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EBRD to Invest in Lamda’s Green Bond in Greece

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has successfully participated in a green bond issued by Lamda Development in Greece, investing 20 million euros in the total 230 million euros offering.

Lamda is the largest Greek real-estate developer and owner of The Ellinikon, the largest urban regeneration project in Greece and one of the largest in Europe, which aims to transform the former Athens International Airport in the area of Ellinikon into a sustainable and fully integrated commercial, residential and hospitality area open to the public.

The proceeds of the bond issue will fund sustainability elements of The Ellinikon, including green buildings and infrastructure, green energy and smart-city technologies.

Lamda will invest the EBRD’s proceeds in financing green-certified assets, achieving at least Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) “Gold” or BREEAM “Very Good” certification.

The green bond is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange (ΑΤΗΕΧ) and aligned with the International Capital Market Association’s Green Bond Principles. The issuance, taking place in the current market environment, shows the debt capital market’s resilience and contributes to its development and long-term financial viability, promoting environmental aspirations through a dedicated green finance instrument that strengthens corporate climate governance.

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Vlaho Kojakovic, EBRD Head of Property and Tourism, said: “We are delighted to contribute to Lamda’s path towards a low-carbon trajectory and the realisation of an investment plan focused on sustainability and climate resilience, through a tailored capital markets tool. The Ellinikon is a flagship project for the sector’s transition to a high-specification, smart and sustainable building and infrastructure landscape, offering a versatile land-use mix and having significant economic, societal and environmental implications for a much wider area.

Odisseas Athanasiou, CEO of Lamda Development, said: “We are very pleased with the EBRD’s participation in our first ever green Greek listed bond. This transaction further cements our relationship with the EBRD, which we consider a strong partner in our journey to make The Ellinikon a benchmark project for sustainability and smart living. The great reception of this bond by our investors is testament to the trust and confidence in our commitment to provide all of society, in a responsible way, with the highest standards of living in an urban environment.”

In 2019, the Bank invested 22.7 million euros in Lamda’s equity issuance to support the development of The Ellinikon.

To date, the EBRD has invested more than 5.8 billion euros in 91 projects in the corporate, financial, energy and infrastructure sectors of the Greek economy.

Source: EBRD

Serbia Will Be Fully Recognised as Country of New Technologies

Photo: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic expressed her belief that the BIO4 campus will further strengthen our economy, raise the average salary and pension level, and ensure that young people stay in Serbia, but also that many move to our country to work in the most challenging projects in biotechnology.

At the presentation of the conceptual design of the BIO 4 campus in the government building, Brnabic pointed out that construction is expected to begin next year, and occupancy is planned for 2025.

According to her, when we succeed in this intention, Serbia will be a country that no one will ever be able to stop and that will be fully recognised as a country of new technologies, knowledge and innovation and one of the most important European centres when it comes to new technologies.

The Prime Minister added that this will ensure that we have a high level of quality of life, which is not only reflected in the fact that we will have higher salaries, adding that BIO4 is a huge visionary project that has been worked on for more than 18 months.

Brnabic pointed out that the construction of this campus will cost EUR 190 million and that EUR 100 million will be invested in equipment, noting that the money will probably be secured from a loan from the Development Bank of the Council of Europe.

The future is in two fields – artificial intelligence and biotechnology, and the BIO4 campus introduces these two new fields to our country. If we manage to do that, and I have no doubt that we will, then the sky’s the limit for Serbia, she said, adding that Serbia is not the same country as it was in 2012 or 2015 and that more and more foreign companies are coming to our country.

According to her, there are already companies that are interested in opening their development centres for biotechnology and want to be tenants of the BIO4 campus.

The Prime Minister emphasized that BIO4 is an upgrade of what the government, in cooperation with the educational and scientific system, has been doing since 2016, when the beginning of the transformation of our economy into an economy based on knowledge, innovation and new technologies was announced.

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Since then, we have built four science and technology parks, a network of start-up centres in Serbia, the most modern data centre for data storage and reforms in the education system, primarily by introducing programming, we have managed to attract a large number of the most prestigious foreign companies that have chosen Serbia as the place where they open its development and research centres, the Prime Minister stated.

Brnabic presented that the company NCR in Serbia has built its largest campus for development and research outside the USA, that Microsoft is going to make their research centre in Serbia the main development centre in Europe that will employ several thousand people in the coming years.

Also, French Schneider Electric has its largest development centre in Novi Sad, Epik bought Serbia’s Trilateral, one of the most successful start-up companies in the world, she emphasised.

She pointed out that the IT sector has become the fastest growing sector of our economy and the largest export sector in Serbia, specifying that the export of IT services has increased three times in the last six years.

In the first four months of this year, it is equal to our export of IT services in 2016, and we believe that this year it will exceed 2.5 billion euros, said the Prime Minister.

