During the Belgrade Energy Forum 2023, organized by Balkan Green Energy News, Neda Lazendić, Country Manager at WV-International, mentioned that although Serbia has made progress in enhancing its regulatory framework for renewable energy project development and reducing bureaucratic hurdles, there is still room for improvement. Lazendić suggested that auctions would be beneficial. Additionally, Serbia offers a dependable investment environment.
Neda Lazendić had the honour of being one of the distinguished speakers on the panel discussing the significant challenges for achieving a greater proportion of renewable energy sources in the SEE region. WV-International, in collaboration with Emergy, is currently working on the wind farm projects Alibunar 1 and 2 in Serbia. While they are in the final stages of negotiating financing, they have also initiated the second investment cycle. May we kindly request your patience and understanding as we work towards achieving our goals.
According to Lazendić, despite the challenges faced, Serbia offers a dependable investment atmosphere. It is apparent that there are investors who have been present in Serbia for a decade or so and are now embarking on their second investment cycle. One such investor is WV-International, which has had two projects currently in development since 2013.
She emphasized that the development of a project in Serbia necessitates a significant amount of time, but it can be expedited if the investor has a proficient local team. According to her, one of the most crucial aspects to implement the project, besides a predictable legal structure, is a strong local team. According to Lazendić, the projects that WV-International has partnered with Emergy to implement in the second investment cycle will receive numerous benefits. Lazendić further mentioned that their new projects have secured grid connections and are expected to be operational by 2025 or 2026.
She kindly mentioned that the procedures under the laws on planning and construction, as well as on the use of renewable energy sources, have undergone notable shortening and are being carried out with greater efficiency.
According to Lazendić, there has been some progress in comparison to the situation ten years ago, but there is still potential for further improvement.
Nonetheless, there are some additional concerns that are impeding progress, including the procurement of wind turbines, financial backing, and the distribution of electricity.
Considering all the factors, it is recommended that auctions should not be overlooked as they offer a viable means of accelerating investments in renewable energy, as highlighted by Lazendić. She emphasized that the upcoming 400 MW wind power auction carries significant weight in terms of financial stability, given that there is already a cumulative capacity of 380 MW in wind power plants connected to the grid.
She mentioned that auctions are still needed as a temporary measure in the path towards a scenario where projects would solely be executed for the market.
Lazendić respectfully conveyed her belief that the government’s intention to require the installation of battery systems was aimed at ensuring energy security. However, she politely pointed out that the current size of 20% of a project’s capacity may not be appropriate and suggested it be defined at a later stage.
It would be necessary to develop batteries, which is something that could greatly enhance an investment, even in the absence of a requirement, as noted by her.
