January 27, 2026

by AEA in News

Croatia prepares first bioeconomy strategy

The Government of Croatia has adopted the Draft Bioeconomy Strategy until 2035, which foresees investments of EUR 200 million.

The draft bioeconomy strategy until 2035 will provide a strategic planning framework for intensive sector development and contribute to the economic and social development of the country, according to the Government of Croatia.

The strategy defines the bioeconomy as all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources – animals, plants, microorganisms, and biomass from these sources, including organic waste.

The sectors of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, and the production of food, beverages, and tobacco are fully included in the bioeconomy, the document reads.

Of note, back in 2018 the European Commission has put forward an action plan to develop a sustainable and circular bioeconomy.

The strategy has two goals

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries David Vlajčić pointed out that the strategy defines the vision for the development of the bioeconomy. It will be achieved by 2035 through interventions, strategic projects, and activities, he explained.

The strategy has two strategic goals – the development of sustainable production and raw material markets and the increase of added value in the bioeconomy, the government said.

The achievement of the strategic goals will be financed by funds from European financial programs, co-financed by the state budget, Vlajčić added.

According to the minister, EUR 199 million is envisaged for the implementation of the strategy for the period from 2025 to 2027. For the period from 2028 to 2035, the financial framework would be defined later.

The draft envisages the construction of biomass distribution centers

To achieve the strategic goals, various mechanisms would be used, Vlajčić stressed.

These include the construction of biomass distribution centers, regulating the use of waste sludge, encouraging the construction and modernization of capacities in bioeconomy sectors, promoting the production of packaging from recycled materials, bio-based and biodegradable plastics, and conducting research and innovation related to the bioeconomy.

The strategy should also increase the utilization of by-products, residues, and waste from production and processing in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors and stimulate the biomass market.

The government adopted a decision on October 13 to initiate the development of the bioeconomy strategy by 2035. The Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Science and Education, and the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds have cooperated in the production of the draft.

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January 15, 2026

by AEA in News

Romania plans to lease unproductive land for renewable energy projects

Romania is drafting legislation that would enable granting concessions for the construction of renewable energy plants on unproductive and degraded state-owned agricultural land. The initiative aims to establish fast-track areas for renewable energy projects, with all necessary permitting procedures limited to 12 months.

The legislation would allow the State Domains Agency (ADS), which manages state-owned agricultural land, to grant concessions on areas of land that are not suitable for agriculture, but can be used for green energy production, according to a report by Profit.ro. The initiative is part of the RePowerEU component of Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).

These areas should be officially designated following a mapping process to identify available land, subsurface, marine, or inland water areas needed for developing renewable energy power plants, as well as related grids and energy storage facilities, including thermal storage, to support achieving the 2030 renewable energy target.

The areas for renewable energy projects will be designated after a mapping process

The deadline to designate these areas is February 21, but it is unlikely to be met, given that a contract to procure the necessary geospatial data management software has been partially cancelled. The ADS has now launched a new tender for the geospatial data system, valuing the job at RON 7.7 million (around EUR 1.51 million), according to Profit.ro.

In the so-called “areas suitable for accelerating renewable energy projects,” the procedures for granting all necessary legal authorizations would not take more than 12 months in total, according to the report.

The Romanian Government has long planned to amend the law on the ADS to give it the authority to award concessions to public and private entities for the purpose of producing energy from renewable sources such as hydro, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal, the news portal recalled.

State-owned power utility Hidroelectrica, the largest electricity producer in Romania, intended to build a photovoltaic park of 1.5 GW on thousands of hectares of land managed by the ADS. It would be the largest in Europe.

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January 12, 2026

by AEA in News

Romania plans to lease unproductive land for renewable energy projects

Romania is drafting legislation that would enable granting concessions for the construction of renewable energy plants on unproductive and degraded state-owned agricultural land. The initiative aims to establish fast-track areas for renewable energy projects, with all necessary permitting procedures limited to 12 months.

The areas for renewable energy projects will be designated after a mapping process

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December 2, 2025

by AEA in News

Greece to support 130 MW in agrivoltaics through tariffs

Greece aims to host a new batch of agrivoltaics, based on a bill of law that the Ministry of Environment and Energy submitted to Parliament. It includes subsidies.