Brnabic emphasised that since 2016, Serbia has more than doubled the number of programmers from 19,000 to more than 40,000, and expressed her belief that we will soon reach the number of 100,000 programmers.

The Prime Minister reminded us that we retain developers by enabling the development of more and more start-up companies, by increasing innovation funds that invest in start-ups, and by adjusting legislation.

As she stated, 2021 was a record year for the number of start-ups and investments in them, and more and more development centres are opening, so in addition to keeping our own, foreigners are also coming.

The BIO4 campus will house three faculties – Biology, Pharmacy and the Bioengineering Group of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy.

The campus will house eight scientific institutes, the Extension of the Science and Technology Park and research centres of private companies.

Source: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

New Version of Solar Car Emilia4 Being Prepared in Cooperation Of Serbia and Italy

Photo: Printscreen/Youtube (Mobil Auto TV)

It is called Emilia4 and it is the symbol of the day dedicated to sustainable mobility as selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy. It is a solar electric car, which runs on solar energy, and it was produced by Alma Mater Studorium – University of Bologna as part of the project of bilateral scientific cooperation with Serbia, co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy. The car was exhibited to the public at the ministry’s yard.

As the name suggests, Emilia4 is a car with four seats, which, in the version optimized for long races, travels at 65 km/h, and it is powered by two electric engines, which consume energy equivalent to a regular hairdryer of 1,200 watts, used in households, according to the website of the Embassy of Italy in Serbia.

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Thanks to its unique characteristics and performances, the vehicle triumphed at the event American Solar Challenge 2018 and European Solar Challenge 2021, contests reserved for vehicles which are powered exclusively by solar energy, so, without external battery charging, developed by universities and technical colleges worldwide.

This is an excellent result at the end of the project which included all car components to the end of achieving maximum energy efficiency: structure optimization in the sense of weight and power, also, thanks to the innovative solutions and materials, solar panels, highly efficient and light batteries and electric engines, as well as a careful studying of aerodynamics.

Above all, at these tech challenges, cooperation developed with the Faculty of Applied Arts of the University of Arts in Belgrade, whose skill in studying aerodynamics essentially contributed to the success of the project – it is added.

While waiting for the new version of the solar car, which the researchers are working on, Emilia4 was also presented to the Serbian public in May during the Eco BG Car Show 2022 at the exhibition stand of the Faculty of Applied Arts of the University of Arts in Belgrade.

Source: eKapija

Global Energy and Climate Leaders Meet in Sydney to Strengthen Clean Energy Technology Supply Chains

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Global energy and climate leaders are meeting this week at the Sydney Energy Forum, which is co-hosted by the Australian Government and the IEA, to discuss how to scale up and strengthen supply chains for the clean energy technologies needed for a secure and affordable transition to net zero emissions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia opened the event, with high-level participants including IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol; Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen; US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm; Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda; Samoan Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster; Indian Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh; and Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif. Top leaders from industry and finance also took part.

The discussions at the Sydney Energy Forum on 12-13 July reflect the importance of international dialogue and cooperation for achieving energy security and climate goals – and the central role of the IEA in these efforts. Governments around the world are seeking to bring greenhouse gas emissions down to net zero and limit the worst effects of climate change. This is set to redefine global energy security to include the supply of the minerals, materials and manufacturing capacity needed to deliver clean energy technologies.

The pressure on these supply chains from Covid-related lockdowns has been compounded by war in Ukraine, with supply disruptions and soaring prices affecting a wide range of key commodities. This turmoil risks undermining the pace of clean energy transitions, such as by hindering the production of EVs or the deployment of renewables, calling for astute action by governments to counter these challenges.

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“To durably address the challenges we’re facing from today’s global energy crisis, we need an immediate and massive expansion of clean energy technologies to build a resilient and affordable energy system,” Dr Birol said. “Establishing secure and sustainable supply chains for these technologies is essential, so I’m very pleased that decision-makers from around the world have come together for these discussions led by the Australian Government and the IEA to strengthen international action.”

To inform the conversations at the Sydney Energy Forum, the IEA has published a series of new studies, including a Special Report on Solar PV Global Supply Chains and an analysis of Global Supply Chains of EV Batteries. The issues affecting different technologies are brought together in the cross-cutting Securing Clean Energy Technology Supply Chains report, which assesses current and future supply chain needs for key technologies – including solar PV, EV batteries and low emissions hydrogen – and provides a framework for governments and industry to identify, assess and respond to emerging opportunities and vulnerabilities. That report is a precursor to the 2023 edition of Energy Technology Perspectives, an IEA flagship publication, which will present detailed analysis on what is needed to develop and expand a range of clean energy technology supply chains to achieve net zero emissions.

