April 24, 2025
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Two PV parks of 117 MW in total coming online near Bucharest

Eximprod Grup is about to commission a 65 MW photovoltaic facility in Prahova county, north of Bucharest, before adding a battery system, and Simtel obtained financing for the completion of a 52 MW solar power plant in Giurgiu, south of Romania’s capital city. Additionally, the developer of a project of a similar size in Alba county in Transylvania, including energy storage, applied for an environmental permit.

Eximprod Group said it completed a solar park of 49.5 MW in connection capacity in Ciorani, Prahova county, north of Bucharest. Commissioning and grid integration are underway.

According to its documentation, the facility has 65 MW in peak capacity. It consists of five units with 9.9 MW in grid connections each.

The PV plant is coming online through a 20/110 kV power station and a single metering point. Eximprod, controlled by investors Manole Gheorghe and Vasile Domente, thanked Transelectrica, DEER, Ostenweg Sysplan SRL and Alive Capital for cooperation in the project. The company bought 590 W solar panels.

Eximprod has won a EUR 13.4 million grant for the Ciorani project from NRRP

The EUR 56.2 million endeavor includes a grant of EUR 13.4 million from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP or, in Romanian, PNRR). It is part of the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

Eximprod invested in the solar park, which features trackers, through its project firm Solar System Project. The facility was built on an 89-hectare land plot. It is located next to a solar power plant of the same owners, with a 15.5 MW connection and 20 MW in peak capacity.

The company plans to add a 21 MW battery energy storage system to the Ciorani PV park. Eximprod recently completed the first of seven foundations of a 38.4 MW wind park in Galați county in the region of Western Moldavia.

Banca Transilvania approves loans for large solar power project in Giurgiu

The Giurgiu county, west and south of Romania’s capital city, is emerging as one of the country’s solar power and energy storage hubs. Major projects are being materialized in other areas around Bucharest as well. Engineering company Simtelhttps://balkangreenenergynews.com/imports-from-china-dont-exceed-26-of-pv-project-costs-in-romania/ said it has signed financing contracts for a PV plant of 52 MW in peak capacity, which is 80% finished.

Annual output is estimated at 69 GWh.

Banca Transilvania, Romania’s largest, has approved a ten-year investment loan of EUR 16 million and a bridge loan of EUR 12.2 million. The latter is denominated in local currency and matures in March 2026.

Simtel has completed its first three smaller PV plants

“Since 2023, with the completion of our first proprietary photovoltaic park in Pleșoiu, our company has entered a new stage of development, becoming an electricity producer. The Giurgiu project represents an important step in this direction, as it covers more than half of the total capacity we aim to have completed and operational in our portfolio by mid-2026,” said Simtel Team’s Chief Executive Officer Mihai Tudor.

Romania has supported the investment in Giurgiu through NRRP. The bridge loan covers the financing needs before the company collects the grant.

Simtel, which is also a contractor, has completed three of its PV projects – in Pleșoiu, Salonta, and Iacobeni. Four others are in various stages of construction or permitting – in Anina, Ianca, Mangalia, and Movilița. Together with the facility in Giurgiu, their combined peak capacity is above 83 MW. The eight units will generate an estimated 111 GWh per year.

The company is listed on the main market of the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE). Simtel offers consultancy services, authorization, design, engineering, construction, maintenance, operation, measurement, control, and energy supply. It was founded in 2010 by Iulian Nedea, Sergiu Bazarciuc and Radu Vilău.

Solar-BESS hybrid power plant project on monastery land in Alba is worth EUR 53.1 million

As for other relevant news in Romania, Bucharest-based Ponor Energy requested an environmental approval for a solar power project of 56.7 MW in peak capacity, which would include batteries. The site is in Ponor commune in Transylvania’s Alba county, spanning 48.6 hectares. The firm leased monastery land for 25 years.

The facility would consist of 166 Huawei inverters of 49.8 MW in total and Trina Solar’s 85,852 bifacial panels of 660 W. The battery segment would have 81.5 MWh in capacity.

Excluding value-added tax, the investment is worth an estimated EUR 53.1 million.

