North Macedonia adopts National Energy and Climate Plan, commits to accelerate energy transition during Secretariat’s visit to Skopje Contact online >>
North Macedonia adopts National Energy and Climate Plan, commits to accelerate energy transition during Secretariat’s visit to Skopje
Director Artur Lorkowski and Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of North Macedonia, Fatmir Bytyki, agreed to step up cooperation to accelerate the just energy transition during their meeting in Skopje on 31 May. The meeting coincided with the adoption of the final National Energy and Climate Plan by the Government of North Macedonia, following the Secretariat’s recommendations.
Director Lorkowski said: “I congratulate the Government of North Macedonia for setting a clear energy transition pathway by adopting the National Energy and Climate Plan. This reflects the country’s dedication to decarbonisation and transformation of its economy and energy system to face the new challenges of the 21st century. Today, we agreed that the Energy Community Secretariat will be a strong partner for North Macedonia to advance a socially acceptable energy transition, aligned with the ambitions of the European Green Deal. North Macedonia can count on the Secretariat’s hands-on support.”
Deputy Prime Minister Bytyki said: “North Macedonia remains committed to its obligations under the Energy Community Treaty and the Paris Agreement, despite the challenges posed by recent developments. The Government’s adoption of the Energy and Climate Plan testifies to this. Moreover, several large and strategically important renewable energy projects that will ensure our energy security and diversification away from fossil fuels are underway. We look forward to enhanced cooperation with the Energy Community Secretariat to make the just energy transition a reality.”
During his mission to Skopje, the Director also met with the State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy, Razmena Cekic Duroviq, Head of EU Delegation to North Macedonia, David Geer, the President and Board members of the Energy Regulatory Commission and directors of electricity and gas companies. The meetings focused on the state of energy sector reforms in North Macedonia and advancing the decarbonisation agenda in the face of the current situation on the energy markets. Director Lorkowski invited all stakeholders to actively engage in an inclusive process of setting 2030 targets for energy efficiency, renewables and greenhouse gas reduction in 2022.
The Director was accompanied by Deputy Director Dirk Buschle and Senior Energy Lawyer Rozeta Karova.
During his visit, the Director addressed the Skopje Economic and Finance Forum on the energy and green transition in North Macedonia. During his intervention, Director Lorkowski underlined that the present energy crisis is no reason to pause the energy transition but rather it reflects the urgency of accelerating the uptake of energy from renewable sources and phasing out of fossil fuels. Continued energy market reforms were needed to make the sector fit for the energy transition.
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By BojanaVlajcic
01 Jul 2022
Decarbonisation plans in North Macedonia are taking a big leap forward. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is lending €25 million to ESM, the state-owned electricity company, to build a 30 MW photovoltaic (PV) project consisting of 10 MW on a portion of the exhausted coal mine of thermal power plant Oslomej, and 20 MW adjacent to the thermal power plant Bitola. The European Union (EU) is also supporting this development with a €5 million grant funded through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
Andi Aranitasi, EBRD Head of North Macedonia, said: “This is a very important project for the country’s energy transition. It is a continuation of our previous work in backing the ambitious decarbonisation plans of North Macedonia by organising solar PV tenders and constructing the first-ever utility scale solar PV plant in the country. The project will help to address the need for energy security and sustainability in a competitive and affordable manner, through investments that will create high-quality jobs and new business ecosystems, while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.”
The new solar plants are an extension of the first 10 MW PV plant constructed on the exhausted coal mines in Oslomej and are evidence of ESM’s and the country’s decarbonisation pathway. Once operational, the new facilities will produce nearly 48 GWh of electricity a year – enough to power 10,000 homes and replace 44,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The project will also support ESM’s efforts to rehabilitate the mine sites that used to supply the thermal power plants with coal.
Ambassador David Geer, Head of the EU Delegation to North Macedonia said: “We are seeing concrete actions in materialising the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans and in turning the Economic and Investment Plan into reality. The WBIF investment grant and the EBRD Loan, supporting the transformation of Oslomej and Bitola power plants from coal based to solar energy, represent a clear indication that the country is taking the right steps - moving to green energy, while implementing a socially just transition process. This investment was long overdue, and comes at the right time for North Macedonia, ensuring clean and secure energy supplies.”
The country, whose capital Skopje was recently named one of Europe’s most polluted cities, aims to source 38 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Especially during the current energy crises, this operation will be one of the first projects to simultaneously address key just transition elements by moving towards clean energy use and energy security, while also introducing retraining and reskilling programmes to safeguard livelihoods, support regional development and create new economic opportunities.
ESM, a public electricity generation utility owned by the government of North Macedonia, provides 90 per cent of the country’s domestic electricity production – about 3,600 GWh from two thermal power plants and 1,250 GWh from eight hydropower plants. ESM also operates two combined heat and power facilities and the first wind farm in the country, producing about 100 GWh annually.
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