Photo-Ilustration: Pixabay (paulbr75)

Reflecting the IEA’s growing role in this space, IEA member governments mandated the Agency in March to work on steps to improve the security of global supplies of critical minerals needed for clean energy transitions, making this a major expanding area of work.

The Securing Clean Energy Technology Supply Chains report contains specific insights for the Indo-Pacific region, which is home to many major raw material producers such as Australia for lithium and Indonesia for nickel. The report identifies five pillars for governments and industry action: Diversify, Accelerate, Innovate, Collaborate and Invest. It recommends improving the efficiency and speed of permitting and approvals for clean energy projects and critical mineral production, while maintaining high environmental and labour standards. It also calls for coordinated measures to bolster supply chain resilience including consideration of stockpiles for critical minerals, as has been done for oil for half a century, and promoting robust recycling industries to reduce demand for raw materials.

The report recommends increasing and prioritising investment in research, development and demonstration to spawn technologies and manufacturing processes that rely on smaller quantities of critical minerals or on a more diversified mix, as well as in training to ensure an appropriately skilled workforce along clean energy technology supply chains.

Source: IEA

Energy Crisis And Changes In Serbia

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Fre Sonneveld)
Photo: Ministry of mining and energy

The challenges stirred by the energy crisis in Europe require urgent measures and bold decisions to embrace some more energy-efficient times as effortlessly as possible. We need to think promptly about how to ensure energy security, provide more green energy, and how to rationally spend it.

Although the supply of oil and gas is still uninterrupted, and the state has plans in place for potential crisis situations that would lead to disruption of the supply chain, it is important to establish diversification of suppliers on which energy stability directly depends.

The Minister of Mining and Energy, Zorana Mihajlović, recently explained that we are currently completely dependent on Russian gas but that the possibility of obtaining gas from other suppliers is opening. The latter will be possible with the completion of the interconnection with Bulgaria, which is due in September next year.

“Our task is to conduct Serbian politics in the interest of Serbia, leaving the emotions aside. Let’s see when and how much gas we can get and reserve capacities for next year. The moment we get another supplier, we will become safer,” the minister said.

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More green energy – it’s Elektroprivreda’s turn now

The Ministry of Mining and Energy has created all the conditions for more green energy, but when it comes down to installing solar panels on the house roofs, EPS is still not doing its part, Mihajlović stated.

She pointed out that the Ministry started projects of allocating subsidies to households last year for the installation of solar panels. However, the problem is that “Elektroprivreda” still does not sign contracts with citizens.

“We did everything necessary. We passed laws, simplified procedures, and then we stopped because EPS is not doing its part”, said Mihajlović in Smederevska Palanka, where she visited the households that participated in the energy efficiency project.

She recently emphasized that greater use of RES in energy production is a way to become energy sufficient, independent, and secure and that if we do not change the structure of the energy mix, we will not have enough energy in the future, which will pose a threat to national security.

The goal is that all households replace carpentry

In early 2022, the Ministry of Mining and Energy announced a new public call for replacing carpentry and installing solar panels in cities and municipalities. The state has allocated 230 million euros to increase energy efficiency in 2022, and since the funds are in place, Mihajlović hopes that all citizens will be able to replace carpentry.

She also announced relief funds for devastated municipalities and socially endangered groups who will reduce their electricity bills by 20 to 30 per cent by replacing carpentry.

“Increasing energy efficiency at the national level means saving 50 million kilowatt-hours per year, which, more importantly, in return gives 300,000 tons less of carbon dioxide emissions”, the minister said.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (American Public Power Association)

We need to change our attitude towards energy

The government will provide sufficient energy reserves for the next winter season, but that will not come easy or cheap; that’s why the citizens of Serbia must start saving and using energy more rationally.

“Serbia will have to make certain decisions, and we will all have to participate in the rationalization process. We are prepared for every scenario, but the question is how much it will cost because there is no such thing as cheap energy”, Mihajlović emphasized.

According to her, diversification of gas suppliers is a priority for Serbia. With the completion of the interconnection with Bulgaria, we will have the opportunity to receive gas from LNG terminals in Greece or Azerbaijan. One of the steps toward secure supply is connecting with Northern Macedonia and Romania.

Energy portal

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

Future With Fewer Challenges and More Megawatts Installed

Photo: New Energy Solutions

Projects such as the wind farm “Kovačica” with 104.5 megawatts installed and implemented by the company New Energy Solutions positively impact our country’s energy and environmental sector. Thanks to this, Serbia is approaching its plan to have 40 percent of its production in the energy mix by 2040 from RES.

The usage of solar and wind energy in Serbia’s energy mix today is only 3.5 percent. The only way for our country to be energy safe are further investments in RES. Therefore we have prepared the interview about investments and future wind farm projects with Miloš Perišić, Director of Engineering from New Energy Solutions. 

