Mihajlovic: There is no going back to the old ways in energy

03.08.2022

eletrična-energija-struja — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Minister of Mining and Energy, prof. Zorana Mihajlovic, Ph.D., said that in the previous two years, regardless of numerous resistances, the foundations were laid for Serbia to have enough energy and to preserve the environment, and that there will be no return to the old ways.

“It was not easy in the previous two years, we almost had a collapse of the power system, but we did many things that had not been done before. For the first time, with the support of the state, households can replace the carpentry and install solar panels, and we already have about 2.7 MW in solar panels in households that have become buyer-producers in this way. During this ministry, we created the basis for Serbia to progress in the green energy transition, not because it is fashionable, but because the whole world is moving in that direction. We have created a base and I believe that there is no going back to the old ways”, Mihajlovic said in a guest appearance on TV Happy.

She emphasized that a strong energy sector rests on strong companies and that there is still a lot of work to be done in that area because currently companies are not in such a situation and the state has largely taken over to help the energy sector during the crisis.

“The reality is that we do not have enough coal, that unfortunately it is of very poor quality and we need new capacities and new sources of energy. Other countries started this process long before us and started to reduce the share of production from coal and to build large wind and solar power plants. It is a serious regret that today we have to allocate a lot of money as a state, because in the previous period we did not work well”, said Mihajlovic.

Asked about the increase in the price of electricity, Mihajlovic said that this price is still the lowest in Europe, and that the increase was necessary because the prices were increased in the entire production chain.

“The price alone will not solve the problem in EPS, structural changes are needed in that company. Nobody likes to make something more expensive, but energy is a basic branch that we take care of”, she said, adding that the average household’s bill will increase by around 350 dinars.

Minister emphasized that next year, with the completion of the Nis-Dimitrovgrad gas pipeline, Serbia will no longer depend on only one supplier and will be connected to the LNG terminal in Greece and to gas pipelines that deliver gas from Azerbaijan and the Caspian region.

“We plan to build interconnections to other neighbors as well, because that’s the only way we can be energy secure. The total value of all interconnections that need to be built is around 350 million euros, and with that we will provide around eight billion cubic meters of gas that we can get from the environment”, said Minister.

Source: Ministry of Mining and Energy

US Company Bechtel Interested in the HPP “Djerdap 3” Project

02.08.2022

đerdap_hidroelektrana — Foto: Wikipedia/MRY

The president of the US construction giant Bechtel, Stuart Jones said, after talks with the Minister of Mining and Energy, Zorana Mihajlovic, and the US Ambassador to Belgrade, Christopher Hill, that the company is interested in “taking a closer look at the possibilities for cooperation with Serbia in in the field of energy, among other things, through the financing of the previous feasibility study for the HPP “Djerdap 3” project,” announced the Government.

“I believe that there are great opportunities for cooperation in the field of energy, especially when it comes to projects in the field of renewable energy sources and the first hybrid reversible hydroelectric plant “Djerdap 3”, whose total installed power could reach 2,400 MW, with another 400 MW of capacity for production of electricity from wind and sun”, Minister Mihajlovic said.

According to her, energy security is currently the most important topic for all countries in Europe, including Serbia, which is why it is important to make progress in the energy transition process and be much more efficient in building new energy capacities.

Source: eKapija

Historical success – Nepal doubled the number of wild tigers

02.08.2022

WWF is delighted to congratulate Nepal for successfully doubling its tiger population to an estimate of 355 individuals – an increase of more than 190 per cent since 2009. Those are the results published in Nepal’s National Tiger and Prey Survey 2022.

Tigers are the world’s largest cat and an apex predator, which is why they play a significant role in the structure and function of the ecosystems on which both humans and wildlife rely. They are a “landscape” species, needing large areas with diverse habitats, free from human disturbance and rich in prey. One of the main threaths they face is habitat fragmentation that forces them into small areas where they don’t have enough food, causing them to come into conflict with the local population. The second biggest threat that leads them towards extinction are poaching and illegal trade of live or killed tigers, their cubs and parts of their bodies.

