Energy Week Western Balkans 2024 is a key event that brings together leading stakeholders in the energy sector, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas, strategies, and innovations aimed at a sustainable future and green transition in the region. Petar Šainović, Managing Director of Siemens Energy Belgrade, spoke to the Energy Portal about the importance of this gathering for the energy sector in the region.
The conference Energy Week Western Balkans is approaching, bringing together all key players in the energy sector in the region. What does participation in such an important event mean to you, and what outcome do you expect?
– I am honored and pleased to have the opportunity to participate and to speak as a panelist about current developments in this field at such a conference. Considering that the energy sector undoubtedly holds a leading position in the fight against climate change, conferences such as this play a crucial role in the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and defining directions for the development of energy sector in the region. This is what I expect from this prestigious conference.
Among the participants of the Energy Week Western Balkans, there are leading global companies that are shaping the green transition of the region, including Siemens Energy. What message will the company send to the other conference participants?
– The green transition is not a choice, and only through joint efforts can we achieve the set goals. We employ around 98,000 people worldwide in more than 90 countries. An estimated one-sixth of the electricity generated worldwide is based on technologies from Siemens Energy. I would like to highlight our presence in the Western Balkans region, including our Serbian operations. Of 200 our employees in Serbia, three quarters are engineers. Experts from the team are currently executing complex projects in Western and Northern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Our presence in Croatia is similar. This capability represents a vast knowledge base, and I hereby invite the conference participants to join with us to create the future of the region’s energy sector.
Siemens Energy is one of the leaders in energy transition, both globally and in the region. Tell us more about the company’s projects in the Western Balkans and how they have impacted the improvement of environmental quality and energy stability.
– Our operations encompass power generation and transmission, as well as industrial solutions, with focus on decarbonization and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Siemens Energy has a unique Center of Competence for Industrial Solutions, which is an integral part of our company in Serbia and currently employs more than 100 experts from various engineering disciplines, executing projects worldwide. This engineering center is particularly focused on the electrification of industry with the aim of decarbonization. We have executed major projects in this field in the region. As for projects in our region, I would like to mention that we are currently involved in construction of a wind farm, the largest biomass power plant in the region, a power plant that utilizes waste steam from industrial processes, and a unique high-efficiency tri-generation plant. All these projects aim to improve environmental quality. In the field of power transmission, we are currently involved in several major regional projects with the goal of enhancing energy stability.
Where does the untapped potential of the Western Balkans for green energy production lie, and how can the implementation of Siemens Energy’s innovative technology help?
– First and foremost, in the people. From Siemens Energy’s perspective, I can say that expert knowledge is our main driving force. Our experts from this region are highly sought after and successful in the energy sector. This is confirmed by our Center of Competence that I already mentioned, and the fact that we have quadrupled the number of employees in Serbia in less than 5 years. Additionally, we have ambitious plans for the further development of the local team
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