EP: With the accomplishment of the wind farm “Kovačica” project, the largest investment in the mentioned municipality was realized. Would you highlight this as the most significant project in the first 10 years of the company’s operation? 

Miloš Perišić: New Energy Solutions has been expanding in recent years. It is already one of the most important factors in the field of renewable sources in Serbia and the region. The expectations of the management and all employees in NES are high, so the realization of projects that will surpass even a project such as WPP “Kovačica” is planned, which is undoubtedly the most important project in the first 10 years of the company’s work. However, we are also sure that the projects ahead of us will surpass the success achieved by realizing that project.

In focus:

EP: Do you have data on the overall reduction of CO2 emissions and other benefits this project has brought? 

Miloš Perišić: The average electricity production from the wind farm “Kovačica” is about 298,000 MWh. If we assume that this production reduces the share of electricity production obtained from the thermal power plant, we come to a reduction in CO2 emissions by about 250,000 tons per year. We are sure that the positive effect of the “Kovačica” wind farm project is also reflected in the increase in the income of the local community with which we have exceptional cooperation. 

EP: New Energy Solutions is also working on developing the wind farm “Pupin” for the same Investor, the Israeli company Enlight. What can you tell us about this project? What stage is it currently in? 

Photo: New Energy Solutions

Miloš Perišić: Successful cooperation established with “Enlight”, a world-renowned company in the field of renewable sources, continues on the wind farm “Pupin” project. The fact that the company “Enlight” wishes to continue very successful cooperation through new projects is a great honor and recognition of our work. “Pupin” wind farm is a natural continuation of the “Kovačica” wind farm project. The installed capacity is 95.5 megawatts. A planning document was prepared and adopted, location conditions were provided, and a building permit was obtained. Activities are underway to provide appropriate permits for supporting infrastructure, which primarily refers to the connection to the transmission system, which is realized by the joint efforts of Elektromreža Srbije AD as the Investor of this part of the project and the company New Energy Solutions. 

EP: Investors are announcing investments in green energy power plants with the capacity of a few hundred megawatts to even a few gigawatts. Do you think EMS is ready to connect new wind farms to the network? What is the current situation? 

Miloš Perišić: According to publicly available information on the website of EMS AD, at the moment, there are requests for the connection of over 13 gigawatts from power plants that use renewable energy sources. If we take into account that about 390 megawatts of electricity from wind power plants are currently connected and that the total installed capacity of all power plants in Serbia is about 8 gigawatts, it is clear that EMS AD is currently unable to provide the capacity to cover all the existing requirements. However, the essential question is how much capacity of 13 gigawatts is realistic, what are the deadlines and whether all those power plants will be built. The joint-stock company Elektromreža Srbije has been working for a long time on the realization of a project that will enable the connection of power plants from renewable sources in a very serious and significant capacity. Also, I am sure that EMS AD will provide timely preconditions for connecting all power plants that will be built in the coming period.

Interviewed by: Milica Marković

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

Tonight is the ceremonial opening of the first section of the highway in Montenegro

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (G R Mottez)

The first section of the Bar-Boljara highway, from Smokovac to Mateševo, will be officially opened today on Montenegro Day. This road will officially be in use from 8 a.m. on July 14, and for the next seven days, until 8 a.m. on July 21, the toll will be free, according to the Government of Montenegro.

The first Montenegrin highway will facilitate the journey to the sea for all tourists and residents of this country. The Smokovac-Mataševo section is 41.5 kilometers long, with 20 bridges on the main route, nine bridges on loop ramps, two overpasses, eight underpasses, 7.2 kilometers of concrete walls, 16 double-tube tunnels.

The total length of the tunnel is 17.7 kilometers, which is about 43 percent of the length of the priority section of the highway.

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The section has four interchanges, with toll ramps, on which the highway is connected to the existing state. These are the Smokovac, Pelev Brijeg, Veruša and Mateševo ​​loops.

The maximum speed on the highway is 100 kilometers per hour, and there are three lanes available after the toll booth.

Energy portal

ABB Opens Global Innovation And Training Campus For Machine Automation At B&R In Austria

Photo: ABB

ABB opened its new global innovation and training campus at the headquarters of B&R in Eggelsberg, Austria, its global center for machine and factory automation. The new campus will create up to 1,000 additional high-tech jobs and includes world-class research and development laboratories, as well as global training facilities for up to 4,000 people per year in collaboration with universities. ABB invested EUR 100 million in the expansion of the B&R headquarters.

Campus innovations around artificial intelligence and machine and factory automation will play an essential role in unlocking the potential of future industrial production – in sectors such as electronics, e-mobility, food and beverage, recycling, logistics, or agriculture. They will increase productivity and flexibility, helping customers become more sustainable and produce closer to their end markets.