The survey highlights the importance of maintaining and rigorously protecting core habitats, partnering with communities to ensure long-term conservation success and expanding conservation interventions to include corridors and habitats beyond extant Protected Areas.

Stuart Chapman, Tigers Alive Initiative Leader, WWF said “The doubling of Nepal’s tiger population is an extraordinary achievement and is the result of sustained conservation effort over many years. Nepal has demonstrated the highest conservation standards in reaching this historic milestone. There is clearly much to learn from Nepal’s tiger population recovery over the last 12 years. ”

While the future of Nepal’s tigers across vast landscapes has always been a challenge in the face of various threats, the latest estimate indicates the relevance of the conservation measures that have been implemented by the Government, WWF and other organisations working in the sector. The target to double wild tigers, also known as Tx2, was set by governments in 2010 at the St.Petersburg International summit on tiger conservation. With this announcement Nepal is the first country to release updated tiger numbers during the Year of the Tiger. Tiger range countries are meeting next month to begin discussions on the next 12-year commitments for tiger conservation under the Global Tiger Recovery Program.

“Success or failure means more than securing the future of a single iconic species – it sets a precedent for how we will consider and prioritise the health of nature in global development and in a changing climate going forward”, said Snježana Malić-Limari from WWF Adria.

Source: WWF Adria

Global Coal Demand is Set to Return to its All-Time High in 2022

01.08.2022

ugalj - coal — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Eduardo Jaeger)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Bart van Dijk)

The world’s consumption of coal is set to rise slightly in 2022, taking it back to the record level it reached nearly a decade ago, according to an IEA report, which notes that significant uncertainty hangs over the outlook for coal as a result of slowing economic growth and energy market turbulence.

Based on current economic and market trends, global coal consumption is forecast to rise by 0.7 per cent in 2022 to 8 billion tonnes, assuming the Chinese economy recovers as expected in the second half of the year, the IEA’s July 2022 Coal Market Update says. This global total would match the annual record set in 2013, and coal demand is likely to increase further next year to a new all-time high.

The new report highlights the significant turmoil in coal markets in recent months, which has important implications for many countries where coal remains a key fuel for electricity generation and a range of industrial processes. At the same time, the world’s continued burning of large amounts of coal is heightening climate concerns, as coal is the largest single source of energy-related CO2 emissions.

Worldwide coal consumption rebounded by about 6 per cent in 2021 as the global economy recovered rapidly from the initial shock of the Covid pandemic. That sharp rise contributed significantly to the largest ever annual increase in global energy-related CO2 emissions in absolute terms, putting them at their highest level in history.

Global coal demand is being propped up this year by rising natural gas prices, which have intensified gas-to-coal switching in many countries, as well as economic growth in India. Those factors are being partly offset by slowing economic growth in China and by the inability of some major coal producers to ramp up production.

Demand for coal in India has been strong since the start of 2022 and is expected to rise by 7 per cent for the full year as the country’s economy grows and the use of electricity expands. In China, coal demand is estimated to have declined by 3 per cent in the first half of 2022 as renewed Covid lockdowns in some cities slowed economic growth, but an expected increase in the second half of the year is likely to bring coal consumption for the full year back to the same levels as last year. China and India together consume double the amount of coal as the rest of the world combined, with China alone accounting for more than half the world’s demand.

Coal consumption in the European Union is expected to rise by 7 per cent in 2022 on top of last year’s 14 per cent jump. This is being driven by demand from the electricity sector where coal is increasingly being used to replace gas, which is in short supply and has experienced huge price spikes following war in Ukraine. Several EU countries are extending the life of coal plants scheduled for closure, reopening closed plants or raising caps on their operating hours to reduce gas consumption. However, Europe only accounts for about 5 per cent of global coal consumption.

As soaring natural gas prices have made coal more competitive in many markets, international coal prices have risen in turn, hitting three all-time peaks between October 2021 and May 2022. Sanctions and bans on Russian coal following war in Ukraine have disrupted markets, and issues in other major exporters have contributed to supply shortages. With other coal producers facing constraints in replacing Russian output, prices on coal futures markets indicate that tight market conditions are expected to continue well into next year and beyond.

