December 3, 2025
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Kosovo* becomes full member of Association of Issuing Bodies

Kosovo* joined the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) as a full member at the last meeting of the organization’s general assembly. However, the Western Balkans and other Energy Community contracting parties require full alignment with the European Union’s regulations to enable cross-border trading in renewable electricity.

The Energy Regulatory Office (ERO or ZRrE) of Kosovo* said its request to become a full member of the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) has been approved. It is now part of the European platform for guarantees of origin, the update reads.

It increases the transparency and credibility of renewable energy certification, enabling more efficient cross-border trade and paving the way for new investments in the renewable energy sector, ERO pointed out. The membership also confirms Kosovo’s* commitment to the energy transition path and harmonization with the European Union’s acquis communautaire, according to the announcement.

ERO added that AIB approved the application at the latest meeting of its general assembly, in Lisbon, Portugal. By joining the organization, Kosovo* has adopted its European Energy Certificate System (EECS), ensuring that guarantees of origin issued in Kosovo* are recognized throughout Europe, the regulatory body stressed.

LuxDev assisted ERO in AIB bid

Chair of ERO’s Board Ymer Fejzullahu and Lindita Daija from LuxDev Kosovo, a branch of the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency, attended the event. The membership strengthens institutional capacities, increases transparency in renewable energy certification and positions Kosovo* as a reliable partner in the European energy market, Fejzullahu asserted. LuxDev supported the initiative.

In other news from Southeastern Europe, the National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) of Romania obtained the status of an observer in AIB, both in the electricity and gas schemes. Albania and Bulgaria became members and applied to join the electricity scheme group last year, after which North Macedonia became an observer in the electricity segment.

Mutual recognition of GOs with EU possible in 2026

One guarantee of origin or GO certifies that 1 MWh was generated from renewable sources. Nearly all issuing bodies in the Western Balkans have established national electronic registries for issuing GOs.

However, cross-border trade in renewable energy will be enabled only when they become fully aligned with EU legislation and requirements.

Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski recently said in an interview with Balkan Green Energy News that he hoped for a decision on mutual recognition of GOs next year.

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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.
December 2, 2025
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Enery to start building Europe’s largest solar power plant in Romania

Austria-based Enery is preparing to begin construction works early next year on a photovoltaic facility of 750 MW in peak capacity just outside of Bucharest. It would currently be Europe’s largest solar power plant. A few other megaprojects are underway, too, but the Ogrezeni facility is planned with a battery energy storage system that would match its grid connection capacity.

Enery, which operates a range of wind, photovoltaic and small hydropower plants and battery storage across Romania, has only a few final steps before the start of construction of a giant solar farm in Giurgiu county, the company’s Head of Romania Liviu Gavrilă revealed to Profit.ro. The launch of the works is due early next year, he added.

With its 750 MW in peak capacity, the solar park in Ogrezeni, just west of the capital Bucharest, would be Europe’s largest at this moment. The company obtained a grid connection approval for 534 MW in 2023, the article adds.

Europe’s largest PV plant is Witznitz in Germany’s east. It has 650 MW in peak capacity. There is also an 850 MW cluster of 17 units in Spain, called Escatrón-Chiprana-Samper Solar Farm.

If the Asian part of Turkey is included, Kalyon Karapınar is at the top of the list. It has 1.35 GW in peak capacity and a 1 GW grid connection. Already one of the largest in the world outside China, the solar park is due for expansion into a complex of 1.85 GW in peak capacity.

Romania hosting two projects for Europe’s largest solar parks

Of note, Rezolv Energy and Monsson are about to build a solar farm in northwestern Romania of 1.04 GW in peak capacity. The site is in the communes of Pilu and Grăniceri in Arad. The Dama Solar system is envisaged with a battery energy storage system (BESS) of 500 MW.

But Austria-based Enery is planning a BESS with 534 MW in operating power, matching the grid connection. The unit would have a two-hour duration, translating to a storage capacity of 1.07 GWh.

Both Ogrezeni and Dama Solar are planned as hybrid power plants, with giant batteries

Both Dama Solar and Ogrezeni, also known as Baboia Solar Plant, won state support at Romania’s second solar power auction.

Spanish Iberdrola is preparing a bigger project, Fernando Pessoa in Portugal, though it has suffered delays over environmental concerns and disputed permits.

Enery to equip all its power plants in country with battery storage

Some negotiations remain to be completed before the groundbreaking, Gavrilă said. Enery is targeting a commercial operations date in the fourth quarter of 2027. In comparison, Dama Solar is scheduled to come online in the third quarter of 2028.

Enery has completed a PV plant of 54 MW in Titu, Dâmbovița county. The company is preparing it for a test run. It has 167 MW in operation in Romania, of which the Sărmășag solar park accounts for 51.4 MW in peak capacity.

“We want to install batteries for all our production capacities in Romania. But we are also active in the area of ​​stand-alone storage installations,” Gavrilă asserted.

In addition, the company manages electricity supply for others as a balance responsible party, using the SmartPulse platform.

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December 2, 2025
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Renewables investors are seeking tailored financing services as they add BESS, adapt to risks

Market conditions have become challenging for renewables in the CEE region, alongside uncertainties in the regulatory sphere, which calls for advanced and tailored financing solutions, according to participants in UniCredit Serbia’s workshop on navigating capital flows in the segment, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Investors, UniCredit’s clients, highlighted the growing importance of battery energy storage systems – and especially adding co-located storage to photovoltaics.

The renewable energy market is evolving in Central and Eastern Europe, as large players join the game and developers emerge as producers. With its surge in photovoltaic capacity and the revival in the construction of wind power plants, Romania has become a frontrunner. In neighboring Bulgaria, the first power purchase agreements (PPAs) are indicating a strong perspective, while Serbia might become more relevant soon, investors agreed at an event that UniCredit Bank Serbia organized in Belgrade.

