Serbia produces more than 30 percent green energy in 2023 – What do amendments to the Law on Energy bring to the RES sector?

In 2023, Serbia produced and consumed more than 30% green energy, which is quite a high number. The majority of the green energy was produced at hydro power plants, and Serbia currently has 511 megawatts in built wind farms, around 160 megawatts in solar power plants and several dozen megawatts from biogas and biomass, with plenty more projects in development and under construction – stated Danijela Isailovic, the manager of the Association RES Serbia, during the panel discussion “Amendments to the Law on Energy: Directions and Projections,” which was organized by the Zelena Srbija portal of the Beta news agency, in cooperation with the European Climate Foundation.

According to her, as reported on the RES Serbia portal, the energy transition situation is relatively good from the angle of the private sector.

– Those numbers show that the goal set for 2030 is achievable, that we will produce 45% green electrical energy – said Isailovic.

She also reminded of the successful auctions from the previous year and that, in the next days, new auctions for 300 megawatts of wind capacities and 124 megawatts of solar capacities would be opened.

– Investors are still facing challenges, but in general, there is much more that’s positive than negative on the path toward the energy transition, at least from the angle of the private sector, and amendments to the Law on Energy will considerably contribute to the energy transition – said the manager of RES Serbia.

New procedures for connecting facilities

Isailovic pointed out that amendments to the Law on Energy would bring new procedures for connecting facilities to the distribution system. One of the main innovations is the obligatory filing of a banking guarantee when connecting projects that exceed 400 kW, whereas projects of over 50 kW will have to prepare a connection study, which will improve the transparency and stability of the process. Due to the procedure of connecting getting stricter, a mass construction of projects, sale or potential withdrawing of projects are expected in the next period, depending on the capabilities of any given investor to fulfill the new requirements.

According to her, one of the biggest problems is an inadequate implementation of the law and delays in adopting acts and procedures.

– If we want to apply the laws and strategies that are being adopted, local self-governments, institutions, republic organs have to follow what the highest state organs, laws, plans have set – said Isailovic.

Obnovljivi izvori energije Srbije

Association RES Serbia

Danijela Isailović

renewable energy sources

green energy

energy transition

amendments to Law on Energy

distribution system

prosumers