Despite the fact that countries of this region are not big energy consumers in total, calculation energy consumption per capita leads us to the conclusion that we’re leaders in energy inefficiency. Moreover, the energy is produced by burning low-quality lignite, which in combination with low productivity of energy production, results in high external costs.
The infrastructural connectivity, with high emphasis on energy and transport infrastructure, was a very important topic of the EU – Western Balkans Summit, which was held in Sofia, Bulgaria. In the Joint Declaration, signed at the end of the Summit, energy had a very significant place, whereas the program of priorities offers a whole chapter on strengthening interconnection through new energy and transportation projects.
Paragraph 7 of the Joint Declaration, among other things, states the following: “Energy security will be prioritized, including through improved energy efficiency, better cross-border inter-connections, diversification of sources and routes, as well as a balanced energy mix better integrating renewable energy.”
Energy efficiency certainly has to be among priorities of the Western Balkans countries. Despite the fact that countries of this region are not big energy consumers in total, calculation energy consumption per capita leads us to the conclusion that we’re leaders in energy inefficiency. Moreover, the energy is produced by burning low-quality lignite, which in combination with low productivity of energy production, results in high external costs. The problem is the fact that laws regulating energy efficiency are yet to be fully implemented, which leads to occasional rather than a systemic success. Although all municipalities in Serbia with population greater than 20000 people are obliged to have appointed energy managers, not many of them have fulfilled this obligation.
Small hydropower plants – big issue
The Priorities Program from Sofia has paid a particular emphasis to expanding the Energy Union to the Western Balkans, which should be ensured through the regional strategy for diversification and usage of renewable energy, hydropower in particular.
Diversification and transition towards renewable energy goes pretty slow. It seems that most of the Western Balkans countries won’t be able to meet the 2020 renewable energy targets. The last sentence of the Program can cause a huge problem, since it calls for hydropower projects in particular. Western Balkans countries found solution for transition towards renewable energy sources in developing small hydropower projects. Such projects heavily impact the environment and contribute to environmental and social disasters in areas where they are developed, with minor and negligible contribution to the energy mix. The nature is permanently damaged, local population is left without access to drinking water and the profit is reserved for big energy companies exclusively. The additional problem is the fact that significant number of small hydropower projects is planned in nature protected areas, where building should be prohibited. Despite the fact that transition from coal to renewables is urgent matter, available renewable energy sources should be examined and only sustainable projects with no harmful impact should be developed.
“To that end, the EU welcomes the Western Balkans partners commitment, inter alia, to accelerate the implementation of the acquis under the Energy Community and Transport Community Treaties..” is stated in the Paragraph 9 of the Declaration. This Paragraph calls upon the countries to develop and implement energy policy in line with the Treaty establishing Energy Community, which is something that the Western Balkans countries have obliged to do, but their progress is questionable. Bosnia and Herzegovina has already suffered the consequences through imposed sanctions of Energy Community for failing to fulfil its obligations. For example, BIH hasn’t fulfilled the obligations coming from the Third Energy Package, especially the part related to regulating the gas sector. Serbia has almost suffered the same consequences for failing to carry out the unbundling in the gas sector through restructuration of Srbijagas, which is one of the opening benchmarks in Chapter 15 in the EU accession negotiation process of Serbia.
The Energy Black Hole
In mid-March we found out that all clocks relying on electricity frequency in Europe are late. Clocks on stoves, microwaves, radio clocks – were all six minutes late, everywhere, from Portugal to Romania, from Denmark to Greece. Since 25 European states are all connected via mutual electricity grid, based on maintaining the 50Hz frequency (50 oscillations per second), each grid change may alter the frequency. The investigation on the subject showed that the electricity black hole, causing all the clocks to be 6 minutes late, is somewhere in the Balkans. The black hole was created between Serbia and Kosovo, because of insufficient and unwilling coordination of public utility companies EPS (Serbia) and KOSTT (Kosovo). This situation is just one more argument in favor of the importance and effect of regional interconnections and cooperation of all Western Balkans countries for the entire continent.
Western Balkans countries are at different stages of the EU accession process. Furthermore, their energy policies are at a different stage of harmonization with the EU. According to the EU Commission Annual Report, Serbia, Macedonia and Albania have achieved a modest progress in the field of energy. Montenegro is a frontrunner in adoption and implementation of the EU Acquis, according to the EU Commission, and the country has achieved a good level of preparedness in Chapter 15, whereas Kosovo is at the very start of the process.
Regional cooperation is a necessity for the Western Balkans countries, not only because of the EU accession process. Cooperation on environment, energy and transport matter is essential since the impact of these areas knows no boundaries. Our rivers, our air, plants and animals are all very vulnerable to the issues of air pollution caused by fossil fuels consumption, poor wastewater treatment and chemicals management, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. In order for us to have clean energy with minimal environmental impact, we have to ensure cooperation on all levels, from local, up to regional and European.
“Building on progress made, including through regional initiatives, we pledge to enhance substantially connectivity in all its dimensions: transport, energy, digital, economic and human.” – this is another quote from the Sofia Declaration. Connectivity is a key word, which we could all use better, in order to, for starters, adjust the time on our clocks.
Predrag Momčilović, Belgrade Open School
Photo Source: Canva