October 14, 2025
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EU, Serbia to support ElevenEs in battery cell manufacturing expansion

At the EU–Western Balkans Investment Forum in Tirana, Serbian company ElevenEs signed a joint declaration of support with representatives of the European Commission and the Development Agency of Serbia, marking a major step toward expanding battery cell manufacturing in the region.

ElevenEs CEO Nemanja Mikać signed the document in the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The joint declaration of support recognizes the company’s battery manufacturing expansion as a project aligned with the European Green Deal and Global Gateway strategy. The initiative highlights ElevenEs’s role in supporting the European Union’s decarbonization goals across the energy, transport, and industrial sectors.

The signing ceremony took place on the first day of the inaugural EU–Western Balkans Investment Forum, which is supported by the European Commission and aims to enhance economic cooperation and investment opportunities between European Union member states and Western Balkan partners.

“Signing this joint declaration of support with the European Commission and the Serbian Development Agency is an important recognition of the quality of the prismatic LFP blade cells battery we produce, and ElevenEs’s upcoming contribution to the EU’s decarbonization efforts, and the economic and industrial development across the region”, Mikać said.

With a EUR 700 million investment in two phases, ElevenEs will create roughly 1,000 jobs in Serbia

Mikać said the Western Balkans have the potential to become a key location for Europe’s energy storage industry, emphasizing that his company’s technological expertise and commitment to innovation demonstrate the region’s capability to be a reliable partner for the EU’s battery supply chain.

With an investment of EUR 700 million planned in two phases, ElevenEs aims to establish Serbia and the Western Balkans as a key hub for LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) battery cell production, creating around 1,000 new jobs. The company’s LFP blade cells are designed to meet Europe’s growing demand for batteries used in electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems.

Founded in 2022 as a spin-out from Al Pack Group, ElevenEs is building Europe’s first LFP gigafactory in Subotica. The company leverages three decades of electrode manufacturing expertise to produce long-lasting, cost-efficient batteries that support the continent’s clean energy transition.

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October 14, 2025
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CWP Europe gets European Commission’s backing for renewables projects in Albania, Montenegro

CWP Europe has signed a joint declaration with the European Commission, the Albanian Investment Development Agency, and the Montenegrin Investment Agency in support of its two landmark renewable energy projects – the Tropoja wind farm in Albania and the Montechevo solar farm with battery storage in Montenegro.

The declaration of support for CWP Europe’s projects was signed during the EU-Western Balkans Investment Forum in Albania’s capital, Tirana, in the presence of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, according to a press release from CWP Europe, a leading renewable energy project developer in Southeast Europe.

The 600 MW Tropoja wind farm will advance Albania’s energy independence by providing clean, affordable electricity, supporting the country’s energy strategy, the company stressed.

The 600 MW Tropoja wind farm will boost Albania’s energy independence

In Montenegro, the 400 MW Montechevo solar farm will combine solar generation with battery storage directly connected to the country’s new 400 kV transmission grid. It will leverage Montenegro’s strategic interconnections – including the undersea power cable to Italy – to maximize the export of clean electricity and its integration into the European energy market.

A new energy backbone for the Western Balkans and Europe

Speaking at the signing ceremony, von der Leyen emphasized the Western Balkans’ increasing role in Europe’s clean energy transition.

“Today you are signing several investments that will do just that. From clean energy production in all six Western Balkan partners to energy storage in Montenegro. They will bring the cost of electricity down. And they will also contribute to our collective energy independence. You are building a new energy backbone not only for the Western Balkans. But for all of Europe,” said von der Leyen.

CWP Europe CEO Dimitar Enchev signed the declaration on behalf of the company, alongside Executive Vice Presidents Maja Turković and Viktor Garbev.

Enchev: We are unlocking the region’s immense renewable energy potential

“With Tropoja and Montechevo, we are unlocking the region’s immense renewable energy potential and strengthening cooperation across the Western Balkans. We greatly appreciate the support of the European Commission, the Albanian Investment Development Agency, and the Montenegro Investment Promotion Agency in advancing this shared vision for a clean, economically competitive and secure energy future of the region and Europe as a whole,” said Enchev.

Over the past 17 years, CWP has invested in sustainable development and the energy transition, successfully developing the largest wind farms in the region, including the largest one in Europe – the 600 MW Fântânele-Cogealac project in Romania. It is currently developing over 7 GW of renewable energy capacity, according to the statement.