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April 24, 2025
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Greece’s DEPA Commercial picks contractors for PV plants of 500 MW

Construction companies Terna and Aktor are about to start building a solar power plant of 400 MW in northern Greece and another 100 MW near Larissa, for state-owned DEPA Commercial, according to a new report. In its switch toward cleaner sources, the gas holding has also finished the construction of its biomethane plant.

Greek state-controlled gas supplier, importer and trader DEPA Commercial has completed the tenders for photovoltaic parks of 500 MW overall, OT learned. The 400 MW facility in Kozani in the Western Macedonia province would currently be the largest in the country.

However, Lightsource bp, owned by BP, started the construction of a 560 MW solar park last summer in Central Greece and Thessaly. State-controlled Public Power Corp. (PPC or DEI) is about to finish a 550 MW photovoltaic facility in Ptolemaida, near Kozani.

DEPA Commercial is also known as DEPA Emporias (in Greek), DEPA Commerce and DEPA Trading. Both for the giant PV plant in northern Greece and another 100 MW in Farsala, Larissa, it selected the consortium of Terna, part of the GEK Terna conglomerate, and Ellaktor’s Aktor.

The turnkey deals are worth EUR 270 million in total

The turnkey agreements are worth a combined EUR 270 million. The company obtained a EUR 390 million loan in July from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for its photovoltaic projects. The portfolio amounted to 816 MW.

The projects, which are at various stages of maturity, are conducted under subsidiaries North Solar, North Solar 1 and New Spes Concept.

DEPA Commercial’s new move comes after the government bought a 35% stake from Helleniq Energy. The company is now fully owned by the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF or TAIPED). The transaction was completed at the turn of the year, when the vehicle also integrated the so-called Superfund.

DEPA Commercial starts producing biomethane for its fuel stations

Within its energy transition efforts, the gas giant is entering biomethane production as well. DEPA Commercial said early this month that it produced Greece’s first quantities of the fuel.

The new pilot unit, Farma Hitas (Chitas) in Filippiada in the country’s west, makes 97% pure methane and compresses it. The bio-CNG goes to the company’s Fisikon gas stations, where it is mixed with natural (fossil) gas and sold as vehicle fuel.

Ownership stakes in Alexandroupolis gas complex, IGB pipeline

As for its conventional business operations, DEPA Commercial holds a 29% stake in special purpose firm Ilektroparagogi Alexandroupolis (Alexandroupolis Electricity Production). PPC is the majority partner, with 71%.

They are building a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) of 840 MW. In addition, DEPA Commercial owns 20% of the Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal and 25% of ICGB, which operates the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) gas pipeline.

The company is participating in the Fier Thermoelectric project for a 174 MW gas power plant in Albania. DEPA Commercial intends to supply some of the renewable electricity that it generates to its wholly-owned subsidiary Fysiko Aerio – Hellenic Energy Co. The gas and electricity distributor has more than 530,000 customers.

Notably, DEPA Commercial already owns an aggregator license – FOSE, allowing it to trade in the wholesale power market on behalf of a group of producers.

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April 24, 2025
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Bulgaria grants EUR 587 million to 82 battery storage projects

Developers of 82 standalone battery storage projects in Bulgaria, for an overall 9.71 GWh in capacity, got approval for EUR 587 million in subsidies from the Ministry of Energy. Another 30 landed below the line, but the government intends to boost the program by EUR 120 million.

More than four months after the deadline for applications, the Ministry of Energy of Bulgaria ranked 112 projects for standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS). Through the RESTORE call for grants, it approved EUR 587 million for 82 of them, exhausting the budget.

The scheme is part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), which the European Commission controls.

The selected investments envisage an overall 9.71 GWh of storage capacity, compared to the target of at least 3 GWh. The aim is to provide balancing to enable a significant increase in the share of wind and solar power in the energy mix, as well as to ensure the security and stability of the country’s electricity system. The facilities will be connected to the grid at both the transmission and distribution levels.

Notably, Bulgaria is struggling to meet the conditions and deadlines for NRRP funding, including for battery projects. Moreover, the ministry apparently decided not to move forward with a second call for subsidies for households for solar panels with or without batteries, and for solar collectors. It risks losing the European Union’s funding.

Project underway for 125 MW battery system in Burgas

The largest selected investment is BESS Burgas. The project is worth EUR 90 million, of which the grant would cover 26.5%. The proposed facility would have 125 MW in operating power and a four-hour duration, translating to 500 MWh.