M&A and financing trends in the region were the central topics. The idea was to have an open discussion with industry players active in the region about their investment strategies and the bank support, said the Head of Specialized Lending in UniCredit Serbia Svetlana Cerović, who moderated a panel within the conference.

A stable top line and a legal framework is the key driver for investments, with a particular emphasis on grid connections

Cerović pointed out that volatility has been on the rise for the last couple of years, after a huge wave of investments that followed the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal. Sound and predictable regulatory framework along with stable revenues is key. To assure market flexibility and grid stability, new investments in western Europe and in the region are supported with the government programs including investments in battery energy storage systems (BESS). Thus, one of the prerequisites for the execution of future projects in local market will be certainty regarding the third auction timeline and availability of the longer term PPAs.

The participants at the workshop on navigating capital flows in renewables said a stable legal framework is the key driver for investments – grid connections especially, and permitting as a whole. On that note, developers will lean on the slowly maturing PPA market, though support from banks is necessary in the equation. Battery energy storage systems are a game changer, particularly colocated with solar parks for the optimization of the project returns.

UniCredit is strongest player in renewables financing in Serbia

UniCredit has a wide set of tailor-made project finance loans as well as a full range of services from advisory to various financing solutions, Head of Project and Structured Finance in Serbia Jelena Nestorović said.

The Italy-based bank has financed a string of major wind power and photovoltaic projects in the region, including facilities with colocated BESS, like Sunterra RE’s Galabovo in Bulgaria.

As for Serbia, it is the strongest player in the renewable energy segment. UniCredit financed six wind parks in the country, of 430 MW in total, and of which three as the sole lender. Notably, Čibuk 1 and 2 are the largest in Serbia.

UniCredit Bank Serbia is financing the country’s biggest wind power plants – Čibuk 1 and 2

Some of the participants and winners at the first two domestic auctions for contracts for difference (CfDs) are among the bank’s clients as well. Nestorović stressed that Bank is financing in total 30MW of smaller scale solar power plants .

She pointed to one of the largest industrial rooftop solar power plants in the region. UniCredit provided EUR 3.1 million facility and acts as a hedging and account bank for CWP Europe and Resalta’s project company. It built a PV system of 6 MW on a rooftop of Henkel Serbia facility in Kruševac, under an ESCO (energy service company) model.

Since 2019, the bank has participated in the financing of first waste-to-energy cogeneration plant,  located just outside of Belgrade. UniCredit is financing energy efficiency projects in the country, too.

Jelena Nestorovic UniCredit Renewables investors tailored financing services BESS adapt risks
Photo: UniCredit’s Jelena Nestorović presenting

Priority in Europe shifted from energy transition to energy security

Maria Vastola, Managing Director of UniCredit’s Energy Advisory Team covering Power & Utilities across the Group’s core countries, said valuations for renewable energy stocks on public markets are strongly down compared to 2021-2022 period and below the 3Y historical average. Independent power producers (IPPs) are factoring in a great uncertainty related to the permitting process, the regulatory framework in certain countries and the macroeconomic environment, she explained.

The bottom line is the shift in the European paradigm from the energy transition to energy security, due to geopolitical tensions, Vastola underscored. On the other hand, M&A still has good valuations, she said at the panel discussion.

Investors are focusing on operational quality, meaning high-quality assets, returns and value creation, as opposed to growing at any cost, Vastola added.

“There are more investors ready to put capital in projects and in the region. Private capital flow is a good bridge and a complementary tool for banks’ balance sheets,” she asserted and placed an emphasis on large corporations, private equity and M&A.

Scale creates efficiency, and efficiency and flexibility create value in a challenging market, Vastola stressed, highlighting investments in hybrid power plants that include battery storage. Over the past few years, corporates, traders and utilities are flocking into the renewables realm in “a big shift from big oil to big energy,” she said.

Actis to invest in infrastructure projects across region

Vice President for Energy Charles Lachapelle from Actis agreed with the other panelists about the significance of hybrid power plants and underscored that the sustainable infrastructure investment firm is mostly doing very large projects as they are much more competitive.

“Definitely, for solar, I think having a BESS is a must,” he said and added that “it goes without saying at this point.” As for batteries with wind parks, they enable flexibility for offtake, Lachapelle noted.

Actis is a growth market investor in the infrastructure and energy space, best known in the region for Rezolv Energy. In Romania, the company obtained a financing package for the first phase of its giant Vifor wind farm via PPAs with companies in the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector. The second part was secured thanks to the CfD from a renewable energy auction.

The next chapter for Actis could involve more than a billion euros

Among other investments in Romania, Rezolv has the Dama Solar project for 1.2 GW in peak capacity. It would currently be one of the biggest in Europe. The company is also active in Bulgaria.

Actis is looking at a pipeline of projects across the region, including in Serbia, Lachapelle revealed. Asked about the next auction that the country is planning, he said a wind power project in the 200 MW range would be suitable.

Lachapelle specified that the next chapter may involve over EUR 1 billion and that Actis would require support in financing.

On the subject of power purchase agreements, he said the optimal tenure is longer than ten years, with more than 70% of output contracted. “However, we’ve done cross-border PPAs. We’ve looked at solutions, in the past, combining wind, solar and BESS. We can be creative on that front,” Lachapelle stated.

Regulatory stability is essential for investor-friendly countries

While the PPAs of 70% and at least 10 years are necessary for non-EU countries, banks in the EU are more risk-hungry, according to CWP Europe’s General Counsel Jovana Rubežić.

One of the most important factors is how investor-friendly a country is, she added. “When I say investor-friendly, I mean the regulatory framework… The next thing we look at is whether we can connect our project and can the power markets absorb the power,” Rubežić said.