Source: IEA

ABB Formula E London E-Prix Showcases Sustainable Transport Down By The River

31.07.2022

Following the latest rounds in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in New York City, the series has crossed the Atlantic in a return to the ExCeL London exhibition center.

With changes in surface and elevation, in addition to a shift in lighting, the drivers are in for another challenging race weekend in London. The ExCeL circuit will again see the field move from indoors to outdoors on the 22-turn, 2.141km track, which has been slightly modified for Season 8 with a new chicane complex around turns 10-13.

Theodor Swedjemark, ABB’s Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, said: “In a city where combatting air pollution is a focal point, sustainable transportation is a key part of the solution. Showcasing the technology and potential of e-mobility in London is a great way to change perceptions of EVs and drive increased adoption – something ABB is proud to support in helping to create a more sustainable future.”

Transportation of people, goods and raw materials currently accounts for 30 percent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, and is a focal point for change around the world.

David Hughes, Country Managing Director, ABB UK, said: “ABB is helping businesses accelerate decarbonization by delivering complete electrical powertrain solutions for a range of industrial vehicles, transportation and marine vessels. Electric motors can achieve 95 percent efficiency, while diesel engines only reach 45 percent efficiency in the optimum load range, so this technological development – from electrification of powertrains to implementation of effective and comprehensive charging infrastructure – is crucial.”

The past few years has seen a dramatic increase in the number of public EV charge points in the UK – growing by an average of 44 percent per year since 2015. ABB is working alongside its customers to help facilitate this necessary increase. Currently, the company has around 1,500 chargers in operation in the UK and is continuously working to improve access.

ABB’s Ultrafast DC and Fast DC EV chargers will support the new GRIDSERVE Electric Highway charging network across the UK. This comes as both companies seek to drive the adoption of electric vehicles, especially by making charging easier and more accessible. GRIDSERVE’s Electric Highway will include coverage for 85 percent of the UK’s motorway network, as well as in towns and cities across the country.

The resulting increased energy demand focuses attention on renewable energy and grid stability – and this is another area in which ABB technology is delivering sustainable solutions in the UK. One example is a pounds 25 million “Greener Grid Park” scheme, which is currently in the final stages of construction, and will increase the amount of green energy being used throughout Liverpool. ABB is supporting Statkraft, Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, in the project with technology, operations and long-term maintenance services.

The London E-Prix will also host an FIA Girls on Track event, of which ABB is global partner. FIA Girls On Track offers girls aged 8 to 18 the opportunity to explore multiple aspects of the motorsport industry through a range of activities and workshops. One of these will focus on ABB Robotics and feature the GoFa collaborative robot.

Ahead of the London E-Prix, ABB has released a new video in its series as part of the company’s partnership with FIA Girls on Track. Featuring Hannah Brown, Formula E Chief of Staff, the video explores her views on the increase in women in engineering roles in the sport and the importance of closing the gap in belief she feels potentially still exists with young girls.

Following London the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship makes its debut in Seoul, South Korea, for the final two rounds of Season 8 on August 13 and 14.

Source: ABB

As Heatwaves Blanket Europe, Cities Turn to Nature for Solutions

30.07.2022

wildfire_požar — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Heat records continue to topple across the globe as concurrent heatwaves bake multiple countries.

From the United States to Europe and China to Japan, extreme temperatures have soared for weeks, killing hundreds of people, sparking wildfires in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Greece and displacing thousands of residents, as many seek refuge in public cooling centers.

Close to 90 cities have issued heat alerts, including several Japanese cities that broke heat records dating as far back as 1875, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency. Meanwhile, in the United States, more than 100 million people are under heat alerts as wildfires rage in California, leading President Joe Biden to consider declaring a climate emergency.

The epicenter of the current global heatwave is Europe, where millions of people continue to suffer, leading to commuter chaos in France, Italy and the UK due to train delays.

The high temperatures have been particularly hard on urban areas. Cities are 5°C to 9°C warmer than rural areas as concrete buildings and sidewalks soak up and radiate sunlight. The concentration of people, cars and machinery also act to elevate temperatures.

“We are worried about cities because that’s where the majority of the population is,” said Eleni Myrivili.

