Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has embarked on the path of energy transition, and the complete transformation that envisages the production of electricity from renewable sources will take 27 years. How (un)realistic is it to become a completely carbon-neutral country in less than three decades?
At the moment, BiH heavily relies on the production of electricity through coal, which is produced in several domestic mines. However, if we want to join the European Union (EU), one of the main conditions is the energy transition.
“We have two obligations related to the increase in electricity production from renewable sources while reducing the production from coal. The energy transition is an obligation, but it foresees an extremely long process. In our plans, we want to implement it within the deadline and according to the plan according to which the EU is working,” the director of Elektroprivreda BiH, Admir Andelija, emphasizes.
Generational projects
“Now we have to transition to a company that will produce electricity entirely from renewable sources. This process cannot be completed in a year or five, or even in one generation. These are generational projects. Legislation and European directives sometimes accelerate us to take some bigger steps, but we have to be very wise and careful. There are many reasons for this, and above all it is the energy dependence that we keep talking about. We witnessed what that means last year,” Andelija added.
The Tuzla Canton (TC) has great potential for the construction of solar power plants, which, on the other hand, also has the largest number of mine excavations. In this canton, Elektroprivreda BiH has foreseen the implementation of several large projects. In addition to geographical advantages, this region of our country also offers appropriate legal regulations.
At this moment, eight solar power plants should be established in the TC, which would be located in Zivinice. The value of the project is roughly 85 million BAM, and the plan is for them to be in operation at the end of next year. Also, a photovoltaic power plant is planned in the mining town of Banovici, Lukavac, and Tuzla.
The first “green city” in BiH
Moreover, Zivinice has excellent potential for the construction of solar power plants, which after the realization of the project of close to 85 million BAM, will create the possibility that more than 62 percent of the electricity needs will be met from renewable sources. As stated by Elektroprivreda BiH, no business center in the region has that today.
“We are very determined and energetic in order to start with the implementation of numerous projects, we must offer citizens strong solutions for reducing air pollution through the production of ‘green’ energy and the construction of heating plants, which we have foreseen in the regulatory plan because we are approaching a modern way of heating,” says Began Muhic, the mayor of Zivinice, the city that is the first to sign a memorandum with Elektroprivreda BiH regarding the construction of solar power plants, Klix.ba reports.
