The “Sveta Petka” solar power plant is set to connect to Serbia’s grid by end of May, while the 20th and final turbine of the “Kostolac” wind farm has been completed. These mark Elektroprivreda Srbije’s (EPS) first two renewable energy projects beyond hydropower. Though small in scale—adding just 70 MW to EPS’s 7,000 MW total capacity—they represent a critical shift, as Serbia will now own and control “green kilowatts.” The Kostolac wind farm alone will produce 187 GWh annually, powering 30,000 households, with the total investment reaching €144 million.
Despite this progress, Serbia lags behind regional peers. The 5 MW “Sveta Petka” project will bring Serbia’s total solar capacity to around 200 MW, far below Hungary’s 7,000 MW or Bulgaria’s 6,000 MW. Experts note that even half of Bulgaria’s solar capacity could have prevented Serbia’s electricity imports last summer. Still, projections suggest Serbia could reach 3,500 MW in wind and solar by 2030.
Professor Nikola Rajaković (Belgrade Faculty of Electrical Engineering) highlights the strategic importance of state-owned renewables, citing ongoing projects like a 1 GW solar initiative and the planned “Bistrica” pumped-storage hydro plant. Energy expert Velimir Gavrilović adds that while Kostolac’s 66 MW is modest compared to private wind farms (e.g., 100+ MW projects), EPS’s diversification beyond coal and hydropower is a positive step. He cautions, however, against forced borrowing for renewables if EPS lacks funds.
Serbia currently has 11 operational wind farms totaling 605 MW. The largest, “Čibuk 1” (158 MW, €300M investment), powers 113,000 homes and cuts 370,000 tons of CO₂ annually. Other key projects include “Krivača” (105.6 MW, €165M), “Kovačica” (104 MW, €189M), and “Košava 1” (69 MW, €118M). These underscore growing private investment in renewables, though state-led expansion remains limited.
The developments signal Serbia’s tentative but necessary transition toward cleaner energy, balancing economic constraints with long-term environmental and energy security goals.