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October 13, 2025
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Đokić: We expect EU to accept request to postpone CBAM implementation

Minister of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska Petar Đokić expressed belief that the European Commission would postpone the implementation CBAM, set for January 1, 2026.

Minister Petar Đokić participated in the Energy Week Western Balkans 2025 conference, where he recalled that the Republic of Srpska has signed several contracts with domestic and foreign partners for the construction of renewable power plants totalling 2,170 MW. The investments are estimated at BAM 5 billion (EUR 2.56 billion).

Đokić noted that the construction of two hydropower plants, of 159 MW and 34 MW, is underway, as well as of the Buk Bijela hydropower plant, in cooperation with Serbia.

Đokić: The rest of the world no longer follows European politics

So far, two contracts have been signed for the construction of wind farms, of which one is in an advanced stage of construction, he underlined. The plan is to complete all contracted projects within three years, according to Đokić.

It will further increase the share of clean energy in total production.

He highlighted the challenges posed by the European Union’s policies, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a cross-border emissions tax. Its application could have a very negative impact on the local economy, Đokić noted.

As the rest of the world no longer follows European policies, the question arises whether Europe has the right to impose new obligations on its members, especially if such obligations cause economic disruptions, he claimed.

Đokić: The request of the Republic of Srpska to postpone the implementation of CBAM is justified

Đokić said that the request of the Republic of Srpska to postpone the implementation of CBAM is justified. According to him, Bosnia and Herzegovina has fulfilled the last condition, the adoption of the law on the electricity regulator, transmission, and market, as it is now in parliamentary procedure.

CBAM brings fees on the CO2 emissions of goods imported to the EU from countries that don’t have equivalently priced carbon schemes. They include the Western Balkans.

The tax will cover cement, iron and steel, aluminum, fertilizers, electricity, and hydrogen.

Serbia, which is also part of the Western Balkans region, launched public consultations last week on its draft Law on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Tax and the Law on Carbon-Intensive Product Imports Tax.

Đokić spoke at a panel with Minister of Energy and Mining of Montenegro Admir Šahmanović, Ambassador of Italy to Montenegro Andreina Marsella, President of the Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia (AERS) Dejan Popović, and co-founder and managing partner of Alcazar Energy Daniel Calderon.

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October 8, 2025
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Under Reform Agenda, BiH commits to aligning electricity prices with market

By adopting the Reform Agenda, Bosnia and Herzegovina committed to liberalizing the electricity market, aligning electricity prices with market levels, and supporting the green transition through renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted the Reform Agenda, after a delay longer than one year, and submitted it to the European Commission. It made the move just as the deadline, set by the commission, was about to expire on September 30.

If it failed to adopt the document, BiH would have lost EUR 108 million out of a total of EUR 976.6 million that was allocated to the country under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, worth around EUR 6 billion overall. Due to the delay, BiH already lost EUR 108 million in July.

The first step in price harmonization is to conduct a study on different scenarios

One of the obligations from the Reform Agenda is to align household electricity prices with market prices in the region and the European Union by 2027, domestic media reported.

The measure is aimed at making price formation more transparent and integrating BiH better into the regional and European electricity markets.

The first step in price harmonization would be to conduct a study on different scenarios for price deregulation for households. It will serve as a tool to plan price increases. The study is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

The current price of electricity in BiH is below ten eurocents

According to the latest Eurostat data, for the second half of last year, the price of electricity for households in BiH was below ten eurocents. Prices in the European Union ranged from ten eurocents in Hungary to 40 in Ireland.

The European Commission is required to assess the Reform Agenda and approve it if it matches expectations. Payments are directly linked to the measures that governments in the region vow to implement.

Of note, in early July, the European Commission proposed the first tranches from the support package, worth EUR 87.7 million in total, for projects in Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia.

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September 23, 2025
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EU launches EUR 17.5 billion energy efficiency initiative for SMEs

The European Union plans to double its support to small and medium-sized enterprises in the 2025-2027 period for investments in energy efficiency and decarbonization.

The European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group have launched a EUR 17.5 billion financing initiative.

According to the commission, more than 350,000 companies across Europe are set to make energy efficiency and decarbonization gains through the scheme.

The initiative for energy efficiency for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is led by the EIB Group. It aims to help firms utilize proven energy-saving technologies to reduce their energy bills and enhance their resilience and competitiveness, the commission underscored.

The EU expects to mobilize over EUR 65 billion in overall investments

The program will use a combination of existing and new financial products, including debt and equity instruments. The EU expects to mobilize over EUR 65 billion of investments in the segment by 2027.