The list lacks data on planned capacities for many of the projects. Among them is the one from ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 (Maritsa iztok 3), the operator of a coal power plant that recently ceased operations. The company intends to invest EUR 74.5 million, the fifth-highest amount. The ministry said it would provide 40% of the total.

The owner of the recently closed Maritsa East 3 coal power plant won a 40% subsidy for its EUR 74.5 million BESS proposal

Weapons and ammunition producer Arsenal 2000 won a 44% subsidy for its EUR 48.9 million project. It intends to install a BESS of 80 MW and 350 MWh. One of the selected proposals is called Verila Solar Park 2. The share of the approved grant in the EUR 65.7 million investment is 32%.

Toki Storage stands out among the beneficiaries with 11 approved projects of the same size and valuation: 10 MW, 40 MWh and EUR 6 million each. The grants would cover 30% to 39.3%.

NEK fails to qualify with its project for battery system at Topolnitsa hydropower plant

Out of 151 applications, 118 initially passed to the ranking stage. The ministry said they were worth a combined EUR 838 million. The 30 projects in reserve are worth EUR 212 million, it added.

They include proposals from coal plant operators Toplofikatsiya Pernik and Bobov Dol. The ministry rejected four projects, of which one from state-owned National Electricity Co. (NEK), for a 20 MWh battery unit at its Topolnitsa hydropower plant.

According to consulting firm New I, involved in more than 40% of the winners in the call, they are worth EUR 1.59 billion altogether, Bulgarian language EU Funds website reported. Requested support ranges between just below EUR 40,000 per MWh and EUR 80,000 per MWh, and the weighted average came in at EUR 60,000 per MWh, it revealed.

Many of the 151 projects were duplicated, the article adds.

Importantly, the government has proposed increasing the RESTORE program by EUR 120.6 million, which would be sufficient for at least 20 projects in the reserve group.

The ministry was supposed to select the beneficiaries by January. The deadline for drawing the EU funds is June next year, so the developers must rush to install their battery systems – but first they need to sign contracts with the government.

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April 23, 2025
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Bulgaria canceling sale of equipment for its Belene nuclear plant to Ukraine

Bulgaria’s minority government decided to call off the planned sale of equipment from the failed Belene nuclear power project to Ukraine’s Energoatom and reactivate the plans. There is an idea to attract investments in data centers that could be supplied with the electricity. At the same time, state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding is preparing to build two more reactors at the existing Kozloduy nuclear power plant.

The chronic political crisis in Bulgaria, lasting more than four years, has led to another controversy with regard to the Belene nuclear power project. The investment was canceled and restarted several times since the Russian equipment arrived in the late 1980s.

The National Assembly voted in 2023 to start negotiations on the proposed sale to Ukrainian state-owned Energoatom for its Khmelnytsky nuclear power project. However, last week the representatives of the ruling coalition said they decided to keep the equipment.

Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov, head of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), said nuclear energy development is the right way forward for the country and its people. “Electricity prices are rising around the world. The world is facing continued energy insecurity, and nuclear power is a stable and predictable source. We have the site, we have the reactors, we have the experts – everything is in our hands,” he stated.

Borissov wants Americans in data center project

BSP is a junior partner in the minority government, which came into office in January. Socialists have been pushing to cancel the equipment sale from earlier, but now the largest party completely changed its stance. Boyko Borissov, the leader of GERB – Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria and former prime minister, explained that large technology companies are interested in building data centers for artificial intelligence.

Experts have valued the stored equipment at EUR 734 million

The idea is to attract such an investment and use the Russian reactors in Belene to power it, Kapital reported. If it doesn’t work out, the equipment can be sold. According to the media outlet, Borissov is planning to discuss the matter with “the Americans.”

Of note, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov is from GERB. The article adds that experts valued the assets in storage at EUR 734 million, of which the reactors are worth EUR 409 million. Bulgaria’s parliament has set the lowest price at EUR 602 million. Now it will need to vote again to block the potential deal.