The rules have basically stayed the same in all of CWP Europe’s key markets, except with respect to grid connection, as transmission system operators are becoming stricter, she underscored. The company is transitioning from project development to the IPP sector, Rubežić said. She pointed to the need for support in regulatory matters, especially in sleeved PPAs, both from the government and government-owned utilities such as Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) in Serbia.

Structured portfolio transactions are facilitating growth for companies with multiple projects

Bankers generally seem to prefer co-located batteries to standalone ones, UniCredit’s Head of Infrastructure and Export Financing Lazar Nikolić said.

The main reason is the more diversified revenue stack, as a combination of BESS and a renewable electricity plant is effectively a single asset. With global battery storage capacity on a steep growth trajectory, banks and investors will need to look for bankable solutions to enable that.

Firstcomers in the standalone battery segment may have an extremely short payoff period ahead, but the bank needs a revenue stack

Nikolić stressed that developers need advanced capital solutions such as structured portfolio transactions, saying that they pave the way for renewables platforms to grow. Namely, firstcomers in the standalone battery segment may have an extremely short payoff period ahead, however a solid revenue stack remains key for the bank to take on risk. Countries with strong state support schemes will enable standalone BESS faster, he added.

In structured portfolio financing, the client company has different BESS, power plants and projects grouped.

“The assets can be different in terms of technology, they can be different in terms of location, they can be different in terms of offtake, in terms of also the cycle of the assets. We pack them together, bundle assets and structure debt solution on top of them, significantly enhancing portfolio diversification,” Nikolić said.

Lazar Nikolic UniCredit
Photo: UniCredit’s Lazar Nikolić presenting structured portfolio financing options

Battery storage is natural hedge for green power production

Enery, headquartered in Austria, decided at one point to add battery storage across its power plants as well as both mature and greenfield projects in Romania, Vice President for Financing Sebastian Staicu said. BESS is “a natural hedge” and it has become very cheap, he noted.

UniCredit acted as the lead bank for the company’s 230 MW portfolio of wind, photovoltaics and battery storage in the country. “That’s a smart structure where, instead of having to negotiate financing for each project, you have this wholesale facility and you just bring in new projects, which contribute to the diversification element,” Staicu said.

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December 2, 2025
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One of biggest PV parks on Earth expanding to 1.85 GW

A solar power plant of 500.5 MW in peak capacity will be built just south of the existing Kalyon Karapınar photovoltaic park in Turkey’s Konya province. It is already one of the biggest in the world, especially excluding China. Kalyon Enerji said it would become a 1.85 GW complex.

Turkey hosts Europe’s largest solar power plant. Or rather, it hosts the largest PV plant among all European countries, because Kalyon Karapınar is located in Konya province in Asia Minor.

At 1.35 GW in peak capacity and a 1 GW grid connection, it is one of the biggest in the world, especially if China is excluded. Namely, according to available data, most of the top 20 PV parks are located there. Kalyon Enerji, a joint venture of Kalyon Holding and International Holding Co. (IHC), based in the United Arab Emirates, completed the facility in 2023.

The company recently began groundworks on its expansion by 500.5 MW in peak terms, translating to 385 MW on the high-voltage network. Kalyon Enerji expects to finish it by the end of next year. It is already building the transformer as well.

Spanning 643 hectares, the site is just south of Kalyon Karapınar. The company expects the new unit to account for over 1 TWh of the estimated 4 TWh in annual output at the solar power complex.

With nearly one million new panels, total number would climb to more than four million.

Kalyon Karapınar introduced agrisolar concept to Turkey

Kalyon Karapınar was the winning project at Turkey’s first renewable energy auction, in 2017. The company won state support for the 500.5 MW extension in February this year, also under the Renewable Energy Zones (REZ or YEKA) mechanism.

Construction of the existing facility started in August 2020 on degraded and desert land. The operator’s affiliate Kalyon PV manufactured the solar panels, with a content rate of 80%. In the meantime, it reportedly climbed to some 90%.

Kalyon PV manufactures solar panels with a 90% domestic content rate

The solar power plant features single-axis trackers, moving the panels east to west along the sun’s path.

According to Kalyon Enerji, increased shading and the soil’s higher water retention capability enabled the creation of a microclimate with lower temperatures and more biodiversity. The giant PV system in Konya was the first in Turkey to allow farmers in the area to use it for sheep grazing, the company said

Wind, solar reach 39 GW in total

Notably, another round of auctions was completed this week, with 650 MW awarded across seven provinces. The authorities earlier canceled the bidding for two YEKA zones due to permitting delays.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said the combined capacity of wind and photovoltaics in Turkey has reached 39 GW. It means that solar power climbed to around 25 GW.

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December 2, 2025
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Voltalia receives license for Spitalla PV plant in Albania

French renewable energy company Voltalia obtained a 30-year license for its Spitalla solar park at the Albanian port city of Durrës. It won the project at a renewable energy auction in 2021.

In its latest update, the Energy Regulatory Authority (ERE) of Albania authorized Spitalla Solar to generate electricity from a photovoltaic plant of 90 MW. France-based Voltalia has established the firm for a project for which it won state support in 2021.

The solar power auction for the Spitalla site, just north of Durrës, a port city on the Adriatic Sea, was for 100 MW in peak capacity. The renewable energy company started construction works late last year. At the time, it scheduled the commissioning of the facility for the second half of 2027.

Similarly, Voltalia developed and built its Karavasta PV plant of 140 MW in peak terms, won at a previous solar power auction. It is the largest in Albania.

The auctions are for contracts for difference (CfDs), but the winners are actually working with power purchase agreements (PPAs) with fixed prices. A procedure is underway to secure market liquidity, which would enable the switch. Notably, the Albanian Power Exchange (ALPEX) was launched already in April 2023.

Spitalla’s CfD is for 15 years and 70 MW in peak capacity. Voltalia, headquartered in Paris, earlier said it would sell the rest of the output under a long-term contract with buyers in the private sector.

