The largest Serbian energy company Elektroprivreda Srbije can pivot towards decarbonization and large-scale RES use, announced Vladimir Šiljkut, Business System Advisor to the Director of JP EPS.
At the EPS stand at the International Energy Fair, presenting the EPS Go Green Road, Šiljkut pointed out that the document was prepared by EPS experts to assess the possibilities for a strategic, qualitative shift towards green energy.
- The Green Plan covering the period up to 2035 foresees the implementation of new, key investment projects, as well as decommissioning of obsolete lignite capacities, making this pivot possible. The plan is to reduce CO2 emissions of EPS by 25 per cent until 2035 by investing around EUR 8.5 billion in wind farms, solar parks, hydropower plants and more efficient thermal plants. What we predicted coincides with two scenarios from the draft Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan. That is why we believe that this EPS Go Green Road is possible and realistic - said Šiljkut.
At the opening of the fair, which gathered more than 70 exhibitors from the field of energy and environmental protection, from 10 countries, Zorana Mihajlović, Minister of Energy and Mining, said that energy and environmental protection in Serbia would always go together and that the country had set a legislative framework for such development.
- The energy sector must invest strongly. The Ministry has prepared plans for investments into electricity generation, and development of high-voltage and low-voltage networks. For this reason, this fair is an opportunity to discuss investments - said Mihajlović.
The Polish delegation consisting of eight companies is led by Małgorzata Golińska, State Secretary in the Ministry of Climate & Environment. At the opening of the fair, she said that Poland supported Serbia on its road to the European Union and that it was the eighth most important partner of our country in the energy sector.
- Poland's priorities are the fight against climate change challenges and biodiversity preservation. Since joining the European Union in 2004, Poland has built 1,000 wastewater treatment plants and 100 waste processing plants, and we are ready to share our experience - said Golińska.
Irena Vujović, Minister of Environment, emphasized that the adoption of the Low Carbon Development Strategy and Circular Economy Program was expected, which would be adopted in the short term.
Aleksandar Jakovljević, Director of the Strategy Sector of EPS, presented the construction project of the pumped-storage hydropower plant Bistrica and pointed out that it was one of the most important projects in the Serbian energy sector, crucial for energy transition and decarbonization processes.
- PSHPP Bistrica is a project that has no controversial and problematic issues, and it is important because without this project no large-scale RES integration is possible, which is a goal we all strive for - said Jakovljević.
TENT A desulphurisation projects, planting of fast-growing willow trees in the Kolubara Mining Basin, prosumer concept, as well as projects related to the development and importance of software solutions in coal and energy production and energy trade, were presented at the EPS stand today.
