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April 14, 2025
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BiH entities agree on electricity market law – power exchange to be established in Mostar

After ten years of negotiations, the Republic of Srpska and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the two entities of BiH, have finally agreed on a law on the electricity regulator, transmission, and market. The important piece of legislation should enable the establishment of an electricity exchange, which is one of the conditions for BiH’s exemption from the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on electricity exports to the European Union.

The breakthrough was announced by Staša Košarac, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH and Deputy Chairperson of the Council of Ministers.

The law on the electricity regulator, transmission, and market has been agreed, Košarac said after a meeting in Vienna with Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska Petar Đokić and the Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) Vedran Lakić.

Košarac: A serious step towards fulfilling obligations in the energy sector

“After several years of attempts, since 2017, we have finally agreed on the law,” Košarac noted.

He recalled that the said legislation is one of the conditions for the exemption of BiH from the EU’s carbon border tax.

“We made a serious step towards fulfilling our obligations in the energy sector. I am truly grateful to Ministers Đokić and Lakić, and to the Energy Community Secretariat for cooperation,” Košarac stressed.

Lakić: BiH will no longer be the only country without a law and an electricity exchange

The Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry of the Federation of BiH pointed out that the negotiations on the law lasted ten years.

“We have reasons to be extremely satisfied with the agreement, especially related to the current circumstances in BiH, because this is an important step in the process of exempting the country from CBAM. Now we will be able to protect exporters to the EU in all parts of BiH, and to use the funds collected from the CO2 tax for projects in the country,” Lakić explained.

In his view, the law also sets an environment for the establishment of an electricity exchange, based in Mostar. BiH is no longer the only country that does not have its own law on the electricity market and power exchange, he noted.

Đokić: The key reason for the agreement is the CBAM

The Minister of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska Petar Đokić recalled that the law has been discussed for more than ten years. He noted that it only legalized the current practice established by existing laws.

Elektroprenos BiH, the Independent System Operator in Bosnia and Herzegovina (NOSBiH) and the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC or DERK) are already operational in line with the laws.

CBAM has been postponed for a year

The key reason for the harmonization is the establishment of the electricity exchange because it is a prerequisite for BiH to submit a request for exemption from the cross-border CO2 tax, the minister stressed.

Without the exemption, BiH would pay a tax on its electricity exports to the EU and into the EU budget, said Đokić, who will be among the speakers at Belgrade Energy Forum 2025 (BEF 2025). The entity minister recalled that the EU postponed the CBAM implementation from January 2026 to January 2027. Of note, BiH previously asked for CBAM to be postponed.

The implementation of CBAM would make companies in BiH exporting electricity uncompetitive. It would jeopardize the financial stability of government-controlled power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS) in the Republic of Srpska, according to the minister.

Đokić noted that the power exchange would be established by three power companies in BiH – ERS, Elektroprivreda BiH (EPBiH) and Elektroprivreda HZHB, with the transmission system operator – NOSBiH.

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April 14, 2025
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Austria’s Verbund acquires 272 MW wind project in Romania

Verbund Wind Power Romania, a subsidiary of Austria’s Verbund, has acquired a 272 MW wind project from Monsson, a Sweden-based renewable energy group. The project, taken over at a ready-to-build stage, is expected to enter the construction phase in 2026.

The planned wind farm in Caraș-Severin county in Romania is expected to produce 569 GWh of electricity annually, Verbund said in a press release.

Verbund has been present in the Romanian renewables market since 2012, operating the 226 MW Casimcea wind farm in Tulcea county. It also has a portfolio of wind and photovoltaic projects under development.

Verbund already operates a 226 MW wind farm in Romania

Adrian Borotea, General Manager of Verbund Wind Power Romania, said the company looks forward to future opportunities that can help speed up the country’s energy transition. “In Verbund, we continuously seek to stimulate the growth of the clean energy sector in Romania, in line with our sustainable approach to business,” he stressed.

Sebastian Enache, Head of Mergers and Acquisitions and member of the Board of Directors of Monsson, said the need for clean energy as a central point of the energy sector development in Romania and Europe is growing, adding that the company is proud to have started this cooperation with Verbund, one of the largest producers of electricity from renewable sources in Europe.

The Austrian utility expects 25% of its overall electricity output to be generated from solar and wind energy by 2030, with Romania seen as one of the strategic target markets to achieve the objective.

Monsson has over 5 GW of solar and wind projects in Romania

Monsson has a portfolio of more than 5 GW of wind and solar projects in Romania. It offers a full range of services, including the design, development, construction, and operation of renewable energy power plants, as well as the construction and operation of battery-based energy storage solutions.

The company recently said it was preparing to build a manufacturing facility in the Romanian town of Petrila to produce renewable energy equipment, including robots that clean solar panels.

