RECs discussion starts in Serbia thanks to RDA SREM partner
Different stakeholders in the Srem region (Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia) who play a key role in reaching the policy improvement foreseen in the REC4EU project participated in the first stakeholder meeting.
The Regional Development Agency SREM (RDA Srem), as a discovery partner within the REC4EU project, organized this meeting and invited participants interested in the role and position of Renewable Energy Communities (REC) in Serbia and the EU. In that sense, representatives of the provincial government (Secretariat for Energy), representatives of Srem municipalities, public institutions, the Electric distribution enterprise, NGOs, and citizens were invited.
The meeting was held at the premises of the Innovation Startup Center in Stara Pazova which is managed by RDA Srem on September 27, 2024. This Center is focused on innovations in the field of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency (RES&EE). Various demonstration and exploitation facilities that utilize RES have been installed in Center, along with components and software that control the production, consumption, and sharing of renewable energy.
In the first part of the meeting, Mr. Milan Mirić presented the REC4EU project in a nutshell: overall & specific objectives, partnership, territorial analysis – SWOT in Serbia, and comparing it with other partner countries and their good practices.
The Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources introduced the concept of "Renewable Energy Communities" into the legal system of the Republic of Serbia in 2021. While the Renewable Energy Community is not defined within the definitions of this law, it is described in a specific chapter, which outlines the concept, members of the community, the objectives of establishing the community, the rights and obligations of the community, and the eligibility for benefits for electricity and heat energy producers.
So far, no regional (or national) authority have been identified for moderation of the RECs. It is evident that there must be a lot of improvement of the law. Mr. Bora Obradović from RDA Srem presented several possible options for the formation of REC in Serbia.
In the second part of the EoE meeting, designers were presented the technical documentation and feasibility studies for the construction of three solar power plants in the Srem region. These plants are located in the municipalities of Šid, Stara Pazova, and Sremska Mitrovica. One solar power plant will be installed on the roof of the Innovation Startup Center. All three solar power plants will serve as the basis for establishing Renewable Energy Communities in various locations in Srem region. Near these plants, there are many rooftops (schools, public institutions, and private buildings) that can be part of future Renewable Energy Communities.
The following conclusions were reached at the meeting:
- Renewable Energy Communities in Serbia are a new form of electricity producers using renewable sources that participate in the electricity market. The model is designed to encourage the use of renewable energy sources and to promote civic democracy.
- The Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources in Serbia does not provide a legal basis for the adoption of a specific subordinate legislation to more closely regulate RECs.
- Nevertheless, given that the members of RECs are often citizens who do not need to have technical expertise for the installation of electricity generation facilities and the management of this production, consumption, and other elements of the functioning of RECs—conditioned by their form, structure, and goals—all regulations, rules, and standards established in the field of renewable energy will need to be appropriately applied to relevant segments of RECs.
- Until the new rules established by the Energy Law and the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources (which also includes future regulations transposed from EU legislation) are broadly implemented in practice, RECs are likely to function most easily in the form of cooperatives or associations for the installation of solar power plants that sell their electricity to a known market buyer.
- Depending on the status chosen to achieve the goal of electricity production, the technical conditions, size of the facility, and possibly even its location will vary. Therefore, each REC should assess all organizational, technical, and status prerequisites before investing in a production facility and select the most effective and straightforward path to achieve its goal—meeting the needs of its members and producing energy from renewable sources.
A good start for Serbia to continue the discussion on the topic of RECs with the relevant interested parties.