Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Mining and Energy, prof. Zorana Mihajlovic, Ph.D., in Smederevska Palanka, handed over contracts to representatives of 38 local self-governments that received funds for investing in increasing energy efficiency in public buildings through a public call, and said that increasing energy efficiency is a national project and a job that concerns all institutions, the economy and citizens.
“This is the eighth time that the state allocates funds for increasing energy efficiency in public buildings through a public call, and for the first time money is allocated through the Directorate for Financing and Encouraging Energy Efficiency, which is part of the Ministry and was founded precisely with the task of helping public sector, but also citizens, to work faster on increasing energy efficiency. The total value of the projects that are co-financed through the public call is 1.12 billion dinars, of which 687.6 million dinars are from the funds of the Ministry of Mining and Energy, through the Administration, and 436.3 million dinars are the participation of local self-governments. Everything we do through this project means a healthier environment and energy savings, from 30 to 50 percent per year, depending on the measures applied.
“On an annual level, the savings in electricity consumption will be nine million kWh, and the expected reduction in CO2 emissions is about 4,500 tons per year,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
She reminded that, in addition to public buildings, the state also co-finances investments in increasing energy efficiency in households, where about 25,000 households in all parts of Serbia have been covered so far through three public calls in the previous year. The total investment through subsidies from the state and local self-governments is about 2.7 billion dinars, of which 1.4 billion dinars are subsidies from the Ministry. Also, in cooperation with the World Bank and EBRD, we secured another 70 million euros for the continuation of the project, which we expect to cover more than 100,000 households.
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She announced that the state will continue to issue public invitations, to increase where necessary the subsidies given by the state and that she believes that it is possible that in the next three years at least 45 percent of households will be covered by this project.
“If we know that today Serbia consumes about four times more energy than the average EU member to create a unit of GDP and almost two times more heat energy per square meter in households compared to the EU, it is clear how important this area is, even today. When we have an energy crisis, but also for the future. And when we hear how in other European countries citizens are called to save electricity, then we should imagine what we can do to get through this crisis as painlessly as possible. The state is there to provide money, to announce public calls, but only if we all work together on this, we can ensure that we have enough energy and a healthy environment”, said Mihajlovic.
The projects for which funds were allocated include elementary schools, municipal buildings, centers of culture, kindergartens, faculties, a center for social work, an indoor swimming pool, public lighting, and for the first time, the public call included the installation of photovoltaic systems and solar panels for the production of electricity .
The President of the Municipality of Smederevska Palanka, Nikola Vucen, said that investing in energy efficiency means significant savings in all municipalities, and as one example he cited the building of the Municipality of Smederevska Palanka, which has not been invested in for 60 years.
“In this year, the total investment of the municipality of Smederevska Palanka together with the Ministry is 80 million dinars, which is the largest investment in one year in this area,” said Vucen.
President of the municipality of Trstenik, Milena Turk, said that through this project, energy efficiency in the elementary school in Trstenik will be improved, as well as that the municipality has other joint projects with the Ministry in this area.
Mayor of Vranje, Slobodan Milenkovic, said that for the third year in a row, this city received funds from the Ministry on a public call for increasing the energy efficiency of public buildings, and thanked the Deputy Prime Minister for good cooperation and support to local governments.
Subsidies were awarded for projects in: Trgoviste, Niska Banja, Kursumlija, Gadzin Han, Uzice, Bosilegrad, Vranje, Raznje, Kraljevo, Svilajnac, Ljubovija, Novi Sad, Zajecar, Vrnjacka Banja, Novi Pazar, Nis, Boljevac, Valjevo, Kragujevac, Kuli, Priboj, Trstenik, Smederevska Palanka, Negotin, Ljig, Pirot, Backi Petrovac, Vlasotince, Smederevo, Knic, Kikinda, Subotica, Senta, Backa Palanka, Krupanj, as well as municipalities of Belgrade: Obrenovac, Palilula and Stari grad.
Source: Ministry of mining and Energy