UN-Habitat recently appointed Myrivili as its Global Chief Heat Officer to spearhead heat response and resilience measures in cities around the globe.

Myrivili also works with the Arsht-Rock on the Heat Action Platform, a tool for city officials to reduce the human and economic impacts of extreme heat, developed in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

As seen earlier this year in India and Pakistan, the heatwaves baking so many countries are becoming hotter, longer and more frequent as a result of a changing climate.

Climate experts have long warned of rising temperatures and increased risks for human health and infrastructure. The 2022 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report painted a grim picture of what unchecked global warming looks like: increased heatwaves, longer warm seasons and shorter cold seasons.

According to the Cool Coalition, a global effort on efficient, climate-friendly cooling assembled by UNEP, extreme temperatures kill 5 million people a year, with heat-related deaths rising.

“At 1.5°C of warming, 2.3 billion people could be both exposed and vulnerable to heatwave events, with negative impacts on health and productivity,” said Mark Radka, Chief of UNEP’s Energy and Climate Branch. ”Without action, in 2030, an estimated 80 million full-time jobs could be lost worldwide due to heat stress, resulting in economic losses of USD 2.3 trillion.”

Myrivili sees the challenges facing cities as two urgent priorities that need to be pursued simultaneously. The short-term goal, she says, is to save lives by helping vulnerable communities stay cool during heatwaves. Moving forward, the long term goal is building resilience to climate change by cooling cities sustainably and bringing nature back into urban areas.

“Trees are the protagonists when it comes to cooling,” said Myrivili. “Creating forests within cities and green corridors are an effective way to shift airmass to cool large areas within a city.”

UNEP data finds that simply planting trees on city streets would give 77 million people a 1°C reprieve on hot days.

“Redesigning urban landscapes with more vegetation and water and implementing passive cooling strategies to improve thermal performance and reduce energy consumption in buildings are key to making cities more resilient to heatwaves,” said Jonathan Duwyn, head of the Cities Unit at UNEP.

UNEP has long championed sustainable solutions for cooling urban areas, working with cities in India, VietNam and Cambodia to develop environmentally-friendly cooling strategies and supporting district-level cooling systems in countries such as Egypt.

The buildings and construction sector is considered key to achieving the climate mitigation and adaptation targets set out in the Paris Agreement by 2050.

Keeping cities at livable temperatures whilst dealing with the climate crisis is one of the biggest issues facing governments. From cooling pavement in Tokyo to green eco-roofs in Toronto, cities around the world are experimenting with new and sustainable ways to keep cool.

Meanwhile, in the Greek capital Athens—hit hard by multiple droughts and ever-increasing temperatures—city officials are renovating a historic aqueduct that dates back to the Roman era to irrigate green corridors in the city.

However, these construction projects require not only great political will on the part of elected officials, but also considerable public and private investments.

Myrivili says her work as UN-Habitat’s first Global Chief Heat Officer will be guided by the question: How do we use our natural resources much more cleverly and more sustainably to increase heat resilience in cities?

These are difficult questions whose answers will require not only a whole-system approach to sustainable urban cooling but reimagining our very notion of what a city looks like, she said.

Source: UNEP

As of September 1, electricity for households 6.5 percent more expensive

29.07.2022

electricity-struja — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Starting from September 1, the price of electricity for households and smaller customers will amount to 8,144 din/kWh and will mark an increase of 6.5 percent compared to the current average price – according to the official website of the Energy Agency of Serbia.

At today’s meeting, the Council of the Energy Agency, at the request of PE EPS Belgrade, gave its consent to the decision on the price of electricity for guaranteed supply.

The price of electricity is determined on the basis of the maximum approved income and the estimated amount of electricity for sale to customers on the guaranteed supply.

As a reminder, the Minister of Mining and Energy, Zorana Mihajlovic, yesterday advised that she expects the price of electricity for citizens to increase and that the Regulation on energy-vulnerable customers has already been prepared, with the goal of helping those who cannot pay for electricity, gas or thermal energy.

Source: eKapija

How Can A Life-Cycle Approach Curb The Plastic Pollution Crisis?