Several proposed provisions concern carbon capture and storage (CCS), energy storage and renewable energy. Among them, a goal is set for the installation of 130 MW of agrivoltaics across the country.

Specifically, up to 10 MW would be allowed in each periphery (region), with individual projects at a maximum of 200 kW. The agrisosolar panels must be mounted at over 2.1 meters above the ground, in order to allow agricultural production below them. Alternatively, they can be installed on top of greenhouses.

Another interesting novelty is that agrivoltaics could be combined with battery storage unit. They would need to provide at least one hour of storage and wouldn’t be allowed to store energy from the grid, but only from the solar plant.

When it comes to the financial aspect, the agrivoltaic facilities would benefit from a EUR 65 per MWh tariff. It remains to be seen whether the sum is sufficient for support, as costs of photovoltaics raised at such height are higher than for traditional systems. The Panhellenic Association of Agricultural Photovolatics (PSAF) has warned that if the tariff is deemed too small, farmers will not invest in the technology and the entire program will be fruitless.

Applications to commence in February 2026

Eligible applicants are professional farmers or companies that have signed agreements with owners of cultivated fields and greenhouses. Each may install up to two agrivoltaic units.

Investors would be able to submit their applications for connection terms from February 2026. Consequently, the Hellenic Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO or DEDDIE) would decide on each project within two months, until the local limit of 10 MW is reached.

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October 15, 2025

by AEA in News

Romanian company to build geothermal hydroponic greenhouses on 50 hectares

Geothermal well developer and operator Green Tech International started the construction of a geothermal hydroponic greenhouse complex on ten hectares in western Romania. It is part of a five-year plan to reach 50 hectares.

Green Tech International, listed this year on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE or BVB), said it has started the works on the largest hydroponic greenhouse complex in Romania, heated with geothermal water.

The company’s strategy is to develop at least 50 hectares over the next five years. It has 12 years of experience in the development and operation of geothermal wells. Green Tech International, which is also a platform for geothermal energy solutions, directly owns 42 wells and operates another 41. It is one of the largest portfolios in Europe.

The company is conducting the current project through its subsidiary Horti Green Invest. Hydroponics are a method of growing plants without soil. The roots are suspended in a nutrient solution or in an inert medium retaining the nutrients.

Geothermal heat has significant competitive advantage

Geothermal energy has a significant competitive advantage to traditional sources, with renewable heat available 24 hours a day, regardless of the weather, and with a predictable cost in the long term, Green Tech International noted.

Gavriluță: The project will position Green Tech International among the top three greenhouse vegetable producers in Romania

“We are well-positioned to capitalize on our geothermal resources and generate value in complementary sectors with high growth potential. Our strategy focuses on investments in synergistic industries such as sustainable agriculture, where geothermal energy provides a major competitive advantage due to lower costs and supply stability,” Chief Operating Officer Dragoș Gavriluță said in a stock exchange filing.

First phase to cover ten hectares

Green Tech International has started the construction of its first modern geothermal hydroponic greenhouse project, covering an area of 10 hectares in western Romania, he stressed. The project will position Green Tech International among the top three greenhouse vegetable producers in Romania, Gavriluță claimed.

The update reveals that the company intends to invest in the rehabilitation of existing geothermal wells in the area and in the modernization of a thermal power plant to supply heat to the greenhouses. Green Tech International Group also includes Geotherm Distribution and Apoterm Nădlac.

According to an earlier news report, the company is interested in subsidies via the European Union’s Modernisation Fund for the production and transport of geothermal energy for district heating or cooling systems.

As for the rest of the region that Balkan Green Energy News covers, Turkey is one of the world’s biggest geothermal energy producers, including the greenhouses segment.

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September 10, 2025

by AEA in News

Romania preparing to include biomethane in gas grid

Romania has drafted a directive that would regulate the production, transportation and distribution of biomethane and its inclusion into the gas network. The change is aimed at limiting the increase in the prices of gas for household heating, expected from the upcoming introduction of the ETS 2 carbon allowance scheme in the European Union. Delaying the shift would also affect the costs of industrial production and for other non-household consumers of gas.

