In the village of Bajgorë in the Mitrovica municipality, about 50 kilometers from Pristina, is a wind farm completed in 2021, which also represents the largest renewable energy project in the country. The 27 turbines produce about 105 megawatts of electricity, a small amount compared to the needs of a country that generates more than 90 percent of its energy from coal as it tries to catch up with the rest of Europe in switching to more renewable sources.
Authorities say that projects that are in various stages of development are expected to produce a total of about 520 megawatts of renewable energy.
"For comparison, in the last 40 years, about 300 have been built in Kosovo, about 220 in these two post-war decades. This means we are talking about a qualitative leap in terms of the resources that will be used, innovative technologies, but also quantitatively in terms of the amount of new capacities that are being added," says Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli to Voice of America.
In 2020, Kosovo, along with other Western Balkan countries, signed the Green Agenda Declaration, through which it pledged to end coal-fired energy production and switch to renewable sources by 2050.
A World Bank report estimates that Kosovo needs at least 10 gigawatts of new capacity in order to meet this goal, while it is said that this could cost the country up to 4.5 billion euros.
Ms. Rizvanolli said in a conversation with Voice of America that switching to renewable energy sources quickly and completely is technically and financially impossible, but that efforts are ongoing for a better, safer, and cleaner future.
"We are working with increased intensity, of course we are realistic that the transition to clean, renewable sources does not happen overnight, so our coal capacities must be more efficient and less polluting to the environment, in the meantime we are also working on these and this is the energy mix that we have chosen based on price affordability, security of supply, but also of course minimal pollution," she said.
An expert in this field and former Minister of Energy, Ethem Çeku, told Voice of America that Kosovo has lost its energy independence due to mismanagement, while the development of this sector has stalled.
"Now we are completely dependent on the developments that occur in the region. How will we face this phase, the only way or one way that is left to us is alternative energy, solar or sun, some wind because we have a problem with hydro since Kosovo is not rich in water," he says.
In the best case scenario, using all existing resources, says Mr. Çeku, Kosovo could install 7,700 megawatts that do not necessarily translate into production.
"Kosovo will still be dependent on purchasing energy at expensive prices from various countries in the region. Therefore, we have no other alternative, we must support solar and wind energy, we must support the idea of joint investments with Albania in the energy market. We must see the possibility of developing two mini reversible hydropower plants from the production of solar energy and alternative energy, whether that of Ujman or Vermica, which means having two reversible hydropower plants," he says.
He says that Kosovo should closely follow developments occurring in countries in the region such as Bulgaria, which is currently building two nuclear power reactors.
"There are two paths, Albania and Bulgaria for us, for a common investment market because we have American investments in Bulgaria. If we are on the American political lines then it is very easy for us to enter into negotiations with American companies and Bulgaria to have a branch of its supply," says Mr. Çeku.
"We have taken a very important step, the integration of the energy market with Albania by launching the Albanian Exchange Kosovo - Albania ALPEX since February last year and which is now functional. The plan is to expand this cooperation with North Macedonia and Greece. Regarding joint investments, we have had some ideas and initiatives, but they are not yet in the development phase," says Ms. Rizvanolli.
Mr. Çeku estimates that without local and international political consensus, the energy sector cannot be developed, while emphasizing that its lack of development also undermines state security.
"We need to turn the role of USAID, the World Bank, GIZ, the European Union office for energy to build a good consortium that would draft development policies for the energy sector because Kosovo will remain dependent on expensive imports until 2050. So we will lose significant funds from the Kosovo budget for the purchase of electricity," says Ms. Rizvanolli.
Kosovo currently meets most of its electricity needs from two old, environmentally harmful lignite-fired power plants. However, Kosovo's electricity needs exceed production capacity, especially during winter, leaving the country with numerous problems such as expensive imports, curtailments and high environmental pollution. VOA (A2 Televizion)
