EVENT: SEE ENERGY - Connect & Supply V, "Western Balkans meet new energy challenges"
DATE: October, 13-14th 2022
LOCATION: Hotel "Sheraton", Novi Sad, online via Zoom platform and YouTube channel
REGISTRATION - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Renewable energy supply and the transition to green energy are becoming increasingly important, especially during the energy crisis in Europe. Dealing with high oil, electricity and gas prices has an increasingly negative impact on citizens and the economy in the European Union. At the meeting of the European Council held on March 24 and 25 this year, it was announced that the member states will work together with the European Commission on the joint purchase of gas, hydrogen, and liquefied natural gas.
At the same time, the Western Balkans region is going through an energy crisis, and a common approach makes it easier to finance green energy and abandon coal use, said the Deputy Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, Dirk Bushle.
The fifth international investment conference SEE ENERGY- Connect & Supply on "Western Balkans to meet new energy challenges" will be held on October 13 and 14 this year at the Sheraton Hotel, Novi Sad.
The National Biomass Association "SERBIO" and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD will present the situation, current challenges, and future projects and potential solutions in the future energy transition of the entire Western Balkans region during the two-day event.
Over 40 energy experts, representatives of investors, the economy, and the most crucial state institutions from Serbia, Croatia, BiH, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Slovenia, etc., will talk about the most current topic - regional energy situation, oil, and electricity prices and future challenges, presenting solutions, technologies and sources of funding.
Austria is this year's partner country of the conference, and in addition to Austrian representatives of equipment and services, the event will be attended by representatives of companies from Germany and Italy. Considering the topicality of the topic, the interest is great, and the topics of the conference were distributed in two days in all conference halls of the "Sheraton" hotel in Novi Sad.
The two-day event will be officially opened by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia and the Minister of Mining and Energy, Prof. PhD. Zorana Mihajović, Mr. Matteo Colangeli, director of the EBRD for the Western Balkans, as well as high-ranking officials, representatives of the Energy Community Secretariat, the Austrian embassy, the EU Delegation in Serbia, as well as Mayor of the city of Novi Sad.
Topics:
Topics are intended for industry, economy, agriculture, households, public companies, banks and local governments.
The event is organized with the co-organization of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD and the German Organization for International Cooperation GIZ, with the support of the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, PU "Toplane Serbia", regional associations and associations.
SEE ENERGY-Connect & Supply IV
"Development of the bioenergy market in the energy system and district heating systems"
12-13 October 2022, hotel "Sheraton", Novi Sad, SERBIA
Target group/participants
Technology: Equipment manufacturers (domestic and foreign), equipment distributors, equipment installers,
Investment support - subsidies: state, banks, private investment funds, EU organizations
Technical and project documentation: engineers, designers, lawyers, development agencies
End-users: companies, heating plants, industry, electricity distribution, farmers, state and local government, energy agency, professional associations, pellet manufacturers, pellet machine manufacturers, service technicians, measuring instrument suppliers, forestry farms, agricultural farms, producers with organic by-products: wood processors, mills...
Sector Information / Event Description
FIND OUT INFORMATION FROM THE SECTOR
Current world policies and market trends. Potentials and challenges of the RES market in Serbia and the Western Balkans region. The current framework, resource supply and sustainability of bioenergy. Barrier analysis and bioenergy improvement measures.
MEET EXPERIENCED EXPERTS
International practice and business know-how. Successful examples from the region and useful tips. Licenses, permits and project preparation.
FIND OUT ABOUT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Overview of investment opportunities and planned capacities. Remote projects heating and cogeneration plants that require investment.
FIND A PARTNER IN THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Funding and co-financing opportunities. International experiences and public-private partnership.
TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AND EQUIPMENT
Advanced technologies and equipment for power plants and thermal energy from biomass, cogeneration plants and district heating system heating. Innovative applications.
