to reach 1 GW this year in Greece.

According to the Green Tank, at the end of March 2025, self-consumption capacity amounted to 937.6 MW, of which the overwhelming majority (871.9 MW) was in photovoltaics.

It should be noted that last year the government introduced a big change in the segment. The net metering regime was abandoned in favor of net billing, following European guidelines.

Insufficient capacity limit

There were 32,955 self-consumption units in the country at the end of the first quarter. Projects in operation plus remaining applications are estimated at 1,865 MW, which is near the 2 GW ceiling, set by law.

Energy communities, small companies, farmers and individuals have asked for the available capacity to be increased.

They also complain that the Hellenic Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO or DEDDIE) is too slow with connecting them to the grid. The operator has mostly been integrating units in the category of up to 10.8 kW, while ignoring larger projects.

The Renewable Energy Sources Operator and Guarantees of Origin (DAPEEP) began accepting net billing applications for projects of over 10.8 kW only last month. It means it needs to accelerate connections to keep pace.

Renewable energy aggregators have warned that the regulatory framework is unclear when it comes to such projects and their representation in the market.

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May 7, 2025
by in News

Croatia earmarks EUR 1.6 billion for Social Plan for Climate Policy

Croatia plans to achieve an efficient and just green transition by implementing its EUR 1.6 billion Social Plan for Climate Policy.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition has presented the Social Plan for Climate Policy and the European Union’s upcoming Emissions Trading System 2 (EU ETS 2) in Croatia’s capital Zagreb.

The event was organized as part of the process of developing the country’s Social Plan for Climate Policy. According to the ministry, the document outlines the green transition and includes measures and investments that would benefit vulnerable households, micro businesses, and users of transportation services.

The plan is being prepared within the framework of the Social Fund for Climate Policy, which is part of the EU’s Fit-for-55 legislative package. The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 from the 1990 level.

The social plan will be funded with proceeds from EU ETS 2

The new EU ETS 2 will cover CO2 emissions from buildings, road traffic, and small firms. Funding for the social plan will be secured from proceeds from the supplementary carbon pricing mechanism.

Minister Marija Vučković noted that after the public debate is over, the Social Plan for Climate Policy needs to be sent to the European Commission for adoption.

“With more than EUR 1.6 billion, our goal is to secure an efficient and just green transition that won’t leave behind the most vulnerable members of our society – households at risk of energy poverty, micro enterprises with limited adaptation capacities, but also the citizens that have difficulties accessing public transportation,” she pointed out.

The ministry is aware of the challenges that the transition carries, so it places special focus on mitigating socio-economic consequences and preventing risks affecting the most vulnerable people, as well as on education.

The plan defines various measures

The plan includes various measures. Some examples are renovating family houses with the worst energy performances, improving the availability of public transport in suburban, rural, and remote areas, subsidizing the purchase of vehicles with zero emissions, and providing direct financial incentives.

Representatives of the ministry Ana Juras and Predrag Božac described the operation and the establishment of the new part of the Emissions Trading System and presented the sectors that it would cover. They also spoke about the first round of measures and investments from the plan.

In another presentation, the audience learned the effect of EU ETS 2 on the prices of fossil fuels, the ministry said.

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