Since last year, there is more electricity generation capacity in private ownership in Albania than in the system under state-controlled utility KESH. Growth in the solar power segment is the biggest factor behind the change.

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December 2, 2025
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GGF ushers in new wave of energy transition investments in Western Balkans with eight deals

The Green for Growth Fund has signed a series of agreements on green lending and support for major solar power and energy storage projects throughout the Western Balkans. The new commitments, backed by an investment from KfW, will lift its green financing portfolio in the region by up to EUR 176 million.

At the EU–Western Balkans Investment Forum in Tirana, held in October, GGF announced the European Union’s EUR 20 million investment in its class C shares, via Germany’s KfW Development Bank. It was accompanied by a EUR 4 million donation to the climate action fund’s capacity building and advisory facility, its advisor Finance in Motion said.

The proceeds are set to mobilize more private capital for renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate resilience across the region, the update revealed.

The Green for Growth fund signed a series of agreements at the forum for green lending, and for financing solar power and battery projects in North Macedonia, Kosovo* and Albania.

Von der Leyen: The time to invest in the Western Balkans is now

The event was attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

“Your economies are already set to grow rapidly in the coming years. We established the Western Balkans Growth Plan for exactly that. The EU opens sectors of its economy for your business. Together, we work on reforms for a level playing field. And alongside reforms comes investment. The Western Balkans Growth Plan aims at doubling regional GDP in the next decade. So my message to investors today is straightforward: Do not let this opportunity pass by. The time to invest in the Western Balkans is now,” Von der Leyen said.

The commitments signed within a special segment of the Tirana conference are boosting the fund’s cumulative investments into the region to more than EUR 850 million. Earlier it provided over EUR 675 million overall in green finance in the Western Balkans in support of climate action, energy security and sustainable industry.

The new commitments are expected to avoid emissions of some 175,000 tons of CO2. It is equivalent to 400,000 barrels of oil not being burnt.

Trailblazing investments ahead in photovoltaics, BESS

The Green for Growth Fund intends to provide funding for one of the first grid-scale battery projects in North Macedonia and the Western Balkans.

Renalfa IPP is about to expand its 50 MW photovoltaic plant in Oslomej, on the site of a former coal mine, with a 200 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). GGF has already provided debt financing for the solar installation, and the two sides signed a mandate letter for EUR 24 million for the BESS investment. It is one of the investments for the transformation of the REK Oslomej coal mine and power plant complex.

Renalfa IPP’s pioneering PV plant Oslomej on coal land will get a battery facility

GGF also signed a term sheet for Quant Renewables’ solar power project in Kosovo* for 142.2 MW in peak capacity. It comprises PV plants Tucep (98.5 MW) and Veriq (43.7 MW) on land previously designated for lignite mining.

The Green for Growth Fund would support it with up to EUR 12 million in preferred equity, complementing senior debt financing led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Set to become Kosovo’s* biggest solar park, its estimated annual output would match the electricity needs of 63,000 households.

The facility would save an estimated 168,138 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year (22,529 tons prorated to GGF’s investment).

The third renewables project is HD Solar Park in Albania. Through a letter of intent, GGF expressed its goal to provide up to EUR 30 million in senior debt financing. Bindi, the developer, has envisaged 60 MW of peak capacity and a co-located 120 MWh battery system. It would be one of the first large-scale solar-plus-storage initiatives in the country.

Five new deals with financial institutions for as much as EUR 110 million in total

The partner financial institutions that signed agreements with the Green for Growth Fund will channel the financing to their clients for investments in renewables, sustainable mobility, and energy and resource efficiency in buildings and industrial production.

There are five new deals for as much as EUR 110 million in credit lines and subordinated loans.

Two credit lines for partners in Kosovo*

The KRK microfinance institution in Kosovo* aims to utilize a new credit line, of EUR 5 million, for efficiency refurbishments and retrofits of the residential sector as well as small-scale renewable energy. It would be its sixth investment with the Green for Growth Fund since establishing the partnership in 2017.

BpB, the first bank in Kosovo* founded with fully local capital, finances households and small and medium-sized enterprises. Building on a previous partnership, it will channel GGF’s senior credit line of EUR 5 million into energy efficiency and renewable energy.

It will particularly benefit SMEs, including clients in the agricultural sector seeking to upgrade energy systems or invest in low-carbon vehicles, efficient equipment and modern irrigation systems, the fund added.

EUR 95 million in total for Serbian lenders

The Green for Growth Fund signed a loan agreement with UniCredit Bank Serbia for a EUR 50 million senior credit line. The focus is on commercial-scale solar and wind power, helping decarbonize Serbia’s coal-dependent electricity system.

GGF expects it to become one of the fund’s most impactful investments, by avoiding 84,550 tons of emissions in CO2 equivalent terms – equivalent to taking 44,500 cars off the road. The fund has invested EUR 115 million in UniCredit Bank Serbia to decarbonize the country’s electricity system.

Another Serbian lender in the group is AikBank, eligible for a EUR 45 million subordinated loan. The deal is for financing renewables and energy efficiency projects of corporate clients.

The bank will additionally benefit from GGF’s technical assistance for technical due diligence and environmental and social assessments, for the implementation of green energy projects in line with the best practices, the partners stressed.

ProCredit Bank in BiH is eyeing solar power projects

ProCredit Bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina is getting a subordinated loan of up to EUR 5 million, following two such facilities in 2022 and last year. The Green for Growth Fund’s investment is for maintaining the partner’s capital position and supporting the expansion of its green portfolio. The bank especially sees opportunities in solar power, where there is significant potential for BiH to catch up with regional leaders.

“We thank our investors for their continued confidence. This kind of catalytic capital drives tangible impact in Southeast Europe and shows how aligning investment with ambitious climate goals accelerates the green transition,” Finance in Motion said.