Biomethane produced from sustainable sources is carbon neutral under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), making it appropriate for buildings and transportation, the Romanian Ministry of Energy said in a new draft emergency ordinance. With the executive order, it intends to pave the way for utilizing the renewable fuel in the natural gas network, Profit.ro reported.

The document is set to amend several acts and regulate the production, transportation and distribution of biomethane. It would counter, to an extent, the increase in gas prices for households, which is expected from the expansion of the EU’s carbon pricing scheme to buildings and transportation, the ministry explained. Namely, ETS 2 is scheduled to be introduced in 2027.

Biomethane is usually obtained by processing biogas to get methane of the same purity as in fossil gas

Any delay in allowing biomethane in the existing grid draws a risk of increasing the costs of natural gas consumption, both for non-household and household customers, the accompanying note reads.

Biomethane is usually obtained by processing biogas to get methane of the same purity as in fossil gas. The gaseous biofuel can also be produced from clean hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The EU allows incentives for biomethane facilities. Some countries in Southeastern Europe, like Greece, are developing the legal framework for embracing the technology within their energy transition.

Share in gas network planned to reach 10% by 2050

Romania is planning a 5% share of biomethane in its natural gas network in 2030 and to double it by mid-century. The sectors of waste management and agriculture can produce an estimated 501,000 tons of oil equivalent in 2050.

The EU is imposing strict requirements on the removal of biodegradable organic matter from wastewater and the reduction of food waste, the ministry noted. Together with agricultural and organic municipal waste, they are the main raw materials for the production of biogas.

According to the proposal, publicly announced business plans can secure a share of renewable gases in the grid up to 1.5%. However, without an urgent legislative intervention, the investments can’t materialize, the Ministry of Energy warned. The draft directive would update the definitions of guarantees of origin, biogas, biomethane, natural gas, renewable gases and biomethane producers.

BSOG Energy, Engie Romania at forefront of upcoming biomethane investment wave

As for other developments in the segment, BSOG Energy (BSOGE), a subsidiary of Black Sea Oil and Gas, recently hired industrial services provider Bilfinger for a biomethane facility in Alba county in Transylvania.

Earlier, BSOGE said it would invest EUR 30 million in the construction of a biomethane plant. It has signed deals with milk producer DN Agrar Group for up to 15 MW in capacity, with the possibility of exceeding 20 MW in later stages.

In April, the firm partnered with Unigrains Trading in a project for a biomethane and organic fertilizer facility. They estimated the investment at EUR 65 million, for 57 MW of biomethane capacity and over 250,000 tons of organic fertilizers per year. Parent company BSOG is controlled by controlled by investment firm Carlyle.

Engie Romania launched plans a year ago with Heineken to build a biodigester for brewery waste

Last November, French-owned Engie Romania obtained the first license in the country for biogas and biomethane supply. Earlier it established a partnership with Heineken for decarbonization projects in three breweries in Romania, including heat pumps and one biodigestion system.

The firm is the largest supplier and distributor of natural gas in the country, as well as an electricity producer and supplier.

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August 20, 2025

by AEA in News

University in Antalya signs deal for 50.4 MW solar power plant

Akdeniz University in Antalya established a partnership with Kopuz Group, which will build and operate a solar power plant of 50.4 MW in peak capacity. The company is completely covering the cost for the facility, which they expect to meet the university’s entire electricity needs.

Municipal authorities in Turkey are emerging as a pillar of the country’s energy transition. They are not only covering public buildings with solar panels, but also investing in larger ground-mounted photovoltaic systems. The trend has also spread to sports venues, particularly football stadiums, alongside educational institutions, infrastructure and transportation including railways, and a range of other social, industrial and commercial activities. Akdeniz University in Antalya particularly stands out with its new deal.

Rector Özlenen Özkan said the aim of the project for a solar power plant of 50.4 MW is to meet the entire electricity demand at the complex home to some 100,000 people. Antalya, located on the Mediterranean coast, was one of the first cities in Turkey that introduced solar power for their own needs.

Akdeniz University to offtake 24% of PV plant’s output

A partnership was launched with Kopuz Group and Kopuz Energy, selected through a tender. The company will build the facility in Yeşiloba in the Korkuteli district. The cooperation works under a build-operate-transfer model, for 25 years.

