The requirements for a green and just energy transition pose growing challenges for governments, grid operators, regulators and power utilities throughout Southeastern Europe. The readers of Balkan Green Energy News were interested this year mostly in how the process is affecting both the economy and households and prompting a major change in habits.Numerous dilemmas persist within every country in the region, but they need to focus as well on cooperating toward a stable supply of electricity and gas. The Western Balkans are integrating with the European Union in the energy sector, putting faster alignment with the CBAM levy for carbon imports at the top of decision makers’ agendas. Our audience also traditionally followed investments, viability of coal plants, the nuclear energy debate and Rio Tinto’s increasingly controversial lithium project Jadar in Serbia.State-controlled power utilities in the Balkans are in a position to spearhead the energy transition and showcase an investment path. The ones in EU member states have an advantage, as do private companies there, given the ample grants and favorable financing. On the other hand, almost the entire region is struggling to maintain the stability of the energy supply, as aging coal power plants are breaking down and often operating with losses.We noted and interpreted the major trends in Southeastern Europe and beyond throughout 2024. The narrower region that we cover, the Western Balkans, is in a hurry to catch up with its EU neighbors. It requires massive, dedicated and cheap funding.Balkan Green Energy News, the most popular webpage on sustainable energy in the region, remains dedicated to regular and unbiased reporting on the most important developments in this part of Europe. Thank you for trusting us. We will strive to justify it in the new year as well.Don’t forget to check out the most popular articles in 2024 on our Serbian language page!1. It’s boom or bust for state-owned power utilitiesNational flagship energy companies in the Balkans mostly seem to be on the defensive or lagging behind the private sector. Their common headwind, with the exception of Albania, is coal power. Such plants are still essential for a stable electricity supply, but they are predominantly several decades old, uncompetitive and becoming less reliable by the day.Some power utilities do stick out positively though much remains to be done. With its acquisitions, Greece’s Public Power Corp. (PPC) also became the biggest electricity producer in Romania. Its expansion push in the surrounding region includes Italy, Croatia and more.In a strategic partnership with UGT Renewables and Hyundai Engineering, Serbia’s state-owned Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) will get a group of solar power plants with 1.2 GW in peak capacity. The project includes 200 MW in battery energy storage. For EPS it would be a major leap forward, given that it is currently only finishing its first wind park and photovoltaic plant.The d
Sab. Gen 11th, 2025