Obsolete Belene project would face huge funding challenge

The news website attributed Borissov’s turnaround to the new geopolitical situation between the United States, Ukraine and Russia. It added that the project is outdated and that it wouldn’t be completed for another 20 years anyway. There is also the issue of funding: the investment requires at least EUR 10.2 billion more and another EUR 1.53 billion for the transmission network and other infrastructure.

Moreover, the same or similar challenges were there five and ten years ago as well.

Most importantly, Bulgaria is already preparing to build two more units at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, in cooperation with  Westinghouse Electric. State-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding is controlling the project.

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April 23, 2025
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Italy mulls keeping its last coal plants on standby

After retiring the two remaining mainland coal power plants, scheduled for this year, Italy’s government intends to switch the facilities to standby instead of dismantling them. Two others are on the island of Sardinia, which is waiting for another subsea interconnection to complete the coal phaseout.

Italy has 4.7 GW in coal power capacity left, following the recent retirement of A2A’s plant in Monfalcone, on the border with Slovenia. The two facilities that remained on the mainland are only marginally active and they are officially set to be closed this year. However, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin expressed the belief that they should be kept on standby.

“Therefore, not producing, because it is not economically suitable. But the geopolitics are still in a state where no one can guarantee us that gas will not reach EUR 70 per MWh or that there will be no malfunctions in the pipelines that supply us,” he argued. The said facilities, already dormant as they are not cost-effective, should be kept just in case, in the view of the minister. He didn’t address the pollution issue.

Provisional data showed that coal power output nosedived 71% in 2024 to 3.5 TWh. It translated to a share of 1.3% in electricity production and 1.1% in consumption.

On the one hand, the capacities would be valuable in case of gas and power supply disturbances. But it comes at the cost of maintaining a complex system idle.

Sardinia may remain dependent on coal by 2029

The two mainland coal plants are Enel’s Torrevaldaliga Nord in Civitavecchia and Brindisi Sud.

There are two more, in Sardinia, scheduled to be phased out by January 2029. By then, the island’s interconnection with the main grid should be strengthened with the proposed Tyrrhenian Link. The Sulcis coal plant is also Enel’s, and the other one is EP Produzione’s Fiume Santo power plant. Together, they have 1.1 GW in nominal capacity.

Speaking at the same event, Chief Executive Officer of Enel Flavio Cattaneo warned of the expected surge in power consumption, suggesting the coal exit be reconsidered. The “perfectly functioning” plants, which “saved” Italy during the gas crisis, will be closed by August, he stressed. The company is open to selling its coal assets, Cattaneo said and hinted at the possibility that the government buys them.

AI, data centers bolstering demand for nuclear energy, gas, coal

Eni’s CEO Claudio Descalzi said it was “pure madness” to close coal-fired power plants “in a situation of high costs or low energy availability.” He cited the rise of artificial intelligence and data centers, boosting energy demand, and the need to keep costs low. “It is only possible with nuclear, gas and coal,” Descalzi claimed.

Closing coal plants is not in the country’s interest, said Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini.

A group of environmental organizations called it unacceptable in 2025 to propose coal to be part of the energy mix.

Italy is no longer buying Russian gas

Minister Pichetto Fratin also said Italy has stopped buying gas from Russia at the end of last year. It turned to alternatives like liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States, he added.

The country needs to rapidly deploy renewables, in his view, and decouple the prices of electricity and gas. Pichetto Fratin said gas accounts for 40% of power but that it determines 70% of the final price, and criticized the pricing system based on the Netherlands’ TTF benchmark.

The government is considering support for long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) and contracts for difference (CfD), to stabilize prices and become competitive with Germany. It is also the European Union’s policy, under the latest electricity market redesign.

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April 22, 2025
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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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April 22, 2025
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All applicants qualify for first wind power auction in Kosovo*

Three potential bidders met the legal, technical and financial criteria for the upcoming wind energy auction in Kosovo*, for a quota of 100 MW.

Ahead of its request for proposals in the competitive bidding process for wind power projects, the Ministry of Economy of Kosovo* confirmed that all applicants passed the qualifications stage. The quota is 50 MW to 100 MW and the plan is to support 150 MW in total in two rounds. Participants will bid for 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) and contracts for difference (CfDs).

The next phase will “start soon,” Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli said. It was due in March. International Finance Corp. – IFC, which is part of World Bank Group, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have provided support for organizing the first wind power auction in Kosovo*.

