Supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency

Context

Serbia uses primarily fossil fuels – such as lignite, heavy fuel oil and heating oil – to produce heat and electricity in outdated and inefficient generating plants. The result is high greenhouse gas emissions, increased air pollution and local environmental impacts. However, Serbia has immense potential to use renewable energy sources and increase its energy efficiency.

Objective

The Serbian public are accepting of the prosumer model, in which they generate energy themselves using small-scale solar power systems. Moreover, the necessary legal conditions, expertise and support services to strengthen renewable energy and energy efficiency have been enhanced.

Approach

The project supports the Ministry of Mining and Energy with establishing the legal framework for implementing the prosumer model. To this end, it develops analyses and plans for laying a foundation for the spread of photovoltaic systems.

The project also funds various model projects relating to the prosumer approach. These demonstrate the technical and financial means for using a photovoltaic system to generate electricity for own consumption and feeding into the electricity grid. The model projects are supported by cooperation with regional partners and measures to provide local actors with the high-quality information that they require for the use of prosumer plants. Two of these measures are geared towards the specific needs of women and disadvantaged groups.

Workshops and training sessions on installing photovoltaic systems strengthen the abilities of installers, municipal energy managers, electrical engineering students and those studying electrical engineering at secondary schools. This contributes to decentralising the energy sector, driving the energy transition, developing rural regions and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Cooperation with various national, regional and local actors allows the broad-scale application of renewable energy in Serbia.

Last update: April 2023