A new energy strategy has been entailed by the energy crisis, but also by the development of artificial intelligence, circular economy, as well as the process of decarbonization – said Mr. Dušan Živković, General Director of Elektroprivreda Srbije and Chairman of the Energy Committee of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry at today's first public debate on the Draft Energy Development Strategy of the Republic of Serbia until 2040 with projections until 2050, organized by the Ministry of Mining and Energy and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
-These processes have imposed new rules of the game, and the crisis has contributed to understanding how much energy sovereignty and energy security are a priority for every country, region, and EPS will be the holder of the energy transition. We need the new Energy Strategy, and it will enable us to see how energy companies and the economy can achieve the desired goals together in the coming period, primarily decarbonization - said Mr. Živković.
State Secretary at the Ministry of Mining and Energy, Mr. Veljko Kovačević, pointed out that the Strategy assumes ambitious goals for decarbonization of the energy sector, in a way that does not jeopardize energy security and stability.
- By 2030, the total installed capacity of wind and solar power plants should be 3.5 GW, whereby almost every second megawatt-hour produced will come from green energy. By 2040, RES capacity is expected to increase nearly three times. We can achieve these ambitious goals if this burden is shared between the public and private sectors – Mr. Kovačević said.
He pointed out that this document prepares Serbia for enhanced use of hydrogen in the energy sector through the establishment of legislation, strengthening of technological and scientific research potential, and that through the Draft Strategy, the nuclear energy topic has been put on the table.
Director of the Department for Strategic Analyses, Services and Internationalization of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Mr. Mihailo Vesović, said that the new energy strategy was extremely important for the development of the Serbian economy and the essence of green energy transformation.
-This strategy will enable the opening of a new set of jobs and opportunities for development of the economy. For us, this strategy may be even more important than the industrial policy strategy, because it will condition other new strategies – Mr. Vesović said.