28.07.2022

plastic-waste-3962409_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Pixabay (VIVIANE6276)

At the recent United Nations Ocean Conference, another 22 governments agreed to join the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, which unites stakeholders around the goal of transitioning towards a circular economy for plastic.

Co-led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the global commitment has over 500 signatories across businesses, governments and other organizations committed to ensuring that plastic never becomes waste.

Plastic production, use and disposal are all contributors to the triple planetary crisis. UNEP’s From Pollution to Solution report shows that some 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced annually, and 7 billion tonnes of all plastic manufactured between 1950 and 2017 has become waste.

The equivalent of a garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute, threatening biodiversity and damaging marine ecosystems, while greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastics are expected to reach 6.5 gigatons by 2050.

“Plastic pollution is a global crisis that threatens the environment, human health and the economy,” says Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of the Economy Division at UNEP

“It is critical that we transition towards a circular approach that considers the plastics’ full life cycle – from the extraction of raw materials to end-of-life management – to minimize their impact on the planet.”

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Brian Yurasits)

Here’s what you need to know about the life-cycle approach to plastic pollution, the benefits of circularity and how it can help stave off this global crisis:

A life-cycle approach is a way of thinking that considers the impacts of all the stages of a product or service’s life cycle. This approach helps us recognize how our choices are part of a wider and interconnected system.

UNEP’s Life Cycle Initiative, a multi-stakeholder partnership that enables the global use of credible life cycle knowledge, identifies these stages as raw material extraction, design, production, distribution, use, recovery and disposal. The recovery stage includes recycling materials and reusing products, which are necessary steps to create a circular model where resources do not become waste.

Research shows that a shift to a circular economy can reduce the volume of plastics entering the ocean by over 80 percent and save governments USD 70 billion by 2040. It can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent and create 700,000 additional jobs.

Why is it important to adopt this approach?

A life-cycle approach allows people to make informed decisions that protect human and environmental health. Each life cycle stage offers the potential to reduce resource consumption and improve the performance of products to ensure collective responsibility across all stages of a product’s life cycle, thereby helping to design practical actions to tackle pollution. It evolves from the traditional focus of production, use, and disposal by highlighting the environmental, social, and economic impacts over the entire life cycle of products. A life-cycle approach also ensures that improvements in one life-cycle stage do not inadvertently create trade-offs in other stages.

How does this approach work with plastics?

A life-cycle approach to plastics considers the impacts of all activities and outcomes associated with producing and consuming plastic materials, products, and services.

This approach is key to enabling the global systemic change and collaboration that experts say are needed to curb plastic pollution. Using a life-cycle approach, we can identify the changes needed across all stages of a product’s life cycle to reduce the ubiquity of plastic pollution.

What actions can we take?

Products should be designed to be reused, recycled, and made with recycled content to limit the presence of plastics in the environment as much as possible.

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Tanvi Sharma)

Businesses can practice corporate responsibility by avoiding energy-intensive processes and switching to renewable energy. Plastics should also be free of hazardous chemicals.

Consumers can opt for reusable products to be used and reused as much as possible, ensuring they are efficiently washed and demanding that they are properly recycled. They can also play an important role in boycotting certain plastic products and advocating for businesses and governments to take stricter action on plastic use.

Governments need to be involved across all stages of plastic products’ life cycle and take actions to move to a new plastics economy, to eliminate, innovate and circulate. These include incentivizing reuse, banning unnecessary plastic packaging and products, investing in recycling infrastructure, and committing to partnerships that tackle existing plastic pollution. Raising awareness and promoting circularity can also be impactful.

What progress has been made towards adopting a circular economy for plastic?

In addition to the Global Commitment, world leaders agreed on a historic resolution to forge a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution by 2024 at the resumed fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly in March.

The resolution addressed the full life cycle of plastic and established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC). The first INC meeting, to be held in Uruguay from 28 November to 2 December 2022, will see countries begin the process of negotiating the agreement.

In conjunction with the meeting, UNEP will host a multi-stakeholder forum on 26 November to provide a platform for all stakeholders to provide input to the negotiations.