According to the schedule, the call for the remaining capacity will be issued the second half of the year.

Six-month deadline for financial proposals

One applicant is a consortium of Notus Energy, based in Germany, and Stublla Energy from Kosovo*.

The ministry also received documentation from Akuo Energy from France and a consortium led by Güri̇ş, headquartered in Turkey. Both participated in the first solar power auction as well, held last year. The companies submitted documentation on February 20.

All met the legal, technical and financial criteria for the upcoming bidding, the ministry said. It revealed that the request for proposals would last half a year and vowed to conduct it in line with the highest transparency standards.

Potential investors can attend a planned presentation and submit questions regarding necessary documentation

In the meantime, the ministry and IFC are planning to hold a presentation for the qualified investors. After that, they can send questions.

The auction commission is responsible for assessing the fulfillment of the legal, technical, environmental and social criteria, before opening the financial proposals. The winner, among the companies and consortia that qualified, is the one offering the lowest price per megawatt-hour. The upper limit is EUR 80.2 per MWh.

Wind projects would be run by special purpose vehicles (SPVs), firms where the government would have a share of up to 49%. The Ministry of Economy intends to use the funds from the International Monetary Fund’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in the development of the 150 MW.

Power consumption far exceeded domestic supply last week

Among other developments in Kosovo*, which has the world’s highest share of coal in electricity production, consumers have received another warning.

Distribution system operator KESCO said last week, ahead of the Easter holiday, that domestic production capacity amounted to 315 MW from coal and 130 MW from renewable sources. Consumption was 43% higher than in the equivalent period of last year, surpassing 700 MW. Devices with high consumption should be used only when necessary, especially during peak hours, the company pointed out.

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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.
April 21, 2025
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Minister Admir Šahmanović formally assumes energy, mining portfolio in Montenegro

Prime Minister of Milojko Spajić has merged two ministries, so Minister of Mining, Oil and Gas and Coordinator of the Ministry of Energy Admir Šahmanović took the helm at the joint energy and mining portfolio. Among his primary responsibilities are the completion of the domestic part of the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor, the installation of the second line of the Monita submarine interconnector with Italy and power market coupling with the European Union.

The Parliament of Montenegro elected Minister of Energy and Mining Admir Šahmanović. He led the Ministry of Mining, Oil and Gas in  since July. As Minister of Energy Saša Mujović was elected mayor of the capital Podgorica, Šahmanović recently took over as coordinator,

Prime Minister Milojko Spajić now formally merged the two ministries again. “If we complete the Trans-Balkan Corridor – only a few kilometers are left, the second line of the underwater cable toward Italy, Montenegro is becoming the cooperation bridge between the Balkans and the EU,” he said in the national assembly, promoting Šahmanović.

The list of priority energy infrastructure, adopted in December, also includes the Komarnica and Kruševo hydropower projects, the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP), a subsidy scheme for rooftop solar power plants, energy efficiency measures and a floating solar power unit.

The Trans-Balkans Electricity Corridor is a project for upgrading transmission systems in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. The proposed lines run from Romania to the Monita subsea interconnector with Italy.

Admir Šahmanović will participate in the first panel discussion within Belgrade Energy Forum (BEF 2025), organized by Balkan Green Energy News. The two-day conference in Serbia, starting on May 14, is the central meeting point for representatives of regional and international institutions, organizations and the business community from the region, Europe, and beyond.

Minister has master’s degree in financial management

The minister said earlier this month that current photovoltaic and wind power projects would boost Montenegro’s electricity capacity fivefold, to 5 GW. Admir Šahmanović, born in 1985, has a master’s degree in financial management. He is in the leadership of the Bosniak Party.

Early in his career, he worked in PricewaterhouseCoopers in both Montenegro in Serbia, in Montenegro’s ministries of sustainable development and tourism and public administration, and the British Council in Podgorica. The current minister has experience in managing funds received from the European Union.

Šahmanović entered energy policy sphere in 2022

Three years ago, Šahmanović was named state secretary in the Ministry of Capital Investments, which included the energy portfolio. He participated in the negotiations on the EU accession and on obtaining loans from international financial institutions.

According to his official biography, the minister has promoted sustainable energy and transportation and environmental protection and worked on the country’s strategic documents and action plans.

