Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic said that the vision of Serbia, which is being established by new laws in the field of energy and mining, is a green Serbia in which at least 40 percent of energy will come from renewable sources by 2040.
The laws prepared by the Ministry and which are in the parliamentary procedure enable us to make a new investment plan, to base our energy security in the future on large and medium hydropower plants, solar and wind power plants and the use of biomass. Also, through the new law on renewable energy sources, we will ban the construction of all SHPPs in protected areas, said Mihajlovic, it was announced from her office.
There is no development of energy without taking care of the environment, as well as energy security if care is not taken that energy is produced from clean sources, it is stated in the announcement.
She pointed out that the law on energy efficiency, which envisages the establishment of the Energy Efficiency Administration, is also important for the protection of the environment.
The state is here to help the economy reduce the irrational use of energy, but also to help every household to be able to replace doors, windows, to insulate the building, so that together with local governments they will bear 50 percent of these costs. We expect the Administration to start working on June 1, the Minister announced.
Through the amendments to the Law on Energy, in addition to the energy-protected buyer of electricity and gas, an endangered buyer of thermal energy is introduced, so that citizens who cannot pay their obligations would not switch to some other energy sources that are harmful.
Mihajlovic said that after the traffic and large energy plants such as thermal power plants, individual fireplaces are among the biggest polluters, which the state will also deal with.
We are investing around 600 million euros only in the construction of a desulphurization plant to reduce the emission of harmful gases from thermal power plants. But we must also take care of individual fireplaces, because out of 2.6 million households in our country, 1.2 million use individual fireplaces for heating. For example, instead of boilers on coal or fuel oil or putting rubber and plastic in the boilers, we should switch to heating with pellet or electric boilers, says Mihajlovic.
She added that such a provision will be found in the amendments to the law on energy and the new law on RES, and that the application of these provisions is expected to start from the beginning of next year, so that citizens have time to replace such devices, the statement said.
Through the Energy Efficiency Administration, citizens who use individual fireplaces will also have the opportunity to receive state aid, Mihajlović added, Dnevnik reports.