The private partner bears all the costs of construction and commissioning, estimated at EUR 52.6 million. The company has two years to complete the PV plant, by far the biggest among all universities in Turkey. It is also the largest public-private partnership involving a university, in the solar power segment, Rector Özkan stressed.

The solar power plant will save EUR 2.3 million in electricity costs

In her words, the facility will generate 100 GWh per year, of which Akdeniz University would offtake 24%. The deal will lower its electricity costs by 31%, Özkan added and pointed out that it translates to EUR 2.3 million. The electricity bill of the university hospital in July amounted to almost EUR 650,000, she revealed.

The site for the PV plant is in a mountainous area and on non-agricultural land, Özkan pointed out.

Antalya is in Turkey’s top league in energy transition

As for the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, it has almost 15 MW in peak capacity in 22 PV units in operation or under construction. They include a 5 MW ground-mounted solar farm.

The facilities cover more than half of the electricity needs of the local authority. Notably, it uses solar power to assist farmers, produce drinking water and treat wastewater.

According to the city government, Antalya is the first in Turkey to generate and store its own electricity. Moreover, it produces energy from waste and biomass.

A major solar cell factory located just outside the city is undergoing expansion and the complex will also make PV panels. Turkey hosts more than 23 GW of solar power capacity.

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April 30, 2025

by AEA in News

Greek farmers turn their backs on government program for photovoltaics

The Greek government’s Photovoltaics in Fields support program has failed to convince farmers so far.

As part of the self-consumption program, farmers are supported for various costs, such as the purchase and installation of panels, inverters, batteries, as well as necessary technical studies.

Applications are accepted for two different project groups, when it comes to connection priority. The first is for installations of up to 10.8 kW and another for projects of 10.8 kW to 50 kW.

Selected investments are eligible for a grant equivalent to 30% or up to EUR 350 per kW. The overall budget is EUR 30 million.

Only 143 photovoltaic systems connected so far

In the year since the program’s launch, the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO or DEDDIE) received a total of 1,776 applications, of which 1,235 are still under evaluation. The first checks are complete in 794 cases while 377 projects are at the connection terms signing stage.

Only 209 applicants have signed them, while 143 photovoltaic systems have become operational across the country.

Operational restrictions weigh on incentives

The problem for farmers is that HEDNO has enforced operational restrictions in about one third of the accepted units. It means they don’t produce freely, but are subject to curtailments.

The government is mocking farmers

Therefore, profitability drops significantly for investors. It is notable that two out of every three farmers who originally applied didn’t continue the process.

Various agricultural collectives have reacted. Stock farmers of Elassona in Larissa spoke of “a mockery by public bodies, as they promised photovoltaics will solve high energy costs.”

The Ministry of Environment and Energy said it would extend the connection applications deadline by 160 days to include more investors. Furthermore, it would delay the required commencement date for the projects until the end of September.

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April 25, 2025

by AEA in News

Constitutional Court of Bulgaria annuls exemptions for renewables on agricultural land

The Constitutional Court of Bulgaria scrapped a legal provision that enabled investors to build agrivoltaic facilities on high-grade agricultural land without changing its purpose, and one that simplified the procedure of changing the purpose to build renewable energy plants intended for non-agricultural needs.

Authorities can’t simplify procedures for renewable energy plants at the expense of agricultural land, a limited and non-renewable resource, according to the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria. The judges scrapped controversial measures aimed at promoting agrivoltaic and green energy facilities.

President Rumen Radev challenged them a year and a half ago, after the National Assembly changed the Agricultural Land Protection Act. He argued that it increases the risk of uncontrolled land conversion. The amendments have also affected energy legislation.

The court said the country’s constitution obligates the government to protect the environment and biodiversity and ensure the rational use of natural resources. Arable land is only for agricultural purposes and changes are allowed only exceptionally, if there is proven need and in line with the procedure determined by law, it added.

Agrisolar exemption lacked clear, precise criterion

It is unacceptable for basic legal provisions to be introduced in a bylaw to fill gaps in the law, the ruling reads.