To streamline access and support for businesses, the initiative will introduce a “one-stop shop for energy efficiency for SMEs,” the update adds. The commission explained that a single-entry point would integrate EIB Group’s intermediated lending offering and added it would simplify engagement and accelerate implementation.

The backing by the commission will include EU budget guarantees

The commission’s backing will include EU budget guarantees offered through the InvestEU mechanism and LIFE environmental program.

EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen pointed out that SMEs invest in energy efficiency at only half the rate of larger companies. “This EIB initiative supported by the commission will be key to closing the investment gap, simplifying access to financing, and accelerating the deployment of energy efficiency solutions,” he added.

According to EIB Group President Nadia Calviño, the initiative represents a significant step up in support to help companies cut energy costs.

“Servitisation” or energy efficiency as a service

The EIB said it is partnering with the Solar Impulse Foundation, a nonprofit organization, to promote a model known as “servitisation” or energy efficiency as a service.

For example, instead of purchasing energy-efficient heating or lighting equipment, SMEs pay for the warmth or light they use. The service provider retains ownership of the equipment and ensures its performance. EIB stressed that the model eliminates upfront investment costs for businesses, making it easier and faster to adopt energy efficiency measures.

“The Solar Impulse Foundation has already identified over 1,600 profitable solutions that prove efficiency is not a cost but a gain. With this initiative, we can now bring these innovations to hundreds of thousands of SMEs across Europe,” said Bertrand Piccard, initiator and chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation.

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September 18, 2025
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RES Croatia to Brussels: Renewables have no future in Croatia

RES Croatia, together with SolarPower Europe and WindEurope, has sent a letter to the European Commission to raise concerns about the crisis in Croatia’s renewable energy sector.

The three associations emphasized that for several years, 60 projects for investments in solar, wind, geothermal, and batteries have been blocked, and that if nothing is done, many of them would soon be abandoned.

Without urgent deblocking of renewable energy projects, Croatia will lose investments, increase fossil fuel imports, which already exceed 25%, and miss the European Union’s and national target of at least 42.5% of energy consumption coming from renewables by 2030, according to Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia (RES Croatia), SolarPower Europe and WindEurope.

The national organization warned that the government is gradually phasing out subsidies for electricity prices for citizens and entrepreneurs. At the same time, the development of renewable energy sources as the only sustainable solution for lower bills and lowering imports is at a complete standstill, it added.

Projects with a total capacity of 3.5 GW and investments of EUR 3 billion are blocked

Croatia is currently subject to infringement proceedings due to delays in implementing the European Union’s RED II and RED III directive. They aren’t just a piece of paper, but a mechanism to ensure energy security and independence, which is of strategic interest for Croatia and its citizens, RES Croatia underscored.

The organizations are urging the European Commission to use its tools to demand from the government to determine the grid connection fee, but at EUR 0 per kWh, open up the balancing market for renewable energy producers, and integrate battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electrification into national planning.

Currently, 60 projects for solar power plants, wind farms, geothermal power plants, and batteries with a total capacity of 3.5 GW and investments of EUR 3 billion are blocked, according to the letter, accompanied by an annex.

The domestic industry is unable to sign long-term PPAs

For these projects, the state has already charged EUR 25 million through energy approvals— the first in a series of documents that requires payment to the state, which, due to the blockage, are beginning to expire at the end of this year.

Organizations stressed that these projects are permanently losing the paid money, while local communities are losing significant revenues that would have been allocated to them from the implementation of renewable energy projects.

They also drew attention to the domestic industry’s inability to sign long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with renewable energy producers, securing more favorable market conditions and thereby increasing its competitiveness in European and global markets.

Of note, the European Commission advised Croatia in June to speed up the installation of renewable energy capacities.

If nothing is done, projects of as much as 2.5 GW overall will be abandoned as early as next week

The associations pointed out that the development of new projects larger than 10 MW has stalled since 2022 because the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (HERA) has not set a transmission network connection fee for renewable power plants.

Instead, they added, Croatia’s transmission system operator (TSO) HOPS is trying to shift the costs of network modernization – planned over ten years ago and not related to new projects – to new renewable energy projects.

The minister of economy said in March that the upcoming connection fee would be EUR 0 per kW

It is increasing the project cost by 30% to 40%, making them unprofitable, RES Croatia said.

Such a model for financing the network is not from European practice, because 80% of member states rely on EU funds and their national budgets, rather than on producers.

They also recalled that the minister of economy announced in March that a connection fee would be set at EUR 0 per kW and that developers would be offered flexible contracts to encourage investment in battery storage. But that promise has not yet been fulfilled.

