Projects such as the wind farm “Kovačica” with 104.5 megawatts installed and implemented by the company New Energy Solutions positively impact our country’s energy and environmental sector. Thanks to this, Serbia is approaching its plan to have 40 percent of its production in the energy mix by 2040 from RES.
The usage of solar and wind energy in Serbia’s energy mix today is only 3.5 percent. The only way for our country to be energy safe are further investments in RES. Therefore we have prepared the interview about investments and future wind farm projects with Miloš Perišić, Director of Engineering from New Energy Solutions.
EP: With the accomplishment of the wind farm “Kovačica” project, the largest investment in the mentioned municipality was realized. Would you highlight this as the most significant project in the first 10 years of the company’s operation?
Miloš Perišić: New Energy Solutions has been expanding in recent years. It is already one of the most important factors in the field of renewable sources in Serbia and the region. The expectations of the management and all employees in NES are high, so the realization of projects that will surpass even a project such as WPP “Kovačica” is planned, which is undoubtedly the most important project in the first 10 years of the company’s work. However, we are also sure that the projects ahead of us will surpass the success achieved by realizing that project.
In focus:
EP: Do you have data on the overall reduction of CO2 emissions and other benefits this project has brought?
Miloš Perišić: The average electricity production from the wind farm “Kovačica” is about 298,000 MWh. If we assume that this production reduces the share of electricity production obtained from the thermal power plant, we come to a reduction in CO2 emissions by about 250,000 tons per year. We are sure that the positive effect of the “Kovačica” wind farm project is also reflected in the increase in the income of the local community with which we have exceptional cooperation.
EP: New Energy Solutions is also working on developing the wind farm “Pupin” for the same Investor, the Israeli company Enlight. What can you tell us about this project? What stage is it currently in?
Miloš Perišić: Successful cooperation established with “Enlight”, a world-renowned company in the field of renewable sources, continues on the wind farm “Pupin” project. The fact that the company “Enlight” wishes to continue very successful cooperation through new projects is a great honor and recognition of our work. “Pupin” wind farm is a natural continuation of the “Kovačica” wind farm project. The installed capacity is 95.5 megawatts. A planning document was prepared and adopted, location conditions were provided, and a building permit was obtained. Activities are underway to provide appropriate permits for supporting infrastructure, which primarily refers to the connection to the transmission system, which is realized by the joint efforts of Elektromreža Srbije AD as the Investor of this part of the project and the company New Energy Solutions.
EP: Investors are announcing investments in green energy power plants with the capacity of a few hundred megawatts to even a few gigawatts. Do you think EMS is ready to connect new wind farms to the network? What is the current situation?
Miloš Perišić: According to publicly available information on the website of EMS AD, at the moment, there are requests for the connection of over 13 gigawatts from power plants that use renewable energy sources. If we take into account that about 390 megawatts of electricity from wind power plants are currently connected and that the total installed capacity of all power plants in Serbia is about 8 gigawatts, it is clear that EMS AD is currently unable to provide the capacity to cover all the existing requirements. However, the essential question is how much capacity of 13 gigawatts is realistic, what are the deadlines and whether all those power plants will be built. The joint-stock company Elektromreža Srbije has been working for a long time on the realization of a project that will enable the connection of power plants from renewable sources in a very serious and significant capacity. Also, I am sure that EMS AD will provide timely preconditions for connecting all power plants that will be built in the coming period.
Interviewed by: Milica Marković
Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.