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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.
December 2, 2025
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Energy Community calls for nominations of PECI energy infrastructure projects

Developers of cross-border energy infrastructure investments within the Energy Community or internal ones with significant cross-border dimensions can nominate them by January 19 within the selection process for projects of Energy Community Interest (PECI). In line with the Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) regulation, the mechanism is for electricity transmission and energy storage including protection, monitoring and control systems, together with smart power and gas grids, hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

The Energy Community Secretariat opened a call for promotors to submit their projects for evaluation within the 2026 PECI selection. EU regulation 2022/869 – revised TEN-E, which the Energy Community Ministerial Council adopted as 2023/02/MC-EnC, stipulates the approval of the second list of projects of Energy Community Interest (PECI) by December 31, 2026.

Nominations are received until January 19. The proposals concern the electricity and gas sectors.

In the first group are high- and extra-high-voltage overhead transmission lines and underground and submarine transmission cables. It includes equipment and installations for offshore renewable electricity.

Eligible electricity segment investments are also for energy storage, as well as protection, monitoring and control systems for all of the above and at all voltage levels.

Projects for smart power and gas grids are both in the scope of the PECI selection process. Hydrogen-based technologies, electrolyzers and CO2 projects are within the gas infrastructure list as well, the call reads.

PECIs are for cross-border energy infrastructure within the Energy Community or internal endeavors with significant cross-border dimensions.

Proposal forms are available at the call’s webpage.

Ministries, regulatory authorities and transmission system operators will be among the institutions evaluating nominated projects. The group also consists of the European Commission, Energy Community Secretariat, Energy Community Regulatory Board, the ECDSO-E entity of Energy Community distribution system operators, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG).

The Energy Community comprises the Western Balkans, Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.

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December 2, 2025
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Germany’s energy and climate cooperation with Serbia improves people’s lives

Projects implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the KfW Development Bank in Serbia have introduced modern heating systems to many towns, improved insulation in public buildings and promoted renewable energy to benefit citizens and local communities. Anke Konrad, the German Ambassador to Serbia highlighted these achievements during the interview with the Balkan Green Energy News, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the German Development Cooperation in the country. She emphasized that these initiatives enhance people’s quality of life, reduce emissions and contribute to environmental protection.

Ambassador Konrad also pointed out that the long-term Regional Climate Partnership with the Western Balkans is based on shared values and goals, aimed at investing in more secure and climate-resilient future.

Ambitious reductions of harmful emissions go hand in hand with a strong economy, German Ambassador to Serbia Anke Konrad says. GIZ and KfW are supporting the country’s green transition, which includes a rising solar power capacity, she noted and called it an enormous success.

Climate action is not a cost, but a strategic investment, Ambassador Konrad pointed out.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of development cooperation between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Serbia. What are the cornerstones of this partnership, and what significant achievements have been realised over the years?

This year, we look back with pride on 25 years of successful development cooperation that has delivered tangible benefits to people all over Serbia, has brought our two countries closer together, and Serbia closer to the European Union. From the outset, Germany’s support has focused on strengthening institutions, supporting economic growth, and improving living standards. Together with our Serbian partners, we have achieved progress in training and vocational education, good governance, environmental protection, and infrastructure development.

For example, thousands of students and hundreds of companies participate in dual education programmes every year. In digitalization projects, more than 2,000 small and medium-sized companies improved their productivity and competitiveness through digitalizing internal procedures. Another great example are digital services for individuals, such as the seasonal worker portal or the Register of Administrative Procedures, an online register for all administrative services with over 2.2 million registered “e-citizens”.

We look forward to continuing to implement projects that will improve the lives for people in Serbia and support Serbia on its path towards the EU

In 2022, the installed capacity for solar energy generation was at 6 MW. Now it stands at 84.4 MW. This equals a reduction of 118,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Where there were 400 solar energy prosumers in 2022, now there are almost 4,000. This represents an enormous success toward combating climate change and creating a sustainable economy. We have supported this transition both through technical advice by GIZ and investments by KfW.

What makes our partnership special is its continuity, reliability and spirit of co-creation. We work together with Serbian partners and citizens, building on a strong foundation of dialogue, cooperation and shared responsibility. In this spirit, we look forward to continuing to implement projects that will improve the lives for people in Serbia and support Serbia on its path towards the EU.

Let us turn our attention to energy and climate-related matters. Germany plays a vital role as one of Serbia’s primary partners in supporting the country’s energy transition and climate efforts. Which specific areas of collaboration would you like to highlight?

Combatting climate change and the transition to green energy are some of the most pressing questions of our time. As we are following the 30th UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Brazil in November, it’s clear that international partnerships, innovation and practical initiatives to reduce emissions are key to preserving our environment and, with that, our prosperity and security. Reduction of CO2 emissions will lead to significant health benefits as a result of cleaner air.

That is one of the reasons why energy and climate cooperation has become one of the most visible parts of our partnership with Serbia. Together, we are enabling Serbian citizens to use more clean energy from wind, sun and water, and to make homes, schools and businesses more sustainable and more energy efficient.

Through our projects that are implemented by GIZ and KfW, many towns now have modern heating systems, better-insulated public buildings, and new renewable energy projects that benefit local communities.

This work is not only about technology – it is about improving people’s daily lives, lowering harmful emissions, and protecting the environment for future generations.

Germany energy climate cooperation Serbia improves people lives Ambassador Anke Konrad interview
Anke Konrad, the German Ambassador to Serbia delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the annual event of WISE Serbia network of women in sustainable energy, climate action and environmental protection (photo: Balkan Green Energy News)

What is the current landscape for German companies operating in Serbia’s energy sector? We have noticed a notable presence of technology firms compared to development companies, which raises questions about the level of interest from German investors in Serbia and the wider Western Balkan region. What factors might contribute to this observed reluctance among German investors?