Topics
Support for the development of RES in Serbia, District heating systems in cooling and heating, The transition from gas to biomass, District heating in cities - good practices, Technological solutions and innovations, Technological solutions and innovations for efficient distribution of thermal energy, Sustainable distribution cogeneration systems, Legal aspects of investment and insurance, Investments and support for investment projects, Solar thermal, Heat pumps, Thermal energy from waste, Wood biomass and sustainable supply of raw materials, Wood chipping and pellet production
Partner/co-organizer: EBRD, ReDEWeB fund
Support: GIZ
Organizer: National Biomass Association “SERBIO”
Program of the conference -LINK
Is solar energy the future of Serbia? Can a citizen be both- a producer and a distributor of electricity?
What are the benefits of the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources?
I want to put a solar panel on my rooftop - where do I start? Do you need information from each sector on the planning, financing and implementation of a solar project?
Biomass cogeneration plants and boilers- electricity and heat
The first international investment and practical conference - "Solar energy and cogeneration - panels for companies, farmers, households, public companies, heating plants and municipalities"
Place: Novi Sad
Time: February, 23th 2022., 09.00-16.00
Target group / participants
Sector information
In order to achieve the climate goal of reducing the increase in average global temperature by 1.5 ° C by 2050, the use of fossil fuels must be reduced by 75%, and even greater growth in RES capacity is expected in the future. Serbia, as a member of the Energy Community, has a required goal - 32% of the total energy consumption should be from renewable sources, by 2030.
The new Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources will enable us to see more solar panels on the roofs of family houses, apartment buildings, as well as production halls and warehouses, the procedure for their installation will be shorter and simpler than before. The replacement of feed-in tariffs with market premiums and auctions has enabled the modernization of the incentive system.
The procedure for drafting the project, obtaining a building permit, issuing a building permit, installing and concluding a contract with EPS Distribution is shortened and accelerated and should not take longer than 3 months.
The use of biomass and solar energy as renewable sources of sustainable and efficient energy for independent complexes is the future which, through its implementation, ensures the establishment of the fifth level of technology that provides a high degree of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.
The price of electricity is expected to increase from February 1, 2022, and solar panels, in addition to reducing monthly electricity bills, contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment. Cheaper solar technology has brought greater interest to producers from all over Europe in the market of the Republic of Serbia.
If you are a household, industry or public company, interested in installing solar panels on your facilities, you need information from each sector of planning, financing and implementation of the solar project, SEE ENERGY - the first practical conference on solar energy in Serbia, offers you adequate information, business networking and answers your questions. As part of the one-day conference, B2B meetings will be held with representatives of design houses, technology manufacturers, representatives of investment funds and others. (with mandatory appointment).
Topics:
*Sessions are held separately for industries, companies, farmers and households and especially for public companies, local governments, heating plants in various conference rooms during the day.
Partner: GIZ
Support: EBRD
Organizer: National Biomass Association "SERBIO"
World's first high-altitude floating solar farm – in the Swiss Alps
This is the world's first high-altitude floating solar farm, perched like a raft atop Lac des Toules, a man-made reservoir near the village of Bourg-Saint-Pierre in the canton of Valais near the Swiss–Italian border. It is a one-of-a-kind power plant, installed in December 2019 by Romande Energie, the main supplier of electricity in French-speaking Switzerland. "We came up with the idea in 2012 over a coffee," recalls Guillaume Fuchs, project lead in wind and floating solar plants at Romande Energie. "We were thinking about ways we could use dams to produce more electricity. First we considered wind power but there were too many constraints. So then we looked into a project with floating solar panels."
How does it work?
The solar plant at Lac des Toules consists of 1,400 panels, laid on 36 floating structures made of aluminium and polyethylene plastic anchored to the bottom of the lake. Current production exceeds 800,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is the equivalent of consumption for about 220 households.
Despite a considerable up-front investment of CHF2.35 million ($2.6 million) – more than what a similar installation on dry land would cost, thanks to extra costs associated with rafts and anchors – a photovoltaic installation on a man-made lake at a high altitude has several advantages.
"The atmosphere is a bit thinner and so UV rays are more intense,” Fuchs explains. “The panels are actually more effective at low temperatures, and we can even use the reflected light from the snow."
Using two-sided panels, which are fitted with photovoltaic cells both front and back, means they can also use light reflected from the surface of the water, which adds to the electrical yield.
"Compared to an installation of the same dimensions down in the valley, we produce about 50% more electricity up here," he points out.