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April 14, 2025
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Feasibility study complete for Romania’s East-West underground high-voltage line

A project for underground high-voltage power link East-West across Romania entered a new phase with the completion of the feasibility study. It would run alongside existing energy infrastructure.

A year and a half after Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja declared the project for a high voltage direct current (HVDC) line across Romania “the number one priority,” the feasibility study is complete. Notably, he estimated at the time that it would be done within six months and that the interconnection had to be installed by 2029.

The East-West Interconnector (Est-Vest) project is entering the next phase. It is planned to run underground from the Black Sea coast to the border with Hungary. The endeavor includes utilizing existing infrastructure corridors such as the BRUA and Tuzla-Podișor gas pipelines.

It saves significant time on permits, lowers costs and reduces environmental impact, the ministry pointed out. The project partners are Romania’s transmission system operator Transelectrica, Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA) from the United Arab Emirates, the French Meridiam and domestic company E-Infra.

Italian consultancy and engineering services provider CESI conducted the study. It launched the task in May last year.

Burduja: No time to waste in making Romania net exporter of electricity

Minister Sebastian Burduja said it is one of the most ambitious energy infrastructure projects in Central and Eastern Europe. The new study marks an essential stage in Romania’s transformation into a regional energy hub and a strategic actor in Europe’s energy security, he claimed.

“We have no time to waste. We will accelerate all the necessary steps for Romania to become a net exporter of clean energy and a pillar of stability in the region. Moreover, the project is vital for the modernization and balancing of Romania’s electricity transmission network and will ensure the evacuation of significant quantities of electricity that will be generated following the completion of Romania’s strategic investments in units 3 and 4 of the Cernavodă nuclear power plant, as well as in the offshore and onshore wind projects in the Dobruja area,” Burduja stated.

The East-West HVDC will be able to cary electricity from the Cernavodă nuclear power plant as well as from future wind projects in the east

Internationally, the project contributes to strengthening the integration of the regional and European energy market and increasing the security of supply to consumers in the southeastern part of Europe, according to the minister. It contributes to the possibilities for exporting electricity to neighboring countries, he noted.

The project is an integral part of the Green Corridor, which is supposed to connect Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary, as well as other countries in the region. The project includes the proposal for an HVDC cable that would run under the Black Sea.

Energy security comes first

The ministry’s objectives are a secure energy supply, at affordable prices, and for Romanians and the economy, and the energy to be green – all in the same order.

HVDC is currently the prevailing technology for long-distance power transmission. The East-West interconnector is supposed to pass through Bucharest.

The cable would allow the transmission of green energy produced in Romania – including from future offshore wind farms in the Black Sea – to domestic and consumers in other European Union member countries. It will also allow Romania to get green energy from Azerbaijan when there is a deficit in the national power system, the ministry added.

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April 14, 2025
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Curtailments reach new highs in Greece ahead of first battery installations

Greek renewable energy producers are fearful of any delay in the deployment of battery energy storage systems, because of high curtailments.

The sector expects that in a hypothetical scenario without the storage, the curtailments would rise to 25% by 2030, compared to last year’s 3.3%.

So far in 2025, curtailments have risen further. According to the Renewable Energy Sources Operator and Guarantees of Origin (DAPEEP), just last week they amounted to 30 GWh. Sunday, April 6, was a particularly eventful day, as over 4 GW of renewable electricity capacity was cut for multiple consecutive hours.

It also marked the first time that grid operators curtailed photovoltaic plants in the distribution network, which were formerly left unscathed. In total, 116 GWh was consumed in Greece on Sunday. Renewables gave 88.7 GWh, but one third had to be curtailed to stabilize the system.

Many producers at the distribution level receive messages from the operator every few days to turn off their photovoltaics manually. If they do not comply, they are subject to a fine of EUR 500 per MWh.

Timely storage development is crucial

Curtailments are expected to double this year, according to Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Professor Pantelis Biskas. Both the market and the Ministry of Environment and Energy expect storage to provide a solution. By the end of 2025, the first battery projects that were selected in auctions are expected to connect to the grid. However, investors have warned that strict timeframes, red tape and uncertainty in global markets could lead to harmful delays.

Large players to gain market share

Until the storage comes online and reduces curtailments, the renewable energy sector will be subject to various effects. DAPEEP’s CEO Anastasia Riga said large vertical players would probably gain more market share in the current environment. Also, the introduction of negative pricing in the balancing market adds another layer of complexity and potentially reduces profits for producers.

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April 14, 2025
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Two thirds of industrial gas consumers in Slovenia eye hydrogen use

Slovenia’s natural gas transmission system operator Plinovodi and more than 50 industrial companies have signed an agreement on the establishment of the Hydrogen for Users consortium – SloH2U.