“The linear plastic economy is at the basis of the plastic pollution crisis,” says Aggarwal-Khan. “While the best solution differs by region, ultimately, following a life-cycle approach can set us on the path to circularity and combating the scourge of plastic pollution; additionally, a circular system change scenario will generate more and better jobs and bring significant economic savings.”

Pollution & Waste

To fight the pervasive impact of pollution on society, UNEP launched #BeatPollution, a strategy for rapid, large-scale and coordinated action against air, land and water pollution. The strategy highlights the impact of pollution on climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and human health. Through science-based messaging, the campaign showcases how transitioning to a pollution-free planet is vital for future generations.

Source: UNEP

Development of the Electricity Network as a Key to a Greater Regional RES Integration

27.07.2022

mhe-mala hidroelektrana — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Dan Meyers)

This process is unstoppable in developed countries, but despite the odds and good preconditions we have in this region to a more active approach to green transformation, the process is moving insignificantly. It is true that the interest for more significant investments in renewable energy sources exists, but this stream mainly comes from foreign and private investors.

Electrical companies, mostly state-owned, are still dozing peacefully, living at the expense of power plants built in Tito’s era. Mass integration of renewable energy sources is a systemic challenge, and proactive work of electrical companies and an understanding of the state apparatus that enacts legal regulations is required. Everyone must set this as imperative to establish a flexible power system that, under real conditions of production and consumption, should ensure stable operation.

A clear vision for energy transformation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is needed

Once the energy transition comes to the agenda, we should be aware that it is an inevitable process that has to start not tomorrow, not today, but yesterday. The energy transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina is sadly a small talk subject, and very little seems to be done in its implementation. All adopted plans and planned reforms of the energy transition are mainly the results of political and economic pressures from abroad. The pressure to implement the energy transition should be accepted as a chance for the modernization and development of the energy sector.

In focus:

To begin with, it is necessary to define the vision of where the electricity sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina should be positioned in 2030 and 2050. When you have a clear vision, all government structures, companies, and individuals should actively fulfill their obligations to achieve this vision.

Along the way, conventional energy, dominated by fossil fuels, must be transformed into modern energy, now dominated by renewable energy sources. Indeed, to speed up these processes, all positive practices should be used, and mistakes from countries in transition should be avoided.

RES is unpredictable, and that is a problem for the system

Solar energy is a gift of God and should be used to the maximum. Technological advances have made it possible to convert solar energy into electricity using solar and wind power plants. The unpredictability of energy production from these sources creates a problem in the power system, especially regarding large power plants. However, these problems are not uncommon all over the globe, and we should not run away from them and leave them to generations to come but focus on solving them.

A very efficient domestic solution could be the combination of solar power plants, wind power plants, and hydroelectric power plants. Bosnia and Herzegovina have very good preconditions for developing such a hybrid power system. That is why it is essential that, in addition to the great interest in the construction of solar and wind power plants, we keep the focus on the use of our hydro potentials. Although the public has a misconception about hydropower, in the future, there will be no reliant electricity system without hydropower components.

Electricity storage is one of the biggest challenges

The concepts of electricity storage in some special cases are well known in theory and practice; therefore, increasing their capacity and popularization are prerequisites for creating an ideal electricity sector. With the mass integration of renewable energy sources into the electricity system, energy “deficits” and “surpluses” are inevitable, and that’s why the management of the electricity system becomes an even greater challenge.

It is the very storage of electricity that plays a key role in solving this problem, and a future modern concept of the electricity system is required where energy storage becomes an equal participant along with the sources and consumers.

The problems could be solved in one of three ways: by balancing the energy in the network by building new production facilities, storing energy, and applying the concept of micro-networks. The topic of balancing energy in the grid is often mentioned as a key challenge in variable production from renewable energy sources. Hydro power plants, especially the technology of reversible hydroelectric power plants, is the most efficient way to solve the problem of balancing. All positive experiences from such systems can be seen in the example of HPP “Čapljina” (BiH), which is the oldest reversible hydroelectric power plant in the former Yugoslavia.