German investors very much believe in Serbia, its business environment and its progress on the path towards the European Union. That is a major factor why over 900 companies with German capital are operating in Serbia.

Altogether, they account for 6% of Serbia’s GDP and provide employment to over 80,000 people. German companies in Serbia are here to stay.

Future investment decisions will depend on a wide variety of factors. Apart from global developments and trends, Serbia’s reform efforts, the efficiency of public institutions, transparency, rule of law and the fight against corruption are important factors when it comes to investment decisions. A predictable and fair investment environment and steady progress towards the EU offer the best prospects for growth and prosperity.

The ongoing efforts to decarbonise the energy sector and transform the economy towards greener and more climate-friendly solutions have been pivotal in the policies of both the European Union and the German government, which is an integral member of the EU. In light of the current economic stagnation and heightened security concerns that are impacting the budget, will Germany continue to uphold its commitment to this crucial agenda to the same extent?

The European Union aims to become climate-neutral by 2050. This binding goal is enshrined in the EU Climate Law and it is the basis for our commitment to reduce emissions and achieve climate targets. Germany will continue to lead by example. We want to demonstrate that ambitious emissions reductions go hand in hand with a strong economy. And we will continue to invest in climate action worldwide because decarbonization offers vast potential for innovation and economic development.

Here in the region, we have partnered with the Western Balkans to establish Germany’s first regional climate partnership in 2022. At the 2022 summit of the Berlin Process, Germany has pledged EUR 1.5 billion by 2030 to support the fight against climate change and the use of renewable energy in the region. Much of this support has already been commissioned.

Much of the EUR 1.5 billion in Germany’s support for climate action and renewable energy has been materialized

We see climate action not as a cost, but as a strategic investment in our future. It contributes to diversification of energy sources and helps with energy security and thus stability. It can have a positive impact on long-term economic competitiveness. Crucially, joint climate action protects our planet as a place where we can all continue to prosper.

Within the Regional Climate Partnership, we have a structured dialogue on carbon-pricing readiness, renewable energy deployment, power market integration and just transition. This long-term cooperation aims to help partners in the region to advance their energy and climate goals in line with EU standards, ensuring that the benefits of the energy transition reach citizens, communities, and businesses. For Germany, this is a long-term partnership grounded in shared values, shared goals, and an investment in a more secure and climate-resilient future considering the need for strong interconnectivity within Europe.

Anke Konrad, the German Ambassador to Serbia (photo: Balkan Green Energy News)

Germany is Europe’s solar and wind energy front-runner. What valuable insights can be gleaned from this experience that may be beneficial for Serbia in its pursuit of renewable energy advancements?

Germany’s experience shows that the energy transition is achievable when there is clear political will, a stable regulatory environment, and strong public participation. Success depends on combining large-scale renewable projects with opportunities for citizens and municipalities to invest and benefit directly.

Serbia has great potential to apply these insights, building on its natural resources, skilled engineers, and growing public interest in clean energy.

GIZ has been actively supporting WISE Serbia, a network dedicated to empowering women in the fields of sustainable energy, climate action, and environmental protection. In your opinion, does the energy sector provide equitable opportunities for both men and women in Serbia and globally? Also, would you advise girls and young women to pursue careers in those industries?

The energy sector is changing rapidly, and this transformation opens new doors for women to take leading roles in technology, management, and innovation. While there is still progress to be made, both in Serbia and globally, we already see many talented women engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs shaping the transition to clean energy.

To give some perspective, change is already very visible at the university level, where around 40% of power engineering students at the University of Belgrade are women.

Initiatives such as WISE Serbia play a key role in giving visibility, confidence, and networks to women

We can look to role models in this field, such as this year’s recipient of the Female Leader in Sustainable Energy award, Ljiljana Velimirović. Initiatives such as WISE Serbia play a key role in giving visibility, confidence, and networks to women in this field, which still has great further potential.

My advice to girls and young women is clear: follow your curiosity and ambition, the energy transition needs your creativity and commitment just as much as it needs new technology.

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December 2, 2025
by in News

Guarantees of origin: turning renewable ambition into action

Author: Naida Hausmann, Lead of the Renewable Energy Taskforce, Energy Community Secretariat

Far from being mere certificates, guarantees of origin (GOs) underpin the entire renewable energy value chain – building trust and accountability among producers, businesses and consumers. By ensuring transparent tracking of green electricity and enabling cross-border recognition, GOs can accelerate decarbonisation across the EU and the Energy Community, helping Europe achieve its climate targets. Mutual recognition between the EU and the Energy Community would open regional markets, attract investment, and give consumers and businesses a tangible role in the energy transition.

A guarantee of origin (GO) certifies that one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity was generated from renewable sources. It provides a transparent chain of information about where and how electricity was produced, allowing consumers and companies to claim the renewable origin of the electricity they use, even if they draw it from a mixed grid.

In the European Union, the national systems for guarantees of origin are well established. Cross-border transfer of certificates is enabled through the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB), helping to build confidence among suppliers and buyers alike.

As part of the Energy Community regional project, nearly all issuing bodies have now established national electronic registries for issuing GOs

In the Energy Community, similar systems are advancing rapidly, laying the groundwork for a fully integrated regional market for renewable electricity. As part of the Energy Community regional project, nearly all issuing bodies have now established national electronic registries for issuing GOs.

Work is ongoing to finalise disclosure rules, with the goal of fully aligning these systems with EU legislation and requirements. Once fully aligned, these systems can enable seamless cross-border trade in renewable electricity – bringing the Energy Community a step closer to the EU’s internal energy market.

Empowering consumers and corporates

GOs transform energy consumers from passive users into active participants in the energy transition. When a household subscribes to a “100% renewable” tariff, or when a company purchases GOs to match its electricity use, it signals clear market demand for renewable generation. This demand translates into investment: it strengthens developers’ business cases, supports project financing, and helps accelerate the construction of new renewables capacity.