ABB CEO Björn Rosengren said: “Innovation has been in ABB’s DNA for more than 130 years and our division, B&R, is a true innovation hot-spot for the transformation towards more automated manufacturing. The official opening of this campus is a proud moment for our ABB as we create highly-skilled jobs while shaping the machines and factories of the future together with our customers.”

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A hub for integrated production, research, and training in central Europe

The new campus expands the total area of B&R’s headquarters to more than 100,000 m², making B&R one of the largest sites for integrated production, research, and training in central Europe, with currently around 2,400 employees. The expansion will also free up space which will serve as additional production capacity to meet increasing demand for B&R products.

Photo: ABB

Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked ABB for an important initiative: “Investments in our business location are always also investments in the future of Austria. The corona pandemic, disruptions in global supply chains and now the war in Ukraine clearly remind us that we need to become more independent if we want to be better prepared for future challenges. I am therefore pleased that ABB is taking an important step in bringing manufacturing back home with the opening of its new innovation and training campus. The new campus will not only be a driver for digitalisation and automation, but also will create jobs and contribute to prosperity in Austria.”

In a rapidly changing world, facilities such as the new ABB global campus are of utmost importance to Austria’s role in the global economy and generate growth as a center for innovation and investment. The ever-growing digitalization and automation of our industries will be key for the re-industrialization of Europe and also for bringing manufacturing back to Austria. By homeshoring industry, we are creating new jobs, securing Europe’s supply chain and seizing the opportunities for a more sustainable future.”

Sami Atiya, President of ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation business area, added, “This is a decade of transformation towards robotics and automation as our customers respond to global labor and supply shortages, accelerating consumer demand for personalized products and the need to operate more sustainably. ABB’s new campus will serve as a customer collaboration center where we work with customers around the globe, helping them to respond to these trends and supporting B&R in becoming the partner of choice for the world’s most ambitious industrial automation projects.”

According to ABB research, 8 out of 10 companies in Europe and the U.S. are planning to further automate and 7 out of 10 to near- or reshore their production. The global addressable market volume for machine and factory automation is currently estimated at 20 USD billion p.a. and is expected to increase to 31 USD billion p.a. by the year 2030.

With the acquisition of B&R in 2017, ABB is the only company offering industrial automation customers the entire range of integrated hardware and software solutions around control, actuation, robotics, sensing as well as analytics and electrification.

Open innovation and education hub to develop and train together

The ABB innovation and training campus will serve as an open innovation hub, where B&R will closely collaborate with international customers, companies, and start-ups from across the region, as well as research and educational institutions to co-develop automation solutions and train the talents needed for the factories of the future.

Photo: ABB

“We are currently experiencing a record number of job vacancies in Austria. At the same time, more people are currently employed than ever before. This makes it all the more important to counteract the skills gap that can be felt in Europe in order to keep pace with the digital transformation and seize the chances it provides. B&R’s new campus with its dual training program is an important example of how to bring European manufacturing companies to the forefront of the world with skilling initiatives and innovation in order to successfully meet current economic and societal challenges,” said Austria’s Minister of Labor Martin Kocher.

Jörg Theis, President of B&R, said: “Education will be given highest priority at the campus. Our Automation Academy will offer inspiration and training opportunities for up to 4,000 students, apprentices, customers’ experts and employees from all around the world every year.” Theis added that B&R plans to offer dual education at the university level in collaboration with higher education institutions.

B&R unveils new brand identity

With the new campus, B&R has also unveiled a new brand identity creating a visual connection between B&R and ABB. “Our new visual design underscores ABB’s strong commitment to B&R as a category brand and shows the strength of B&R and ABB as we grow together and work together. Being part of that bigger family creates many new possibilities for every employee to proactively shape their career,” said Theis.

Sustainable campus with one of the largest self-consumption PV systems in Austria

As part of its sustainability strategy 2030, ABB expects to achieve carbon neutrality across its own operations by the end of the decade. At B&R, ABB has installed one of the largest self-consumption photovoltaic (PV) systems in Austria. Additional PV modules on the campus will now increase the total output to 1.8 MW. The self-consumption rate is approximately 98 percent.

More than 110 years of history in the Austrian industry

ABB has operated in Austria for more than 110 years and has a proud history in the Austrian industry – from electrification to railways and powering ski-lifts to robotics and process automation. The acquisition of B&R in 2017 made ABB the largest supplier of industrial automation in Austria.

B&R, founded in 1979 by Erwin Bernecker and Josef Rainer, is headquartered in Eggelsberg, Upper Austria. Today, B&R is a world-leading solution provider in the automation of machines and factories and the global ABB Machine Automation division of ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation business area. Overall, the ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation business area employs more than 11,000 people at over 100 locations in more than 53 countries.

Source: ABB

Mutual Support of Serbia, Republika Srpska in Terms of Market Supply

Photo: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke at a working lunch with Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Radovan Viskovic about topics related to energy, supplying the market with food products, and specific joint projects with Republika Srpska.

