LIFE

RES cooperation between West Balkan countries and with the EU: from short term pilots to long term visions

Publication from Life
Internationale Klimapolitik und Ökonomik

Tuerk Andreas, Frieden Dorian , Fruhmann Claudia

, 5/2017

Abstract:

Design/Approach: The adopted approach is mainly based on the context of a project co-financed by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme, titled "Bringing Europe and Third countries closer together through renewable Energies (BETTER)" (project number: IEE/11/845/SI2.616378). The proposed approach incorporates the steps of desktop analysis, stakeholders' mapping and engagement, key factors' identification and analysis of results. Findings: The paper investigates the role of the renewable cooperation mechanisms of the Renewable Energy Directive for the West Balkan countries and assesses possible win-win constellations for buyer and seller countries. It concludes that the role of cooperation mechanisms in the West Balkans is not a large scale application of the mechanism, but a way to initiate pilot projects on cooperation. Therefore, the focus of cooperation mechanisms could be to earlier expand those technologies for which there are budgetary caps in the support systems or which cannot be integrated into the grid in the short term. In finding win-win constellations, not only economic considerations, but also environmental and social considerations need to be included to make successful use of these mechanisms. Increased cooperation between the West Balkan countries will be a key for meeting 2020 and future targets in a cost-efficient way and being in a better situation to export electricity. The use of the cooperation mechanisms could accelerate an integration of energy systems in the region and with the EU.

Keywords: West Balkan