Moreover, when GOs are sold separately from electricity, they provide an additional revenue stream for developers, making projects more financially viable.

For corporates, GOs have become an essential tool to meet sustainability and reporting obligations and demonstrate that their electricity consumption is renewable. GOs therefore form the backbone of corporate energy procurement strategies and sustainability claims, particularly when coupled with long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Naida Hausmann Guarantees of origin GOs turning renewable ambition into action features

Why mutual recognition matters

Under the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive, GOs can only be mutually recognised with third countries once a formal agreement is concluded – a requirement that carries significant implications. For the Energy Community contracting parties, such recognition would effectively link their systems with the EU market for renewable attributes, allowing renewable energy producers to access European buyers and investors.

Importantly, such recognition would also catalyse other mechanisms that drive the uptake of renewables, enabling regional PPAs, enhancing liquidity and sending stronger investment signals. For investors and utilities alike, a unified GO market reduces risk, increases price transparency and ensures that renewable attributes are valued consistently across borders.

For investors and utilities alike, a unified GO market reduces risk, increases price transparency and ensures that renewable attributes are valued consistently across borders

In the Energy Community region, where access to capital remains a barrier to the deployment of renewables, this is not a minor issue – it is a gateway to unlocking the private investment needed to meet regional and European decarbonisation goals.

The Energy Community Secretariat, together with the European Commission, has been advancing a decision for mutual recognition. Once in place, it will allow certificates issued in the Energy Community to be traded and recognised within the EU, provided they meet equivalent standards of reliability and verification.

Criteria for recognition

Beyond the technical criteria for establishing and maintaining a system of guarantees of origin by national competent authorities, including membership in the AIB, the draft decision on the mutual recognition of guarantees of origin, as presented by the European Commission, sets out additional requirements. These include criteria for the transposition and implementation of the acquis communautaire on electricity and renewable energy.

The Energy Community Secretariat is expected to support the assessment of compliance and monitor implementation. Together, these criteria aim to establish a credible and transparent framework for mutual recognition, ensuring that GOs issued across the region are reliable and can be confidently traded.

Way forward

With almost all issuing bodies in Energy Community contracting parties having operationalised electronic registries for GOs, the focus should now shift to implementing robust disclosure rules and meeting the remaining criteria for mutual recognition. Ensuring alignment with EU legislation and participating in the AIB will be essential to create a transparent and trusted system, unlocking cross-border trade, investment and market confidence in renewable electricity.

Issuing bodies in Albania, the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Georgia, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine have operationalised their registries. The issuing body in Moldova has signed an agreement with a service provider and is expected to operationalise its registry by the end of 2025, while the only issuing body without an electronic registry remains that of the Federation of BiH.

Conclusion

GOs translate environmental ambition into measurable progress toward decarbonisation. They give visibility to renewable electricity, credibility to corporate climate action and empower consumers with choice and the ability to participate in the clean energy transition. For the Energy Community and the European Union alike, mutual recognition of GOs would mark a practical and symbolic step toward a truly integrated European renewables market – one where clean electricity, investment and trust flow freely across borders.

By turning certificates into confidence and ambition into action, GOs can help bridge the remaining gap between policy objectives and market reality, ensuring that the path to decarbonisation is both transparent and inclusive.

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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.
December 2, 2025
by in News

Energy communities reduce power bills for members, improve electricity market

Citizen energy communities make the energy system greener and benefit society at a local level, Josh Roberts from European federation of energy communities REScoop said in his presentation, organized in Belgrade by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is a form of association that also lowers costs for households, institutions and small firms and entrepreneurs, and contributes to the deployment of progressive technologies. Furthermore, it is a framework for democratic control.

The event included developers from the emerging segment of energy communities and cooperatives in Serbia. They outlined the current initiatives and pointed to challenges regarding market entry, financing and policies.

The establishment and operation of energy communities is arranged through the European Union’s latest legislation, as well as in Serbia and other Western Balkan countries, but they are not a new concept. For instance, such entities still accounted for almost half of wind power output in Denmark in late 1990s, according to Senior Policy Advisor Josh Roberts from REScoop, the European federation of energy communities and cooperatives.

Speaking at a gathering that GIZ organized in Belgrade he pointed to the benefits for citizens, small firms and entrepreneurs and for institutions from setting up or joining energy communities. Initiatives in Serbia were also presented, and their progress in the same field, and the event included dialogue on the necessary technical solutions for connecting to the distribution grid.

Brussels-based REScoop was founded in 2013. In its membership are organizations from 22 European countries. They include Serbian energy cooperative Elektropionir. It gained the most ground regarding association and the implementation of projects.

One coal town has put up signpost for energy communities in Slovenia

Among other examples, Roberts highlighted Slovenia’s first energy community with a rooftop solar power plant for joint use. The facility is on the roof of an elementary school. The project involves aid for people living in energy poverty and it is free to join the group.

It is in the town of Hrastnik in a former coal industry area. The participants already lowered their power bills by 30%, and the gains will be even greater when they pay off the loan, Roberts said.

There are more than 1,600 energy communities in Austria

The representative of the REScoop federation stressed that municipalities in the Belgian region of Wallonia have succeeded in obtaining the right for citizens to participate in investments in green energy projects. It resulted in the foundation of a range of energy communities.

Roberts especially commended Austria’s legal framework with regard to enabling citizens to participate. The country hosts more than 1,600 energy communities.

Udruzivanje energetske zajednice smanjuje troskove trziste elektricne energije Dzos Roberts Josh REScoop GIZ

Energy community eases grid operator’s job

Energy communities are envisaged to return the invested funds to society at the local level. Subsidies are especially favorable for that, Roberts explained. Income is directed to education, infrastructure and aid against energy poverty.