Brnabic pointed out that energy supply is an issue of special interest, both for Serbia and for the region, and assessed that it is necessary to achieve a common, regional approach in order to ensure the necessary energy for the upcoming winter.

The Prime Minister stated that the Open Balkans initiative is a good platform for solving this issue in the interest of the entire region.

Viskovic pointed out that Republika Srpska is trying to secure all the necessary resources needed for the winter in light of the current situation on the world market.

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Prime Minister Brnabic said that at the moment several vital projects are underway, on which Serbia and Republika Srpska are working together, the most important of which are in the field of energy and infrastructure.

The officials reached an agreement on further coordination in implementing these projects and mutual support in the matter of supplying the market with necessary products essential for citizens.

Source: The Government of the Republic of Serbia

June was “3rd warmest on record”

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The globe just had the third warmest June on record, according to Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, with widespread episodes of extreme heat. Antarctic sea ice was the lowest on record for the month of June.

The monthly report by Copernicus/ECMWF (European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts)  is part of international network of climate monitoring activities by the WMO community which underpin WMO’s State of the Global Climate reports.

Global climate in June: 3rd warmest on record

The monthly mean temperature for Europe was the second highest on record. Southern parts of the continent from the Iberian Peninsula across France and into Italy most affected. Daily maximum temperatures in Spain, France, and Italy soared above 40°C and the extreme heat exacerbated the ongoing drought conditions in the Po river basin.

Numerous June temperature records were broken across France and Spain, with Biarritz, France, and San Sebastián, Spain, being two prime examples.

This heat also extended across North Africa, where Tunisia equalled its monthly temperature record. Also, at Banak in northern Norway, a daily maximum temperature of 32.5°C was recorded, which if confirmed, would be a new June record for the county in which it is situated.

Above-average temperatures were also found across Siberia and large parts of Asia, where heatwaves in central and northern China led to increased electricity demand. Temperatures of greater than 35°C were recorded for five days in a row in Tokyo, Japan, which is a record. In North America, high temperatures occurred in Texas, with Houston having its hottest June on record; San Antonio suffered from this extreme heat too. The Middle East also saw above-average temperatures.

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Drought

In June 2022, a large part of Europe experienced lower-than-average precipitation, including over the UK, Ireland, Italy, much of the Iberian Peninsula and over a large region stretching from the northern Balkans across eastern Europe and over north-western Russia. In the Po Valley, in northern Italy, the continuing drought is affecting river transport, agriculture and energy management. Conversely, precipitation was higher than average over most of France, Iceland, regions of central Europe, western Russia, the southern Balkans and Turkey, according to the Copernicus Hydrological Bulletin.

Sea ice

Temperatures in June were much higher than average over large parts of Antarctica.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Antarctic sea ice extent reached 12.6 million km2 on average, 1.2 million km2 (9 per cent) below the 1991-2020 average for June. This is the lowest extent for June in the 44-year satellite data record and is marginally lower than the value for June 2019 (second-lowest), according to the Copernicus report.

It is noteworthy that 2019 and 2022 were separated by near-average June values in 2020 and 2022, highlighting the large interannual variability that has often characterized the Antarctic sea ice data record since 1979.

The monthly average Arctic sea ice extent in June 2022 reached 11.2 million km2, 0.3 million km2 (or 3 per cent) below the 1991-2020 average for June. This value ranks 12th lowest for June in the satellite record, which starts in 1979, and comes after a near-average extent in May 2022.

Source: WMO

EBRD Finances First-Ever Green Taxi Project

Photo: EBRD

More than 60 per cent of the nearly 900,000 residents of Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital and the country’s largest municipality will now be able to enjoy environmentally friendlier and safer taxi rides thanks to the introduction of electric taxis, a project supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The latest project under the EBRD Green Cities programme for Dushanbe will help reduce the environmental impact of the Sayohon taxi company, which operates the popular brand Rakhsh Taxi. A financial package of up to 4.5 million US dollars, mobilised by the EBRD and consisting of an EBRD loan and a grant from the Bank’s Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change (FINTECC) programme supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), will allow Sayohon to procure 100 electric vehicles and 30 charging stations as well as to create the necessary charging infrastructure.

Sayohon will not only expand its service but will also reduce CO2 emissions by 1,240 tonnes per year. The replacement of dated internal combustion engines with electric ones will also allow Rakhsh Taxi to cut emissions of other pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide hat can cause severe respiratory problems.

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As part of the project, Sayohon will commit to developing and implementing inclusive employment practices. In particular, it will help increase the number of women employees to at least 20 per cent of the total workforce and launch a specialised training programme for 250 employees on the management of electric vehicles.

Funded by the EBRD and GEF, FINTECC is part of a global drive towards climate technology transfer for developing economies.