The SloH2U consortium represents a systemic response by Slovenian industrial consumers to the need for restructuring the use of hydrogen and renewable gases, according to Plinovodi.

The inclusion of more than two thirds of industrial gas consumers clearly demonstrates that Slovenia is well prepared to meet European decarbonization goals, the company said.

Marjan Eberlinc, the general manager of Plinovodi, underscored that the establishment of the SloH2U consortium is a major Slovenian hydrogen initiative connecting key stakeholders in industry, energy, and government. The aim is to achieve a coordinated, technically feasible, and timely transition to a decarbonized future, he added.

Kumer: We need an industry that is ready to invest, experiment, and collaborate

According to Minister of Environment, Climate, and Energy Bojan Kumer, infrastructure projects alone are not enough for a successful transition to low-carbon energy. “We need an industry that is ready to invest, experiment, and collaborate,” he asserted.

Matija Bitenc, a member of the executive board and deputy general manager of Plinovodi, explained that the platform was established after discussions with the industry about its needs and the technological, financial, geopolitical, and regulatory challenges.

In his words, SloH2U isn’t an ideological declaration, but a concrete foundation for the development of user infrastructure, specific pilot projects, and integration into the European hydrogen ecosystem.

Čas: It is crucial to ensure the transition doesn’t happen too late or that it isn’t too slow

“For the industry, the question is no longer whether, but how to decarbonize processes,” Steklarna Hrastnik CEO Peter Čas stressed.

Collaboration with infrastructure partners like Plinovodi is crucial to ensure the transition doesn’t happen too late or that it isn’t too slow, according to Čas.

In November last year, Slovenia joined the European Union’s Clean Hydrogen Partnership. Six months earlier the country established a consortium of 18 companies, organizations, and municipalities for an ecosystem for hydrogen from low-carbon sources.

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April 13, 2025
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Croatia among EU’s top three emitters of methane from oil, gas industry

Croatia is one of the three European Union member countries with the highest methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry, according to research by Greenpeace Croatia and the Clean Air Task Force (CATF). Greenpeace Croatia noted that methane has 84 times greater global warming potential than carbon dioxide on a 20-year timescale.

Methane emissions from oil and gas infrastructure in Croatia have been comprehensively analyzed for the first time, according to Greenpeace Croatia.

“Methane hunter” Théophile Humann-Guilleminot from the international climate organization Clean Air Task Force (CATF) has examined more than 500 locations all around the world. He also recently visited 27 locations in Croatia, measuring methane emissions at all but one of them.

Greenpeace stressed it is an astonishing 96% of the investigated sites and the highest score by CATF in any EU member state.

Emissions were documented in detail by CATF at each site

The two organizations have visited several locations in Croatia with facilities for the production, transportation, and storage of oil and gas. The infrastructure is owned or operated by INA, Plinacro, and Okoli Underground Storage.

At 26 locations, methane emissions were documented in the form of gas release, venting, and flaring, which could also harm human health, Greenpeace underlined.

CATF carefully documented emissions at each location using infrared (IR) videos and IR and digital photos. The collected evidence is part of the group’s Cut Methane campaign in Europe and the world.

Humann-Guilleminot: Companies are releasing methane and accelerating climate change, all in pursuit of short-term profits

Théophile Humann-Guilleminot said the research strongly confirmed what scientists have been warning about for years – methane is leaking or being released along the entire oil and gas supply chain.

From the vast gas fields of Texas to Plinacro’s pipelines, companies are releasing methane and accelerating climate change, all in pursuit of short-term profits, he added. In his words, out of all the countries he visited, Croatia ranks amongst the worst three in terms of results.

“The scenes of methane gushing from open, rusted reservoirs in the Ivanić-Grad area, as well as leaks from wells at the Okoli location, are extremely worrying. During the energy crisis, this level of waste demonstrates a clear disregard for the climate and Croatian citizens,” Humann-Guilleminot stated.

Andrić: Greenpeace calls on the government to take seriously the implementation of new regulations on methane

Petra Andrić from Greenpeace Croatia pointed out the researchers could have assumed that methane emissions would be registered in some locations, but that they couldn’t have predicted such shocking results.

“Greenpeace is calling on the Government of the Republic of Croatia to take seriously the implementation of the new regulations on methane. In the long term, it is even more important to phase out fossil gas by 2035 and ban new gas and other fossil projects. The solutions are energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, in which Croatia has enormous potential, especially solar and wind,” she stressed.

Eszter Mátyás from Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe said the new regulations would be much stricter for the operators in the fossil fuel industry. Therefore they will have to regularly carry out measurements and submit reports to regulatory bodies to prevent the release of methane from their infrastructure, she added.

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