The Constitutional Court annulled the exemption for agrivoltaic (agrisolar) projects from the obligation to change the purpose of the land. The definition of the concept in a bylaw, that it allows unhindered use of agricultural land, is insufficient for an exception, judges explained. They said a clear and precise criterion is required.

The other legal provision that the court scrapped was the simplification of the procedure to repurpose agricultural land for investments in renewable energy plants for non-agricultural purposes. Radev has disputed another similar measure, but parliament deleted it from the law in the meantime, so the Constitutional Court rejected his complaint.

Notably, investors now face higher expenses.

Upon Radev’s complaint, lawmakers reinstated rule protecting higher-quality arable land

In 2013, the president also moved to overturn allowing wind, solar, hydropower and geothermal and bioenergy facilities on agricultural land graded 5 to 10.

But lawmakers soon limited the scope to grades 7-10, like before, so the panel rejected his request to determine the constitutionality of the original rule.

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April 22, 2025

by AEA in News

Turkey aims to become major lithium producer with its geothermal wells

Turkey is using only 10% of its geothermal potential, according to Chairman of the Geothermal Power Plant Investors Association (JESDER) Ufuk Şentürk. He said existing wells alone could open the way for the country to become one of the world’s major producers of lithium.

Studies are underway to determine the accessibility of valuable minerals in Turkey’s geothermal waters. There are already some one thousand wells with 100,000 tons of water coming out every hour, Chairman of JESDER Ufuk Şentürk told Anadolu Agency Energy Terminal. He pointed to the potential for the extraction of lithium, cesium, selenium and silicon.

Turkey is utilizing only 10% of its geothermal potential, Şentürk stressed. An inventory is under development of wells that were drilled to find oil and left unused, he added. The temperatures are as high as 150 degrees Celsius and the said resources can provide heat for 5,000 hectares of greenhouses, the organization’s chief said.

Researchers have found a lithium source in Turkey of 20 parts per million in geothermal water

The İzmir Institute of Technology (İYTE) and Afyon Kocatepe University have been conducting studies for two years, within the Turkish-German Energy Partnership, on obtaining minerals, Şentürk noted. He said there are 100 parts per million of lithium in one geothermal source in Germany, while 20 parts per million were found in Turkey.

Investment costs are much lower without exploratory drilling, if lithium is extracted from geothermal water already coming to the surface. The head of JESDER, Geothermal Power Plant Investors Association, estimated that Turkey could produce 35,000 tons per year and said global production came in at 36,000 tons last year.

“Even if we obtain 10%, we will still be one of the countries with the largest lithium resources in the world,” he stated.

Volumes of lithium extracted from geothermal waters are still symbolic

As Şentürk didn’t elaborate, it remains unclear if he compared the country’s potential to the output from so-called direct lithium extraction (DLE) or perhaps evaporation from brine pumped from underground. They make up one tenth and one quarter, respectively, of the 240,000 tons of lithium produced last year in the world. The rest is mined.

A different benchmark, the lithium carbonate equivalent or LCE, is almost five times larger. Additionally, about 5% of lithium ion batteries are recycled. The volumes of lithium extracted from geothermal waters are still symbolic.

Investors are betting on the combination with geothermal energy, to make lithium production cost effective, as it is found in very small quantities in underground water. Direct extraction of the alkali metal from water has an immeasurably lower environmental impact than mining.

Existing geothermal power plants can provide heat to 4,000 hectares of greenhouses

Şentürk pointed out that Turkey hosts 65 geothermal power plants of 1.74 GW overall. They generated 11.2 TWh in 2024 of the total 350 TWh.

Geothermal energy currently heats 7,000 hectares of greenhouses in Turkey and 160,000 homes, Şentürk said. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is providing incentives for greenhouse zones of 2,800 hectares in total. But existing geothermal power plants alone could, with such support, provide for 3,500 to 4,000 hectares of greenhouses, the association’s chief estimated.

On a global scale, Turkey trails only the United States, Indonesia and the Philippines in geothermal power. Nevertheless, after several years of rapid growth, it only added 120 MW in capacity since 2020.

A recent study, conducted within the project called Li+Fluids, showed geothermal waters in north Germany and its Thuringia state contain between 0.39 and 26.5 million tons of lithium. The country’s demand for 2030 is projected at 0.17 million tons.

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