EBRD Green Cities is supporting the development and implementation of Dushanbe’s Green City Action Plan (GCAP), a crucial tool to help the city set out its sustainable development vision and strategic objectives, in addition to the actions and investments required to address high-priority environmental issues.

To date, the EBRD has invested 892 million euros through 152 projects in Tajikistan’s economy.

Source: EBRD

A New Declaration to Help Save our Oceans

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Last week, world leaders adopted a landmark declaration at the United Nations’ Ocean Conference in Lisbon to scale up science-based and innovative actions and address the ocean emergency of habitat loss, ocean acidification and ecosystem degradation.

More than 150 countries gathered at the conference, co-hosted by the governments of Portugal and Kenya, agreed to take actions to strengthen, among other things, marine pollution, blue economies and marine protected areas.

Marine pollution

Marine pollution accounts for at least 85 percent of marine waste, and plastic litter is the chief pollutant. Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our ocean. If nothing is done about it, by 2040, the equivalent of 50 kg of plastic per meter of coastline worldwide is projected to flow into the ocean yearly.

The Lisbon declaration “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility”, called on governments to do more to prevent, reduce, and eliminate marine plastic litter – including single-use plastics and microplastics – by contributing to comprehensive life-cycle approaches, encouraging recycling and environmentally sound waste management.

The declaration welcomed the decision made at the fifth UN Environment Assembly held in Nairobi, Kenya, earlier this year to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. Member States gavelled a historic resolution to forge the agreement by 2024.

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Blue economies

It is estimated that by the year 2030, the world’s coastal populations will contribute three trillion dollars to the global economy in sectors as diverse as fisheries, tourism, as well as emerging green and blue economies such as renewable energy and marine biotechnology. Blue economies will be even more crucial to countries across Africa and developing island nations.

The declaration recognized the importance of building sustainable, resilient and inclusive blue economies. This starts with acknowledging that the ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and our future as it provides countless services, including supplying oxygen, contributing to food security, creating countless jobs, and acting as a carbon sink.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Veronica Reverse)

The declaration further affirmed that the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean and the advancement of nature-based solutions are critical to ensuring a sustainable, inclusive and environmentally-resilient recovery from COVID-19, which has disproportionately hit developing nations.

Marine protected areas

Marine Protected Areas offer one of the best options for maintaining and restoring the health of the ocean by protecting species and ecosystems, engaging stakeholders in the planning and fair sharing of benefits and ensuring the long-term sustainable use of natural resources and tourism incomes.

Research shows that strong governance, in accordance with national legislation and international law, has the potential to influence human behaviors and reduce human-induced impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems.

The declaration acknowledged the need to establish greater, better-managed Marine Protected Areas. It noted the voluntary commitments by more than 100 Member States to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the global ocean within Marine Protected Areas and other area-based conservation measures by 2030.

Indigenous Peoples, data, women and girls

Participating countries also agreed to take actions to strengthen, among other things, data collection; recognition of the role indigenous people play in sharing innovation and best practices; and participation of women and girls in the ocean-based economy. 

Now that the global effort to protect our ocean has a new beginning, as Leticia Carvalho, Principal Coordinator of the Marine and Freshwater Branch at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) says, the work that lies ahead should be “driven by science, technology, innovation and finance.”

Source: UNEP

The construction of mini hydroelectric power plants is prohibited in the Federation of BiH

Foto: Facebook (screenshot)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Peter Gonzalez)

As of Thursday, in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina the construction of small hydropower plants with an installed capacity of up to ten megawatts is prohibited.

The House of Peoples of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed the earlier decision of the House of Representatives, which brought into force the ban on the construction of small hydropower plants.

This decision was regulated by the adoption of the Law on Amendments to the Law on Electricity in the FBiH, which foresees the ban on the planning and construction of new small hydropower plants in that entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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“This historic decision came as a result of the pressure and ten-year struggle of activists in numerous local communities who resolutely opposed the construction of ecocidal mini-hydroelectric plants,” announced the “Atelier for Social Change” Foundation.

Source: Biznis.rs

Wind Farm Crni Vrh Worth EUR 100 Million One Step Closer To Construction

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Xin)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Appolinary Kalashnikova)

The wind farm Crni Vrh, which will be located on the tripoint between Zagubica, Bor and Majdanpek, is a step closer to construction. The carrier of the project, “CRNI VRH POWER” d.o.o. Zagubica, has filed the request for giving approval for the Study of the Environmental Impact Assessment of the Project for the Construction of the Wind Farm “VE Crni Vrh” to the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The wind farm will be built on cadaster parcels in the territory of the city of Bor, KO Zagubica and KO Laznica-Seliste in the territory of the municipality of Zagubica and KO Vlaole in the territory of the municipality of Majdanpek.

