Today, the Director of the Secretariat of the Energy Community, Janez Kopac, expressed his satisfaction that a revolution in expectations is taking place in Serbia in terms of investing in renewable energy sources on the basis of the new law, the adoption of which is expected soon.
At the First Big Conference on Solar Energy in Serbia, organized by the Balkan Green Energy News portal, Kopac said that the whole world is focusing on renewable energy sources, and that in that respect the Western Balkans region, including Serbia, lagged behind in the previous period.
That, he says, will now change in Serbia with the new law on the use of renewable energy sources, which, he says, is modern.
“With an optimistic view of the future, I congratulate Serbia on its fast steps. I hope that in a year we will celebrate the first achievements on the basis of the new law,” Kopac said.
He stated that in 2020 alone, 127 gigawatts of solar power plants were installed in the world, and that this growth was made possible by a large drop in technology prices.
“The price of technology is falling in the EU, and in many other countries as well. The main generator of new investments in renewable energy sources are the prices for carbon dioxide emissions, which are not yet taxed in Serbia,” said Kopac.
That caution, proposed by the Energy Community, says Kopac, should start immediately in the region, but in a gradual way, because the countries of the region cannot introduce it overnight.
He sees in this the potential for energy transition within the countries of the region, because all these revenues go to the national fund.
“If the price of carbon dioxide emissions were 25 euros per ton, Serbia would collect 750 million euros a year from the energy sector alone, and all that money could be directed to energy efficiency and renewable energy measures,” says Kopac.
He noted that through the taxation of the price of carbon dioxide emissions, the whole of Europe financed its technological transition in the energy sector.
He said that Serbia has committed itself to introducing taxation of carbon dioxide emissions.
“There is no deadline, but it will happen sooner or later,” Kopac added.
Regarding the potential of Serbia in the field of renewable energy sources, Kopac stated that Serbia now has 21 megawatt hours installed, in 2019 11 megawatts were installed in the solar system, and that it has a potential of 3,582 megawatts.
The participants of the conference pointed out that there is a great interest of investors from all over the world to invest in solar energy and in general in more renewable energy sources in Serbia.
It is estimated, as it was said, that in the next five to ten years, there will be a kind of solar boom and flourishing of solar energy in Serbia, which will include both foreign and domestic investments.
It is estimated that the solar industry can contribute to a significant recovery of the Serbian economy in the postcovid period.
It was also said that the increasing share of solar energy in the energy mix of Serbia can contribute to the greening and decorbonization not only of the energy sector, but also of the entire economy.
As the participants of the conference emphasized, solar is the fastest growing source of renewable energy sources in the whole world, and on a daily basis, records are broken on installed capacities, the amount of money entering the solar energy sector, and prices achieved at auctions in Europe.
It was emphasized that the new law recognizes the importance of solar energy and renewable energy sources in general and creates a favorable framework for investment.
The regional director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Zsuzsanna Hargitai, said that the EBRD will continue to invest in potentials in the field of solar energy in Serbia.
She stated that the new law on the use of renewable energy sources is a big step forward and that investing in renewable energy sources is vital for the economy.
CWP Global director for Serbia Maja Turkovic says that the proposed law is one of the most modern laws in Europe.
She stated that in the new investment cycle, Serbia can build 1,000 megawatts of solar in the next decade, according to projects that already exist.
Bendikt Ortman from the Strategy Committee, Solar Power Europe expressed satisfaction that Serbia is strongly and rapidly developing the system of renewable energy sources.
He mentioned that the experiences of large international players can be significant in that business, and that there is interest from foreign investors in investing in that area in Serbia and the development of solar energy, Dnevnik reports.
