The city of Kozani in northern Greece, home of the country’s dwindling lignite industry, is seeking a contractor for seven photovoltaic systems of 7 MW overall. The municipality said the power plants would supply its buildings, public lighting, pumps and drilling rigs as part of the country’s first energy community led by a local authority. […]
Citizen energy communities make the energy system greener and benefit society at a local level, Josh Roberts from European federation of energy communities REScoop said in his presentation, organized in Belgrade by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is a form of association that also lowers costs for households, institutions and small firms […]
The trend of installing rooftop solar on public buildings to create energy communities is gaining momentum in Slovenia, with two more cities, Velenje and Kranj, joining the initiative. Similar projects were recently announced in Celje, Šoštanj, and Novo Mesto. Velenje plans to install solar power plants on 13 public buildings in cooperation with ECE, a […]
Legitimate energy communities have suffered in Greece, as private investors have been taking advantage of the status to promote disguised commercial projects. Normally, energy communities are set up to help citizens, businesses and other special consumer groups to benefit from lower energy costs using renewable energy. There are two categories: renewable energy communities (RECs) and […]
The City of Pirot plans to build a solar power plant on the site of a former unsanitary landfill when it is remediated. The move would strengthen its leadership position in Serbia regarding the use of renewable energy and environmental protection. In 2013, Pirot opened a regional sanitary landfill, which cost EUR 11 million. It […]
Citizens and businesses in Sofia will be able to invest in a photovoltaic system on a school rooftop as part of the first energy community. It would be a partnership between the city’s Vitosha District, individuals and legal entities. Following a few early initiatives in Bulgaria, the capital city decided to establish its first energy […]
The ambitious Apollo program, which the Greek government outlined in late 2023, is losing EUR 100 million. The European Union earlier approved the grant for investments in renewable energy and storage, intended to lower energy costs for vulnerable consumers through self-consumption. The first phase of the Apollo program was envisaged to help vulnerable households. It […]
North Macedonia drafted the Law on the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources to facilitate a decrease in fossil fuel consumption and a rise in the share of green energy. The legislation introduces market premiums under two-way contracts for difference (CfDs), which would be approved through renewable energy auctions. It also regulates net metering and […]
The European Energy Communities Facility has launched its first call for proposals to support the development of comprehensive business plans for community energy projects. Emerging energy communities in 27 European Union member states, Iceland, Moldova, North Macedonia, and Ukraine can apply for a lump sum grant of EUR 45,000 per beneficiary. The European Energy Communities […]
The Emilia-Romagna Region in northern Italy is supporting the creation and strengthening of renewable energy communities (RECs) in five countries in the Western Balkans. Ten projects can receive up to EUR 200,000 each, alongside technical and other support. For-profit and non-profit entities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are eligible for […]