As announced earlier, the value of this local investment in the wind farm is estimated at around EUR 100 million. The installation of 32 wind generators – 11 in the territory of Bor, 4 in the territory of Majdanpek and 17 in the territory of Zagubica – is planned within the wind farm area.

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In the past years, Bor has been interesting to investors in wind farms. At a recent session of the City Council of Bor, the draft decision on the preparation of the detailed regulation plan of the area of the wind farm Snaga Istoka, in the territory of the city, was adopted unanimously. As announced on the city’s website, the wind farm will spread along the stretch of Veliki Krs, Stol Mountain and Deli Jovan “with a power of 450 megawatt-hours”. The deadline for the preparation of the plan is one year.

Source: eKapija

Shell to Build Europe’s Largest Renewable Hydrogen Plant

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Marc Rentschler)

Shell, the Anglo-Dutch oil and gas company, plans to build Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant in Rotterdam, which will become operational in 2025, the energy giant announced on Wednesday (6 July).

According to a statement by Shell, the new hydrogen plant, Holland Hyrdogen I, will be able to produce up to 60,000 kilograms of renewable hydrogen per day. The renewable power will come from an offshore wind farm in Hollandse Kust, also partly owned by Shell.

The hydrogen produced will supply Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam by replacing some grey hydrogen usage within the facilities.

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“Holland Hydrogen I demonstrates how new energy solutions can work together to meet society’s need for cleaner energy. It is also another example of Shell’s own efforts and commitment to become a net-zero emissions business by 2050,” said Executive Vice President Emerging Energy Solutions at Shell, Anna Mascolo.

“Renewable hydrogen will play a pivotal role in the energy system of the future, and this project is an important step in helping hydrogen fulfil that potential,” she added.

The creation of Holland Hydrogen I marks a significant milestone for both the Netherlands and Shell in the hydrogen economy, the press release concludes.

Source: EURACTIV.com

The construction of the first bifacial and the largest solar power plant in Serbia begins

Photo: EP

Bifacial solar power plants are becoming an increasingly common choice for investors due to their ability to collect the sunlight that bounce off the substrate and produce electricity more efficiently than power plants with monofacial panels.

The company MT-Komex was entrusted with the construction of the first bifacial solar power plant in Serbia, which will also be the largest solar power plant in the country at the moment.

 

The power plant will be located on the Toyo Tires company’s property. The construction contract was signed between the deputy general manager of Toyo Tires, Kenichiro Takasago, and the director of the MT-Komex, Miloš Kostić.

 

“The global goal of Toyo Tires is to become carbon neutral, and investing in renewable energy sources is the best choice. This is the right moment for us to build a solar power plant in Serbia because the laws regarding renewable energy have changed so that we can acquire the status of a prosumer. On the other hand, we have a large area of land at our disposal,” said Takasago for Energy Portal.

 

He adds that the solar plant will cover 10 to 15 per cent of Toyo Tires’ annual electricity needs, proving that the tire industry consumes a lot of electricity and is therefore under tremendous pressure to decarbonize as soon as possible.

 

Takasago announces that tire production will begin at the end of July, while the complete production equipment and the solar power plant will be in operation by the end of the year.

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“We are planning to have a ceremonial opening of our solar power plant, which will be visited by people from the Government, other countries, even from Japan. This will be a really significant event both for MT-Komex, who built it and for us,” says Takasago.

 

When it comes to choosing a contractor, Takasago notes that they were looking for a company that would be their partner and help them make decisions about the construction of the power plant, and they found it all in MT-Komex.

 

“We are extremely honored that such a serious company as Toyo Tires entrusted us with the construction of the largest solar power plant on the ground, which has the power of 8.4 MW, i.e. active connection power of 7.2 MW. Our company, with 13 years of experience in the development, design and construction of solar power plants, managed to win this job at the tender as the most serious bidder,” said MT-Komex director Miloš Kostić.

 

He adds that in addition to Toyo Tires, MT-Komex is building solar power plants both on roofs of production halls and on the ground.

 

“Our team consists of 30 engineers/experts for renewable energy sources and 50 installers/electric fitters specially trained for the construction of solar power plants with many years of experience,” says Kostić.

 

Solar panels on 8.2 hectares

Photo: EP

 

Toyo Tires’ solar power plant will be located on the ground and will cover 8.2 hectares. The annual electricity production will amount to 10,148,927 kWh, which will save 8,119,141 kg of carbon dioxide annually.

 

MT-Komex decided to use a special construction that will allow bifacial solar panels to produce electricity 15 per cent more efficiently compared to classic, monofacial power plants.

 

The plan for this power plant is to acquire the status of buyer-producer, that is, to use green electricity for its own needs, while all excess will be handed over to the electricity distribution network.

 

The solar power plant construction will be completed by the end of this year when it will be put into operation.

 

Milena Maglovski

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