The three organizations warn that if nothing is done, projects of up to 2.5 GW altogether would be abandoned as early as next week after HOPS’s decision,. It means companies would withdraw from the Croatian market and lose millions in investments that would have permanently lowered energy prices in the country, RES Croatia claimed.

The balancing market is not functional

An additional problem is the non-functional balancing market, according to the letter.

HEP Proizvodnja, a subsidiary of state-owned utility Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP), is the dominant provider of balancing services, and often the only one. HOPS is legally obliged to ensure market-based procurement of these services, yet it is itself a wholly owned subsidiary of HEP.

It creates an obvious conflict of interest and undermines market competition, the signatories underlined.

“Despite the demonstrated technical ability of solar and wind power plants to provide balancing services, HOPS doesn’t allow these plants to participate in balancing markets. As a result, HOPS frequently activates extremely expensive balancing resources, often at maximum regulated prices even during hours of high renewable generation and positive market prices,” the letter reads.

Croatia has no serious electrification plan

The organizations pointed out that such pricing constitutes a clear violation of the EU principle that balancing services must reflect only the actual costs incurred by the TSO.

They also stressed that Croatia lacks a concrete electrification plan. In 2022, renewable energy accounted for only 2.4% of final energy consumption in transport, with electricity from renewables contributing just 0.2%.

The target for renewable electricity in transport by 2030 is only 5.8%, reflecting limited ambition compared to the EU ambitions, according to the letter.

Electrification of railways could significantly reduce emissions and accelerate the transition, however, it remains an untapped potential, the signatories organizations noted.

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September 15, 2025
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Von der Leyen: EU needs more homegrown renewables with nuclear as baseload

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her 2025 State of the Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. She said the single energy market would be completed and pointed out that clean homegrown energy is a tool to lower energy prices.

Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union’s greatest asset is the single market, but that it remains incomplete. The IMF, she noted, has estimated that the internal barriers within the single market are equivalent to a 45% tariff on goods, and 110% on services.

Most gaps are in three domains: finance, energy, and telecommunications.

“We need clear political deadlines. This is why we will present a single market roadmap to 2028. On capital, services, energy, telecoms,” she stated.

Energy bills are still a real source of anxiety for millions of Europeans

The EU’s top official said the commission would put forward a series of packages on affordability and the cost of living. One would be for energy.

Von der Leyen recalled that the EU managed to stabilize prices and secure supply during the energy crisis, and insisted that the 27-member bloc is now on the path to energy independence.

But, she told EU lawmakers, energy bills are still a real source of anxiety for millions of Europeans.

Von der Leyen unveiled an initiative called Energy Highways

“We know what drove prices up: dependency on Russian fossil fuels. So it is time to get rid of dirty Russian fossil fuels. And we know what brings prices down: clean homegrown energy. We need to generate more homegrown renewables – with nuclear as a baseload,” Von der Leyen stressed.

She reiterated that the commission would propose a grids package to strengthen infrastructure and speed up permitting.

Von der Leyen unveiled an initiative called Energy Highways. “We have identified eight critical bottlenecks in our energy infrastructure. From the Øresund Strait to the Sicilian Canal. We will now work to remove these bottlenecks one by one,” the European Commission president asserted.

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September 1, 2025
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Energy Traders Europe calls for clear rules before CBAM implementation

Energy Traders Europe has sent proposals to the European Commission on how to ensure that the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism puts a fair price on carbon-intensive electricity imports and facilitates low-carbon flows.

On July 1, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union launched a public consultation on the potential downstream extension of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), as well as additional anti-circumvention measures and rules for electricity as a CBAM good.

Energy Traders Europe participated in the call for evidence, which was open until August 26. The organization pointed out that the CBAM application to electricity imports shouldn’t start without a thorough impact assessment and a clear legislative framework.

Clarity is urgently needed for contracts for the delivery year 2026

Contracts for the delivery year 2026 are already traded on electricity markets, so clarity about how these will be treated from a customs perspective is urgently needed, the trade association stressed.

In its reaction, Energy Traders Europe argued that the inclusion of electricity imports within the scope of CBAM should respect the principle of proportionality, ensuring that European businesses face no excessive costs or administrative burdens and that a proportionate carbon price is applied.

For the calculation of the carbon price, default emission factors should reflect the actual carbon intensity of the electricity mix imported from a third country, as accurately and as close to real-time as possible.