Additionally, Šahmanović has managed EU-funded projects for wastewater purification and green energy.

Last month he oversaw the adoption of the new Law on Energy.

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April 18, 2025
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Nofar Energy inks deal for 265 MW solar power plant near Bucharest

The operator of the biggest solar power plant in Romania is about to start building a much bigger facility. Nofar Energy signed a turnkey contract including operation and management for a 265 MW system in Corbii Mari in Dâmboviţa County.

Just west of Bucharest, one of the largest photovoltaic projects in Romania is nearing materialization. A consortium of COX Energy from Spain and domestic firm AJ Construction, part of AJ Brand, is the designated contractor and operator for a proposed 265 MW solar power plant in Corbii Mari. A multijurisdictional team of Clifford Chance lawyers, coordinated by its Bucharest office, advised Nofar Energy, the developer, and revealed the news.

The small commune is in Dâmboviţa county. The Israeli company acquired the project in late 2023.

The Clifford Chance Badea law office said the Corbii Mari endeavor is the fourth engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operation and maintenance (O&M) contract in which it assists Nofar Energy. The overall collaboration concerns renewable energy projects in Romania for over 650 MW, it added.

Nofar recently said is meeting the timelines for its key projects in the country including Ghimpați (146 MW) and Iepurești (169 MW) and Slobozia, of 74 MW. The last of the three won government support through a contract for difference (CfD) at the country’s first auction. The Israeli company added that it has a project portfolio of 970 MW and 120 MWh. The latter item apparently concerns battery storage.

In addition, Nofar Energy said last month that it connected to the electricity grid its solar park in Ada, the largest such system in neighboring Serbia.

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April 17, 2025
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Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović gets third mandate; Sara Pavkov takes over environment

The National Assembly of Serbia reelected Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović for her third term. The youngest member of the new cabinet, led by Prime Minister Đuro Macut, is the new Minister of Environmental Protection – Sara Pavkov.

Members of parliament voted in the new Government of Serbia today with 153 in favor and 46 against the proposal, while 51 lawmakers were absent from the session. The lineup under Prime Minister Đuro Macut, who has just entered the political arena now, includes Sara Pavkov, responsible for environmental protection. At 33, she is the youngest member of the cabinet.

Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović was elected for her third mandate.

At 33 years old, Sara Pavkov is the youngest minister in the team of new Prime Minister Đuro Macut

Pavkov holds a graduate and master’s degree from the biology and ecology department of the University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences (FTN). She is a doctoral candidate and research intern at the faculty, according to her official biography.

Since 2022, she has served as a state secretary at the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Before that, she was the chief of staff since June 2021, after holding the position of special advisor for environmental protection from November 2020.

As one of the vice-presidents of the Bureau of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Sara Pavkov participated in the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.

From 2013 to 2020, she coordinated more than 20 civil society projects for environmental protection. The new minister has authored or coauthored 11 scientific and professional papers in the same field.

She joined the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) since 2012. Since November 2021, Sara Pavkov has been a member of its presidency.

Third run for Dubravka Đedović Handanović as minister of mining and energy

Dubravka Đedović Handanović was first elected minister of environment and energy in October 2022 in the cabinet of Prime Minister Ana Brnabić. She was reappointed last May, when Miloš Vučević became the prime minister of Serbia.

Before becoming minister, she was a member of the Executive Board of NLB Komercijalna banka, responsible for corporate and investment banking. She has an international experience in banking of more than 16 years.

Minister Đedović Handanović, who remained in position in the new government, has worked in the EIB

Đedović Handanović has graduated in banking and finance from the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade and obtained her master’s degree in finance and management from SDA Bocconi University in Milan and the Anderson School of Management at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA).

She headed the Regional Office of the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the Western Balkans from 2016 to 2021, before moving to NLB Komercijalna banka.

Until the start of her tenure in Belgrade, Dubravka Đedović Handanović was the manager for Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia at the headquarters of the EIB in Luxembourg. It is the European Union’s main lending institution. She was also in charge of public-private partnership projects and project financing in countries including Ireland, France, the United Kingdom and the Benelux.

Before starting her career in banking, the reelected minister of mining and energy worked in the media and communications sector.

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