With a population of just over two million people, the small Western Balkan country of North Macedonia is already punching above its weight when it comes to renewable energy. Even though the country has historically been dependent on lignite coal mining for around 30% and gas imports for an addition Contact online >>
With a population of just over two million people, the small Western Balkan country of North Macedonia is already punching above its weight when it comes to renewable energy. Even though the country has historically been dependent on lignite coal mining for around 30% and gas imports for an additional 15% of its electricity production, it has nonetheless set very ambitious goals for decarbonization.
As part of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, North Macedonia has committed to a coal phase-out by 2027. It was also the first contracting party to the Energy Community to complete a National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP)—committing to increase the share of renewable energy sources in its gross energy consumption to 38% by 2030.
And the country is well on its way to achieving these goals. The Oslomej solar park, built on a former lignite open pit mining site, is already partly operational and will have an installed capacity of 120 MW when fully completed. There are also a series of auctions for solar power investments to ensure more solar PV projects in the pipeline.
However, despite its small land area, North Macedonia also stands out as a biodiversity hotspot, housing a significant portion of Europe''s biodiversity. This includes 64% of the continent''s bird species and 34% of mammal species—all on an area smaller than 0.3% of the European subcontinent.
Like others in the region, North Macedonia must balance its need to rapidly accelerate the transition to renewables to secure its energy future with the need to ensure that future is one where both the country''s nature and people thrive.
Seeing the country''s forward-thinking approach to renewables and natural beauty, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) identified North Macedonia as a prime candidate for the implementation of the smart siting approach currently being undertaken in Croatia and Serbia as well. Because the science and art of successful renewable siting requires consensus, TNC partnered with the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts and NGO Ekosvest to undergo an extensive stakeholder consultation to help inform the scope of the analysis.
Feedback from these engagements underscored the importance of integrating low-impact energy siting into spatial planning, engaging local communities in energy projects, preserving habitats and articulating the overarching benefits of renewable energy. Moreover, there was an emphasis on prioritizing development on degraded land and avoiding high-value agricultural land.
The results of the study are unambiguous: North Macedonia has an enormous untapped potential for renewable energy development. Even when completely excluding all important bird and plant areas, the potential comes to as much as 11 GW for solar PV and 0.35 GW for wind. This means that if only a half of these priority locations were built out, they could produce 7.7 terawatt-hours of electricity per year—which exceeds North Macedonia''s current electricity consumption and could even fully cover the estimated electricity consumption in 2030 under the energy efficient scenario of the NECP.
By prioritizing development in brownfields, degraded and converted lands that also boast strong energy potential, the country can easily meet its renewable energy targets without impacting nature. It can also ensure that the jobs created by new wind and solar installations stay in the former mining communities so that no one is left behind in the transition.
The initiative undertaken in North Macedonia is a template that can be scaled and replicated across the region, provided there is robust political commitment and a clear strategic direction. Capitalizing on brownfields, degraded and converted lands for an ecologically sensitive and just energy transition presents an opportunity not only for sustainable energy generation, but also for restoring and repurposing land that has lost its primary utility.
With this in mind, we put forth the following recommendations:
We recommend integrating detailed maps that highlight brownfields, degraded, and converted lands into critical planning documents. Specifically, forthcoming iterations of the Energy Strategy of North Macedonia, the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), and plans for site-specific renewable energy auctions should consider these maps. The maps don''t merely depict potential renewable energy sites, but also paint a picture of how energy scenarios can pragmatically evolve on the ground. By incorporating these insights, the government can craft well-informed, actionable policies that align with ground realities and future energy goals. The national government should also remove any legal barriers to siting renewables on mine sites and degraded land.
Collaboration is key. Local governments possess a unique vantage point and understanding of their terrains and communities. By forging synergies with local communities, NGOs, financial institutions, and the national government, they can identify and tap into potential energy sites. Such efforts can be instrumental in accelerating the local energy transition while also fostering community development and ownership.
By acknowledging and promoting the use of brownfields, degraded, and converted lands for nature-friendly energy generation, the Energy Community Secretariat can pave the way for more Contracting Parties to meet their NECP objectives. This can be done by promoting this approach within its Environmental Task Force and other expert groups, and by paving the way to use maps of renewable sites on brownfields, degraded, and converted lands as a means to remove permitting bottlenecks. This involves encouraging countries to prioritize and enable a legal framework for such an approach.
European multilateral and bilateral development finance institutions'' investments in renewable energy are instrumental to develop projects successfully and to support increased private sector investments in clean energy. By prioritizing and frontloading the development and financing of projects in the identified low-impact sites, these institutions can ensure that they leverage investments not only to support decarbonization targets but also to create a greener place for current and future generations.
It''s prudent to be proactive. By actively referring to and integrating insights from the provided maps and methodologies during project planning and execution, developers can pre-emptively address potential challenges, reduce delays, and ensure that their projects align with nature and community needs.
We believe in the power of collaboration. Whether it''s to adapt our strategies, refine methodologies, or share constructive feedback, we invite organizations and experts to engage with us. Such collaboration can not only refine our approach, but also inspire new, innovative solutions for sustainable energy transition. We invite civil society to use the maps to develop locally-owned projects and energy communities that will benefit from the analysis done.
Many of us want an overview of how much energy our country consumes, where it comes from, and if we''re making progress on decarbonizing our energy mix. This page provides the data for your chosen country across all of the key metrics on this topic.
In the selection box above you can also add or remove additional countries and they will appear on all of the charts on this page. This allows you to compare specific countries you might be interested in, and measure progress against others.
In the energy domain, there are many different units thrown around – joules, exajoules, million tonnes of oil equivalents, barrel equivalents, British thermal units, terawatt-hours, to name a few. This can be confusing, and make comparisons difficult. So at Our World in Data we try to maintain consistency by converting all energy data to watt-hours. We do this to compare energy data across different metrics and sources.
How many people do not have access to electricity?
Electricity is a good that adds massive value to modern life: from having light at night; to washing clothes; cooking meals; running machinery; or connecting with people across the world. Many would argue that it is a crucial for poverty alleviation, economic growth and improved living standards.1
This interactive chart shows the percentage of people that have access to electricity.
How many people do not have access to clean fuels for cooking?
Having clean fuels and technologies for cooking – meaning non-solid fuels such as natural gas, ethanol or even electric technologies – makes these processes more efficient, saving both time and energy.
This interactive chart shows the percentage of the population that have access to clean cooking fuels for cooking.
When we compare the total energy consumption of countries the differences often reflect differences in population size.
It''s useful to look at differences in energy consumption per capita.
This interactive chart shows the average energy consumption per person each year.
How much total energy – combining electricity, transport and heat – does the country consume each year?
This interactive chart shows primary energy consumption for the country each year.
How is energy consumption changing year-to-year in absolute terms?
Many countries have seen large increases in the amount of energy they consume year-on-year, as people get richer and populations grow.
How is total energy consumption changing from year-to-year? Is demand increasing or decreasing?
This interactive chart shows the annual change in primary energy consumption, given as a percentage of the previous year.
Electricity is often the most ''visible'' form of energy that we rely on day-to-day – it keeps our lights, TVs, computers and internet running.
How much electricity is generated per person?
This interactive chart shows per capita electricity generation.
Like total energy, the amount of electricity a country generates in total is largely reflected by population size, as well as the average incomes of people in the given country.
About Microgrid benefits north macedonia
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Microgrid benefits north macedonia have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Microgrid benefits north macedonia for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Microgrid benefits north macedonia featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