The construction of such facilities should be a priority, but due to the large financial resources required for their construction, this is not the case. Therefore, the controlled use of hydro potential should continue to be the focus of the development within the sector, provided the adoption of adequate legislation that will tighten measures for environmental impact assessment in issuing environmental permits.

dr. sc. Senad Huseinbegović

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

EU Solar Set to Save Additional 4.6 BCM Gas in 2022

27.07.2022

Beč_solarni_sistem — Foto: Facebook (screenshot)

Photo: Courtesy of Valburga Hemetsberger

As the European Commission launches its solidarity action to reduce gas consumption this winter, SolarPower Europe reveals the bloc is set to exceed even the highest projections of solar power generation in 2022. Around 39 GW of additional EU solar will be rolled-out before the end of the year, equivalent to 4.6 BCM of Russian gas.

Wednesday 20th July 2022, Brussels: The European Commission has proposed a regulation that sets a voluntary target to reduce gas demand by 15 per cent between 1 August 2022 and 31 March 2023.

The ‘Save Gas for a Safe Winter’ plan would also give the Commission the possibility to declare, after Member State consultation, a mandatory gas demand reduction. The move follows the ear in Ukraine, and is in response to the Kremlin’s weaponisation of energy supply.

The European Commission also points to fuel-switching measures to pre-emptively save gas, including the switch to renewables and solar.

“The role of renewables must continue to be accelerated. As the IMF has recently studied, the cost of transition to renewables is lower than continuing with fossil fuel”, said European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans speaking at the publication of the proposal.

SolarPower Europe‘s mid-year analysis shows that European solar is set to overshoot even our highest deployment projections for 2022, and support the continent’s shift from gas. After breaking a decade-long installation record in 2021 with 27 GW, 2022 is set to see 39 GW of new European solar capacity. 39 GW of additional solar replaces the equivalent of 4.6 BCM of gas.

“Every megawatt of energy generated by solar and renewables is fewer fossil fuels we need from Russia. European solar is rolling out as fast as possible in anticipation of a difficult winter.”

“For this winter, and every winter that follows, Europe needs full focus and attention on accelerating renewables. A real challenge the sector is facing is a critical skills shortage – we risk not having the number of installers and project developers that we need. This cannot be overlooked in strategic planning for European energy security”, said Dries Acke, Policy Director at SolarPower Europe.

Today’s proposal will now go to energy ministers from EU member states, when it will be voted on at next week’s Extraordinary Energy Council meeting (Tuesday 26th).

Source: SolarPower Europe

Cooperation with Hungary in Field of Renewable Hydrogen

26.07.2022

hydrogen-hidrogen — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic and Hungarian Minister of Technology and Industry László Palkovics signed a Memorandum of understanding in the field of renewable hydrogen between the two ministries.

After the signing of the Memorandum at the Serbian government, Mihajlovic said that Serbia and Hungary have excellent political and bilateral relations and added that Hungary is an important trade partner of Serbia, the third largest of all EU states and the sixth of all countries in the world.

That is a good basis for the improvement of cooperation in the field of energy too, where we haven’t stopped on the gas supply only, but we want to cooperate in the process of energy transition too. We believe Hungary can help us become even more efficient in that process. Regardless of all that is happening, and regardless of the energy crisis in Europe and the world, we cannot avoid energy transition because that is a step towards greater energy security, Mihajlovic underlined.

She pointed out that in new energy laws, green hydrogen is recognised as a renewable source of energy and that the Hydrogen Strategy will be an integral part of a new strategy of development of the energy sector in Serbia.

The Memorandum we have just signed is a basis for exchanging documents and talking about potential joint projects. We are proud that we in Serbia have already created legal conditions for the use of hydrogen and I hope that we will be able to present more concretely the advantages of using hydrogen, she said.

Palkovics said that the issues of energy availability, access and costs are the crucial questions in the world today, to which the question of energy independence has been added.

He said that the field for which the Memorandum was signed today includes important issues such as production, storage and transport of hydrogen, and that Hungary, which already has certain experiences, is ready to share its strategies and regulations with Serbia, as well as investment plans and projects.

The two ministers recalled good cooperation achieved in the transportation sector and agreed that they expect the successful cooperation to continue in the field of energy too.

