On Tuesday, Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović, attended the laying of the cornerstone for the construction of a new solar power plant in Smederevo, east Serbia (18 July).
“Serbia’s solar potential is about 30 per cent higher than Germany’s potential, which is one of the leaders in Europe in electricity production using this type of energy. Currently, Serbia’s installed capacities are much smaller than its potential, despite having a total of 157 solar power plants with a capacity of 23.3 megawatts (MW). By amending the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources and introducing a three-year plan for market premiums through auctions, we have created a predictable framework for investors in renewable energy, while encouraging citizens to be active participants in the energy transition through subsidies for energy efficiency measures,” said Minister Đedović.
The new power plant in Saraorci will have an installed capacity of 9.95 MW which can supply electricity to around 2,500 households.
Serbia aims to double the capacity for solar energy production through ongoing auctions for 50 MW solar power plants, the Minister noted. She also said that a public call for selecting a strategic partner for the construction of self-balancing solar power plants with a capacity of 1 gigawatt (GW) will be published soon. “In the next few years, in addition to the state’s plans for investing in this important energy resource, we also plan to build around 300 MW of solar power plants through auction programs,” said Minister Đedović.
The Serbian Energy Minister attended the commencement of the project together with the Chinese Ambassador to Serbia, Chen Bo, and representatives of the companies involved in the project, Chinese PowerChina and German AVR Solar Park.
“It is also very important to raise citizens’ awareness of the benefits of producing electricity for their own needs, and that the number of buyers-producers is constantly growing. Currently, there are about 1,800 of them, and the total power of the solar power plants they installed is 21 MW. We will continue to stimulate prosumers by providing subsidies for the installation of solar panels, which will be part of the new program for households for energy efficiency measures worth 50 million euros,” the Minister added.