The essence is that the community controls the distribution of the proceeds. In addition, grid operators can communicate more easily with one entity than with a hundred prosumers, Roberts underscored. Prosumers – or buyers-consumers, as they are formally called in Serbia, generate electricity for their own needs.

Pooling together enables providing services in the market, where energy communities can supply and store energy as well as conduct energy efficiency services, among other activities.

It means an entity of such type can ease the evening grid load, in moments of the highest demand, using energy from its batteries. That way, price peak shaving is achieved.

Registration process must be separate from defining activity

As for the procedure, Roberts said registration needs to be only for acknowledgement, rather than for approving specific activities.

“It’s about acknowledging the legal form and it’s about checking about how that legal form ensures compliance with the eligibility criteria. We have found very complex registration procedures. This does not work. It needs to be simple,” he stressed.

There are many activities that energy communities can undertake and they need to be able to enter them gradually, without complex procedures for licenses and permits

Conversely, in some jurisdictions there are simplified ways to get a supplier license. It enables an energy community to enter the activity gradually, instead of having to fulfill the requirements for all segments, even without having a comprehensive business model, the members or a business case, Roberts said.

He mentioned at the same time that one of the basic ideas is promoting inclusiveness.

“It’s already hard to set up an energy community, but it’s even harder to involve members who may have a hard time paying their bills, or have a lot less disposable income. So we found that the best models at the moment are for energy communities either to front the membership fees or for local authorities to pay for this upfront. And in energy sharing, we’re seeing more and more of energy donated to vulnerable households,” he stated.

Energy cooperatives helping improve rural areas from which people are leaving

Energy communities are giving people an opportunity for climate action and to contribute to their community, Roberts said. He added that such projects improve the area where they are conducted, stressing that it is especially important for rural areas from which many people are leaving.

A key point is that they enable participants to control their costs, production, consumption and energy sharing.

 The main challenge in Serbia is how to obtain a grid connection, alongside the matter of accessibility of incentives and loans

Importantly, energy communities are linked to the tradition of cooperatives, for which Serbia used to be known, but there is still much left to do around the legal framework.

There was word at the said gathering with representatives of institutions about the complexity of adjusting the electricity network to the production’s decentralization, as well as about the possibility to streamline the procedure for the establishment of energy communities and their operation.

Serbia is yet to address the accessibility of subsidies and financing, while currently the main issue is how to get grid connection approvals.

Energetsko zadrugarstvo smanjuje troskove trziste elektricne energije GIZ

Enterprise, association or cooperative

The speakers and other participants in the event agreed that the electricity market isn’t complete without energy communities, while that they modernize and democratize it.

When it comes to Serbian regulations, such legal entities have the right to conduct aggregation, but they need a license for it. Notably, aggregators have balancing responsibility, so they need to cover the deviations from the forecasted output.

Energy communities were introduced in the latest version of the Law on Energy. When they become regular in practice, the framework will need to be adjusted gradually to the situation. Citizens, firms and municipal authorities establish energy communities as enterprises, associations or cooperatives.

The bottom line is to enable citizens to take part in the clean energy transition and achieve local environmental, economic and social benefits, as opposed to prioritizing profits. It implies collective ownership, democratic control and reinvestment into the community with the goal of reducing energy poverty and promote energy independence.

The basic technical requirement for members is to have a smart electricity meter.

Elektropionir pioneering agrisolar in Serbia

The event’s organizers gathered the people who achieved the first steps in Serbia – from the Sunčani krovovi (Sunny Roofs) energy cooperative, created in 2019, to Platform for Energy Transition, which participated in uniting three residential buildings in Niš, which have a joint solar power plant and electric vehicle chargers. It is one of the first six prosumers in Serbia in the category of homeowner associations.

The Elektropionir energy cooperative managed through crowdfunding to install two cooperative-owned rooftop solar power systems on the territory of the City of Pirot, on the buildings of a local community council and a cultural center. As part of the Solarna Stara project, on Mt. Stara planina, the two villages receive the income from the sale of surplus electricity.

Srem is set to become the main region in Serbia for community energy

Next, the same organization built the first agrisolar power plant in Serbia. The 20 kV facility is at an organic farm, Organela, near the city of Valjevo.

Another recent undertaking is a rooftop photovoltaic unit on a school in the town of Ruma, envisaged to be the basis for an energy community. In the same area, Elektropionir is working on the installation of several prosumer power plants on house roofs and on aggregating them, inspired by the enthusiasm and the solar system of its member Nenad Maričić.

Owners and neighbors can jointly invest and they will be able to become an energy community and share energy among themselves.

Center for Sustainable Development to integrate string of energy systems of various technologies

Near Ruma, which is in the Srem (Syrmia) region, the City of Sremska Mitrovica and Regional Development Agency Srem have launched a major project. It is for the establishment of renewable energy communities (RECs), which are essentially a subset of citizen energy communities (CECs).

The local authority provided land for research and development. It is next to the regional waste landfill and a wastewater treatment plant. The plan is that the Center for Sustainable Development builds and integrates a string of energy systems.

They would include combined heat and power (CHP) production – cogeneration – from biomass, small wind turbines and a PV plant. The project also involves heat pumps and a storage facility assembled from old batteries.

There would be a facility running on biogas from the landfill within the center, and a magnet electric generator. Residents of the adjacent village of Jarak would be able to join the energy community.

Belgrade Energy Community is focused on equity, solidarity

Another group emerging in community energy is Belgrade Energy Community. It intends to apply a model of collective self-consumption in an urban area, with a focus on trust, equity and solidarity.

Its idea is to enable people to generate, share and use green energy. The plan is to map roofs and consumption and set up the first pilot installations.

According to the Belgrade Energy Community, it will donate 5% of the output to households affected by energy poverty. It consists of a cooperative, a civil society organization, two small enterprises, several prosumers and citizens.

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