Therefore, Energy Traders Europe insists that:

  • All generation technologies are taken into account to calculate the emission factor of third countries from which electricity is imported
  • The carbon intensity of electricity imports should be measured with an hourly granularity.

The association also proposes improvements for the utilization of the actual embedded emissions of imported electricity, to reflect the reality of electricity trading:

  • Power purchase agreement (PPA) – The definition should recognise PPAs concluded via intermediaries, such as when a CBAM declarant is reporting via an indirect representative, as well as both physical and virtual PPAs
  • Physical network congestion – Once an importer can prove the hourly matching between electricity production and capacity nomination, and that guarantees of origin (GOs) eventually issued are immediately cancelled, this criterion becomes redundant and hence should be removed
  • Capacity nomination and electricity production – Imports should be reported (and accounted for) based on the hourly confirmed scheduled quantities provided by the TSOs to each market participant, to be linked back to the hourly data of the generation plant underpinning the PPA.

According to Energy Traders Europe, the listed improvements are crucial to ensure that CBAM is fit for purpose for electricity imports, leading to more efficient use of cross-border interconnections between the EU and third countries, preventing renewable curtailments, and promoting the uptake of low-carbon electricity production in third countries.

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August 27, 2025
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CE Oltenia to set up subsidiary to take over coal power plants slated for closure

Romanian state-controlled coal power utility Complexul Energetic Oltenia (CE Oltenia) is preparing to establish a subsidiary to take over its lignite-fired thermal power plants slated for closure and the coal mining operations that supply them.

CE Oltenia’s “lignite subsidiary” is envisaged under a restructuring and decarbonization plan approved by the European Commission, according to Profit.ro.

The subsidiary will incorporate and operate the existing lignite-based power generation units and related assets that are not planned to switch to natural gas or renewable energy sources, according to the European Commission’s decision from 2022 approving state aid for CE Oltenia’s restructuring.

The state aid Romania planned to grant CE Oltenia amounted to EUR 2.66 billion.

The subsidiary will operate coal-fired plants that are not planned to switch to gas or renewables

CE Oltenia’s decision to start the separation of lignite-related activities into a separate subsidiary was adopted as early as 2023, but nothing has been done since then.

Now, the company has launched a procedure to select a consultant and intends to award a contract by winter, with a deadline of about six months for the delivery of services.

The new firm is to be created before the end of CE Oltenia’s restructuring period, i.e. before the end of 2026, according to the commission’s decision. It further states that the lignite capacities in question should decrease over time and eventually be phased out, in accordance with the national coal phase-out timetable.

CE Oltenia is building 550 MW of solar power plants at former coal mines

Earlier this year, a joint venture between CE Oltenia and oil and gas company OMV Petrom signed an agreement with contractors to design and install four solar power plants at former coal mines, with a combined capacity of about 550 MW.

According to Profit.ro, Romanian Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan said last month that Romania was in talks with Brussels on a 5-year postponement of the deadline for closing lignite-fired power plants, envisaged by the country’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

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August 20, 2025
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EU preparing roadmap on digitalization, AI in energy

The European Commission has launched a public consultation to help shape its upcoming strategic roadmap for digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) in the energy sector. The roadmap aims to support the rollout of digital solutions, including AI, in areas important for decarbonization.

The areas where the application of digital solutions and AI should be accelerated include electricity grid optimization, energy efficiency in buildings and industry, and demand-side flexibility, according to a press release from the commission.

The consultation should also address the increasingly heavy energy consumption of data centers and look at how they can be more sustainably integrated into the energy system.

The consultation should address the rising energy demand of data centers

Another area of interest is the need to implement safeguards to mitigate potential challenges linked to the large-scale deployment of AI solutions in the energy sector, according to the press release.

The initiative, part of the European Union’s Affordable Energy Action Plan, also aims to facilitate access to energy data via the Common Energy Data Space and unlock innovative services such as demand-side flexibility and bidirectional charging of electric vehicles, according to a LinkedIn post by former Smart Grids Team Leader at the European Commission Manuel Sánchez.

All individuals and organizations are welcome to contribute to the consultation, which is open until November 5. The adoption of the roadmap is planned for the first quarter of 2026.

The roadmap is expected to be adopted in Q1 2026

The target audience for the consultation and the accompanying call for evidence includes stakeholders from digital and energy value chains, such as grid operators, energy intensive industries, data center operators, building operators, car manufacturers, providers of e-mobility solutions, energy communities, aggregators, consumers, researchers, IT suppliers, digital solutions providers, cloud service providers, and appliance manufacturers.

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