The Western Balkans has 23 gigawatts (GW) of potential solar and wind energy capacities, almost half of which is in Serbia, and the implementation of these projects could make gas power plants redundant in the region, according to the report of the Global Energy Monitor – GEM).
Serbia has the largest potential capacity of solar and wind power plants, but in terms of the level of construction, it lags behind other countries in the region.
A clean energy transition could prevent lifetime emissions of 103 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), equivalent to 87 percent of the region’s CO2 emissions in 2022, and save more than nine billion euros in energy costs, GEM said.
According to the global databases of solar facilities and wind farms (Global Wind Tracker and Solar Power Tracker), Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia together have a combined 23 GW in potential solar and wind projects, which is 70 percent more than a year ago and are comparable to potential capacities in Germany.
Those projects, which have been announced or are in the planning and construction stages, would produce four times more electricity than potential gas-fired power plants over their lifetime.
“Because of them, gas energy could become irrelevant in the region,” GEM said.
Serbia has operational wind projects with a total capacity of 404 megawatts (MW), which is almost half of the total operational capacity of the region. However, after the opening of the Čibuk wind farm in 2019, the report adds, the development of wind energy has slowed down.
Despite the large operational wind capacity, Serbia has only 40 MW of operational solar capacity, the report points out.
When it comes to potential solar and wind projects, Serbia accounts for 47 percent of the capacity in the region.
According to the report, Serbia has 7.9 GW of potential wind farm capacity, which is 65 percent of the region’s total capacity, and 2.9 GW of potential solar capacity, which is 27 percent of the regional capacity.
According to the latest GEM data, Serbia plans to connect 3 GW of wind power and 1 GW of solar power to the grid by the end of 2028, which would exceed its target of 1.77 GW of wind power, but fall short of the solar power target of 1.73 GW, as foreseen by the draft of the National Energy and Climate Plan.
The report also notes that the draft states that the goal is for the share of renewable energy to be 27 percent, which is not in line with the 40.7 percent goal adopted by the Energy Community.
However, when comparing the share of projects under construction in relation to the total potential capacities, Serbia is second to last in the region with only three percent (0.4 GW) of announced projects currently under construction.
That share is lower than the average construction rate in Europe (five percent) and the average global rate excluding China (seven percent). In contrast, the rate of construction in the rest of the region (without Serbia and Montenegro) is 11 percent.
“Although Serbia can currently boast the largest share of operational (444 MW, or 29 percent) and prospective (10.9 GW, or 47 percent) commercial solar and wind projects in the region, it risks falling behind because Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and In the last few years, North Macedonia has been ahead of the curve in developing new capacities,” said GEM.
He adds that the existing capacities of solar and wind power plants in the region make up only seven percent of the regional share of electricity (1.5 GW). At the same time, only six percent (1.3 GW) of potential capacity is under construction and very likely to be commissioned.
“To unlock this potential, governments should work on planning and permitting barriers, and develop legal frameworks and complementary infrastructure to build a clean and flexible grid. Zoning of renewable energy sources should be carried out with rigorous environmental protection measures, in order to reduce the harmful impact on nature. Local communities should also be actively involved in projects and benefit from them”, stated GEM.
The report also points out that the EU and the US should promote solar energy and wind, instead of gas, as an energy security measure to help the Western Balkans reach its full potential in the area of clean energy.
The co-author of the report, Žanaim Kozibai, estimated that the Western Balkans is in a unique position because the region is not too tied to gas infrastructure and that renewable energy sources are a more sustainable move that makes economic sense.
“However, more political will is needed in the country, and the EU and the US should advocate for clean energy in the region and not support expensive, polluting gas,” Kozibai said.
Project manager at the European Federation of Energy Communities (REScoop.eu) Chris Vretos pointed out that the accelerated transition to renewable energy sources must be implemented in a democratic way.
“Governments should create frameworks that enable the development of the energy community. Project holders should also enable the participation of local citizens and communities in the projects. This would create a new source of income for many households, providing much-needed economic opportunities, especially for communities transitioning from coal mining,” said Vretos.
Pipa Galop, Southeastern European energy policy officer at the Bankwatch organization, assessed that the current challenge is to accelerate improvements in spatial planning, environmental impact assessment and public participation, and to prevent damage to biodiversity and build public support.
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Source: www.e2.rs
