According to Walburga Hemetsberger, the Chief Executive Officer of SolarPower Europe, Serbia would be an ideal location for large-scale manufacturing plants as the European Union aims to increase solar panel production and decrease reliance on China. Hemetsberger believes that investors would be enthusiastic about setting up factories in Serbia if the government offered a suitable legal structure.
At the RES Serbia conference, SolarPower Europe CEO Walburga Hemetsberger highlighted the presence of political support in the EU for the revival of manufacturing, which includes solar power equipment.
Hemetsberger stated that it is crucial to establish supply chains in Europe as they are currently facing difficulties. The goal is to bring back manufacturing to Europe, as now, at least 80% of it is sourced from China. The focus is to ensure the development of resilient supply chains in Europe, which is being actively worked on. Additionally, Hemetsberger mentioned the desire to involve Serbia in this process.
Regarding the political will, which serves as the motivating factor, the Government of Serbia has shown it through various actions, emphasized Hemetsberger. By observing instances in Europe, the country has the chance to combine solar power plants with other technologies, specifically wind power and storage, as stated by Hemetsberger. Constructing hybrid power plants alleviates the challenges faced by the grid in accommodating renewable energy sources, making it an effective method to generate continuous electricity, she further explained.
According to Hemetsberger, if investments in the sector are slow, it is impeding the progress of renewable power plant projects due to the significant role that grids play in their deployment.
The head of SolarPower Europe emphasized that Serbia would be an excellent location for accommodating large manufacturing plants, presenting an opportunity not only to expand renewable energy sources but also to produce them. During an interview with Balkan Green Energy News at the event, she clarified that policymakers should strive to simplify the process for developers to acquire land and expedite permit approvals.
“Everyone can seize the opportunity and provide the best framework and conditions to attract value creation in their country. To create jobs. As long as Serbia provides such conditions, manufacturers will be happy We’re going to come here and scale up,” Hemetsberger said.
She asserted that one of the currently discussed ideas within the EU is to facilitate the granting of state aid to industrial projects. Hemetsberger proposed that European products could receive additional benefits based on non-price criteria during special auctions.