The signing of the Memorandum was preceded by a meeting of delegations of the two ministries, which was attended by Hungarian Ambassador to Serbia Attila Pinter.

Source: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

Joint working group of Serbia, Albania, Northern Macedonia for energy cooperation

26.07.2022

Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic announced in Tirana that the relevant ministers from Northern Macedonia and Albania accepted Serbia’s initiative to form a joint working group for cooperation in the energy crisis and on strategic projects.

Mihajlovic, who spoke on the panel on energy security at the meeting of the Crisis Mitigation Group as part of the “Open Balkans” initiative, said that for the energy security of the region in the conditions of the national crisis, a community is needed for cooperation.

She said that there is no reason not to talk about connecting the market and joint balancing, which is needed in all countries of the region.

According to her, we will start working within the working group from next week and that we will present a proposal for joint investments to the presidents, that is, the prime ministers of our countries.

Mihajlovic reminded that Serbia has passed new laws in the field of energy, most of the by-laws, the drafting of strategic documents is nearing completion and it has a new investment plan.

The construction of gas interconnections with Bulgaria is underway, which will enable the diversification of supply sources, and we plan to connect with other neighbours as well, primarily Northern Macedonia and Romania, she said.

At the same time, we are interested in the possibilities of better cooperation and connection with Albania, when it comes to the planned LNG terminal, as well as for better connection in the region when it comes to the high-voltage network. All these interconnections enable greater energy stability not only for Serbia, but also for the region, the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Source: Serbian Government

“This heatwave is the new normal”, WMO Secretary-General says

25.07.2022

landscape-klimatske promene — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

“We have broken an all-time high in the UK”, said Petteri Taalas, WMO Secretary-General. “Heatwaves will happen more frequently because of climate change. The connection has been clearly demonstrated by IPCC”.

Stable high pressures, and hence the heatwave, are here to last for several days. This Tuesday was expected to be the hottest day of the year so far in France. Expected temperatures ranged from 36°C to 40°C with almost all parts of the country in heatwave alert, according to Météo France.

“The heatwave will continue at least until the middle of next week with continued high temperatures in much of Western Europe”, said Bob Stefanski, chief of Applied Climate Services at WMO. “This is alarming with over 40 days to go in the meteorological summer.”

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Europe was 48°C (Greece, 1977). A suspected new record may have occurred in 2021 (48.8°C in Sicily) and is being reviewed by WMO.

The new normal

“In the future, this kind of heatwaves are going to be normal. We will see stronger extremes. We have pumped so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that the negative trend will continue for decades. We haven’t been able to reduce our emissions globally” SG Taalas lamented. “I hope that this will be a wake-up call for governments and that it will have an impact on voting behaviors in democratic countries”, he said.

“I hope that this event will be a wake-up call for governments and that it will have an impact on voting behaviors in democratic countries”

According to IPCC, temperatures will rise more quickly in European areas than elsewhere. In the Mediterranean, a worrisome combination of climatic impact-driver changes (warming; temperature extremes; increase in droughts and aridity; precipitation decrease; wildifire increase; mean and extreme sea levels; snow cover decrease; and wind speed decrease) is expected by mid-century if global warming exceeds 2°C.

The IPCC Special Report on Extremes also shows that heatwaves will be more frequent, longer and more intense in the 21st century. Early warning systems and reinforced health systems will be needed.

Pollution & health

“Stable, stagnant atmosphere traps atmospheric pollutants, including particulate matter, resulting in a degradation of air quality. Sun rays lead to ozone formation. Both impact health, particularly among vulnerable people, and also impact vegetal life“, said Bob Stefanski

Health systems are challenged by heatwaves. “When a heatwave goes along with high levels of pollution it exacerbates respiratory, cardiovascular diseases and conditions especially in large urban spaces that are not adapted to cope with these high temperatures,” said Maria Neira, Director of Environment and Health at WHO. “We have been alerting for a long time that climate change is severely affecting human health and therefore taking measures to reach the zero carbon and accelerating the transition to clean renewable sources of energy will be extremely important.”

Source: WMO

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