Greece ranks among Europe’s frontrunners in the development of renewable energy sources, with approximately 65% of renewables in its energy mix. For this reason, the country’s experience represents a valuable guideline for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is only now entering a decisive phase of its energy transition. In an interview for our magazine, the Ambassador of Greece to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ioanna Efthymiadou, discusses the key opportunities and challenges awaiting BiH, the mistakes that should be avoided, the importance of environmental protection, as well as the prospects for cooperation between Athens and Sarajevo in the fields of energy, environmental protection, and access to European funds.
Q: Bosnia and Herzegovina has significant potential for renewable energy sources. Based on Greece’s experience, where do you see the greatest opportunities, but also the main risks for BiH in the coming years?
A: As you may know, Greece’s current energy mix is comprised of approximately 65% Renewable Energy Sources, reflecting substantial progress in its energy transition. During his recent visit to Sarajevo, the Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Theoharis Theoharis expressed Greece’s readiness to support Bosnia and Herzegovina during its energy transition. This support could build upon Greece’s experience in deploying renewable energy, reforming energy markets, and aligning national policies with EU energy and climate objectives.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a significant regional electricity producer, but renewable penetration beyond hydro remains limited.
BiH and Greece share certain similarities: strong potential for renewable resources and dependence on coal. Greece’s experience suggests that the greatest opportunities lie in the rapid deployment of solar and wind, where costs are low, resources are abundant and projects can be developed relatively quickly. Like Greece, BiH could also benefit from repurposing coal regions into renewable and storage hubs, combining energy investments with job creation and retraining to support a just transition. If aligned with EU market rules, renewables could strengthen energy security, reduce exposure to carbon pricing, and establish BiH’s position as a regional electricity exporter.
At the same time, slow permitting could delay projects and deter investors unless regulatory frameworks are harmonized and made predictable. Electric Grid constraints represent another major risk: without timely investment in transmission, flexibility, and storage, high shares of renewables may lead to curtailment and system instability. Finally, a poorly managed coal phase-out without care for workforce retraining , could create social resistance, especially in mining regions, undermining the necessary support for the transition.
In short, BiH could draw from Greece’s experience if it combines clear long-term policy signals, grid modernization, and early just transition planning so as to avoid locking the country into delays and rising economic costs as Europe accelerates its decarbonization phase.
Lessons learned from Greece’s Renewable Energy Transition:
- Structured, predictable policy and strategic vision are of the essence. Greece’s ambitious National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) and strong policy frameworks helped drive a rapid uptake of solar and wind, with renewables increasingly dominating electricity supply. Aligning incentives, regulations and long-term targets builds investor confidence is essential for sustained private investment.
- Grid modernization and flexibility remain a crucial factor. As Greece added renewables, it also prioritized grid reinforcement, interconnections with neighbors, and system flexibility tools (like storage and balancing capacity). These are vital for handling variable generation from solar and wind. Without sufficient storage and transmission upgrades, high shares of renewables can risk grid stability and curtailment.
- Community and decentralized energy can support inclusion. Greece is experimenting with energy communities and decentralized generation to promote participation and tackle energy poverty.
- Just transition planning is also essential. Greece managed to begin phasing out coal (lignite) generation while planning for social impacts on affected regions — an approach BiH could adapt for its coal-dependent areas.
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Q: Greece has undergone an accelerated energy transition in a relatively short period of time. In your opinion, which mistake should Bosnia and Herzegovina avoid on this path?
A: If we could share one lesson with you, it should be this: speed should not run ahead of system readiness and social consensus. As an example, renewable capacity may expand faster than the grid nominal capacity, storage capacity and market structure that could absorb it. The result could include curtailment, congestion, rising balancing costs, and growing local opposition, which may slow new projects and complicate planning.
Renewable build-out should not be treated as a goal per se. Instead, it should be integrated from the start with grid reinforcement, flexibility, and coordination among key stakeholders.
The social dimension of the coal exit should not be underestimated either. Moving too fast without concrete retraining, investment, and local ownership risks backlash that could stall the entire transition.
And finally, regulatory volatility should be avoided. It is therefore advisable to prioritize a balanced approach: develop renewables always in line with grid capacity, social awareness, and stable rules. That may appear slower, but it is far more resilient and ultimately faster in delivering a durable energy transition.
Q: How can Bosnia and Herzegovina develop renewable energy projects while at the same time preserving rivers, forests, and biodiversity, especially considering sensitive ecosystems?
A: Bosnia and Herzegovina’s energy transition may be as much about quality as capacity. Expanding renewables while protecting nature is possible if the approach is selective, spatially aware, and institutionally robust.
For example, as you know, small projects in sensitive rivers sometimes bring limited energy benefits but significant ecological and social trade-offs. BiH might consider avoiding areas of high biodiversity or protected rivers. Spatial planning could help steer projects toward sites such as degraded land, post-industrial areas, and rooftops while minimizing impacts on forests, rivers, and migration corridors.
Environmental governance, independent assessments, and long-term monitoring support better outcomes, especially if local communities are involved and share in the benefits.
Q: How important is it for Bosnia and Herzegovina to align its energy and environmental policies with European standards, and what kind of support can Greece provide in this process?
A: Alignment with European energy and environmental standards (EU Green Deal, Fit for 55, and Energy Community obligations) is essential for BiH’s energy landscape and for its economic stability. Without alignment, BiH risks losing access to regional electricity markets, facing higher costs from carbon measures, and deterring investment due to regulatory uncertainty. Carbon pricing, sustainability requirements, environmental assessment, and grid access increasingly influence electricity exports. Early alignment can help BiH avoid sudden shocks and maintain market access.
Greece’s experience illustrates the value of stable, EU-compatible rules.
The country’s renewables boom accelerated once investors trusted the legal framework, while EU environmental acquis helped shift debates from Whether to build renewables towards to Where and How. For BiH, alignment could anchor governance, strengthen biodiversity protection, improve water management, and ensure public participation, particularly in areas with strong opposition to poorly sited projects.
Last but not least, aligning with EU environmental standards will help tackling severe air pollution, which, unfortunately plagues many of the country’s (and the region’s) cities and presents a serious health hazard.
Greece can support BiH by sharing experience on transposing EU energy and environmental legislation, managing grid integration of renewables, planning transitions in coal regions, and maintaining policy stability.
Interviewed by Jasna Dragojević
Read the whole interview in Energy portal Magazine DIGITALIZATION.