Resistant to snow and ice
Beginning operation in December 2019, the solar power plant in the Alps got through its first winter successfully, Fuchs says. The problem with ice, which can be as thick as 60cm on the lake, was resolved using floats, which raise the structure whenever the surface of the water freezes over. When the lake is completely emptied at the end of March, the platforms come to rest on the bottom, which is flattened out.
The structure can sustain up to 50cm of snow. If the snowfall is heavier, the snow slips off the panels as soon as the sun begins to shine.
The back of the panel is what produces electricity,” Fuchs explains. “So they warm up, and the snow just slips off. After doing several tests we came to the conclusion that a slope of 37° on the panels would be enough to get the snow off, without compromising the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells."
The Alpine effect
Three factors come together to enable this high-altitude solar farm to produce up to 50% more energy than one on low-lying land: the cold temperatures, stronger UV rays, and light reflected from the surrounding snow. Photovoltaic cells are more efficient in cold weather, as Fuchs points out. Söderström also highlights the potential of this choice of location for generating power, especially in winter: "There is much less fog at an altitude of 1,810 metres than lower down. And the snow reflects the sunlight, so the panels can harness more energy – a phenomenon known as the albedo effect." The use of two-sided modules is very effective here because, when snow lands on a panel, the light reflected from one side heats up the other side by generating energy, causing the snow to slide off.
The overall effect of this Alpine environment is a higher energy yield, particularly in the winter months. It was thus a bold but winning decision. Söderström points out: "There is nothing new or exceptional about floating solar farms, and there are many examples around the world, but this is the first one that has to withstand the harsh climatic conditions of an Alpine winter. It stands as both an addition and a testament to Swiss expertise." According to SFOE figures, electricity from renewable sources accounted for around 75% of Switzerland's electricity consumption and 62% of electricity production in 2019.
This world-first project is drawing much interest from electricity companies around the world and has even become a tourist attraction in the region. "We are in contact with other electricity suppliers in Switzerland and Europe with a view to exporting our technology," says Fuchs. The mayor of Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Gilbert Tornare, adds: "Here at the end of the valley, we live off what few natural resources we have – sunshine, water and wind. So we welcomed this project with great interest and enthusiasm. And we get quite a few tourists coming to look at our floating solar farm. This project is good for our energy independence – but also for our economic survival as a region."
Future of solar power
The first floating solar installation was built in 2007 in Japan, and it was followed by projects in other countries, including France, Italy, South Korea, Spain and the United States. Currently, more than a hundred floating plants are operating around the world and the capacity has been increasing since 2014.
The panels can be placed on all kinds of bodies of water, from the industrial (disused mines) to the open sea. The world’s biggest installation of this kind is now in Anhui province, China, while the biggest one in Europe is in Piolenc, in the south of France (with 47,000 photovoltaic panels).
According to players in the sector, floating stations are really the future of solar power because the water cools the panels, increasing their yield. Furthermore, they resolve the issue of land use because they don’t take away any space from agriculture or construction.
This kind of solar power is likely to expand in many parts of the world, according to from the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore and the World Bank.
2021 Watt d'Or award
The Lac des Toules solar project has cost CHF 2.35 million to date. It currently produces 800,000 kWh of electricity per year, which is enough to power 220 households. In recognition of its pioneering technology, Romande Energie was awarded the SFOE's 2021 Watt d'Or in the Renewable Energy category. However, the current structure – while efficient – is still only a demonstration project. As Fuchs reveals, Romande Energie has much bigger plans for the future, with a larger and more permanent structure to be built on the same lake in 2022: "The goal is to produce 22 million kWh per year, enough power for some 6,100 households." Romande Energie hopes to obtain planning permission for its new system in early 2021.
Source:
https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/06/04/the-high-altitude-solar-farm-floating-to-success
https://houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/environment/worlds-first-high-altitude-floating-solar-farm-swiss-alps
Prepared: Ivana Kravic, Jelena Buncic
National Biomass Association SERBIO
Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 6/6, 21 000, Novi Sad, Serbia
Phone: 021/382 35 33
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
BioRES Project - Sustainable Regional Supply Chains for Woody Bioenergy has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research innovation programmer under grand agreement No 645994
The establishment of the National Biomass Association SERBIO was supported by: