The furniture factory „S.C.S. Plus“ from Knjaževac was included in the list of companies that built their own solar power plant, with the aim of reducing energy costs and pollution.
Founded in 1997 on the tailings of the former Podvis mine, in the village of the same name near Knjaževac, the “S.C.S. Plus” factory today exports 95 percent of its production to European Union (EU) countries.
From a long-term perspective, the installation of a solar power plant with a capacity of 480 kW was a necessary step for the survival of the factory itself, since new EU regulations defined the necessary share of green energy in the production process of all products imported into the EU from the countries of the Western Balkans and Turkey (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – CBAM).
The factory built a solar power plant thanks to EU funds, as part of the “EU Green Agenda in Serbia” initiative, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) announced.
The director of the company, Lidija Nikolić, said that the new solar power plant will supply production with 55 percent of green energy.
“The total electricity production that we expect on an annual level is about 530,000 KWh and we expect a reduction of CO2 by 580 tons on an annual level. Our product is already green, as we have an international FCS certificate, which means that in production we use trees from forests where every cut tree plants a new one. Now, with electricity from the solar power plant, it will be additionally green, which will allow us to continue exporting when the new EU regulations come into force in 2026,” said Nikolić.
In addition to the construction of a solar power plant for the production of seats and chair backs made of beech veneer, software was also introduced that will optimize energy consumption, and surpluses will be stored in special batteries that will simultaneously power electric forklifts.
The factory currently employs 180 workers, mostly women, from Podvis and nearby villages, which, bearing in mind that it is a less developed municipality, is of great importance for the local economy.
Ljiljana Veljković, coordinator of the project “EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia” in the field of decarbonization at UNDP, says that the construction of a solar power plant for the needs of the “S.C.S. Plus” factory is an excellent example of a just green transition, given that the transition to renewable energy sources ensures the preservation of jobs in the former mining area.
Thanks to the solar power plant, carbon dioxide emissions are expected to decrease by more than 60 percent, and it is estimated that the factory’s monthly bills for electricity will be cut in half.
The Idea of this factory to use solar energy in the production of furniture was chosen for support through a public call within the project “EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia”, as one of the best business solutions for accelerating the green transition of the Serbian economy and society.
The new “Challenge for innovative solutions for the green transition of the Serbian economy” is currently underway, in all five areas of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans: decarbonization (reduction of dependence on fossil fuels), circular economy (conservation of natural resources), reduction of environmental pollution, protection and conservation of nature and biodiversity, and establishment of sustainable systems for food supply and rural development, which is open until the end of 2026.
The project “EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia”, with technical and financial support from the EU and in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, is implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden and the European Investment Bank (EIB), with additional financial resources provided by the governments of Sweden and Switzerland and Serbia.
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