The project of mapping locations suitable for the development of RES capacities in Montenegro has been launched - In Nikšić alone, the potential of wind and solar is about 1,400 GWh per year

- Investing in renewable energy is one of the ways countries can contribute to global efforts to combat climate change. However, the increased construction of RES capacity creates a significant demand for land. This potentially creates a conflict between energy policy, on the one hand, and nature conservation and social acceptance, on the other. This could lead to delays or even cancellation of RES projects, as well as an increase in costs for investors - warns Milev Čavor.

According to her, when developing projects related to RES, investors are often guided by spatial plans that are based exclusively on the potential of wind or solar resources and that do not take into account ecological or social, or cultural aspects.

- Assessing potential environmental problems or social/cultural conflicts can reduce the risk of long, costly delays or even project cancellations. The purpose of the project implemented by the non-governmental organizations Eko-team and The Nature Conservancy together with the Municipality of Nikšić was to develop a scenario of low-conflict locations for the positioning of solar and wind for this city by identifying and mapping the highest priority areas for the development of solar and wind power plants, which carry the least environmental and social conflict. The development of scenarios for low-conflict RES sites includes energy mapping, which includes the development of a spatial RES database and site modeling and value mapping, taking into account environmental, biodiversity and social/cultural elements of conservation interest, - she quotes.

The interlocutor of eKapija explains that the methodology is based on available data and information about the state of natural resources, flora and fauna, cultural heritage and landscape values, taking into account existing and planned patterns of land use.

- The goal was to identify locations with high sensitivity where RES capacities should not be built, as well as locations with lower sensitivity where their development should be stimulated - she added.

The results of the analysis showed that, even when considering only the areas with the least conflict and with medium or high development potential, their total area is about 4 km2 for wind energy and 50 km2 for solar energy. This represents an estimated potential capacity of around 40 MW of wind and 2.7 GW of solar.

Diana Milev Čavor states that the project showed that the applied methodology in this study is also necessary for the analysis of solar and wind potential at the national level.

- A smart positioning approach like the one used in this pilot study is crucial for avoiding impact on nature and people. The next step will be to apply the experience gained through the pilot project implemented in the municipality of Nikšić to the entire territory of Montenegro and help realize its full potential as a driver of green energy in the Balkans - she says.

The interlocutor of eKapija states that the potential for electricity production from the sun and wind in Montenegro is unquestionable.

- An approach such as smart mapping will allow us to come to concrete figures, what is the potential in megawatts and which are the low-conflict locations that will support a fast and responsible green transition - she explains.

- However, I don't think that all decisions regarding the reduction of production or shutdown of thermal power plants in the near future are realistic, and I don't think it is something that the European Commission expects from us, despite the obligation to reduce emissions - says Milev Čavor.

The adoption of the NECP is expected by the end of the second quarter of this year, so, she adds, the question of the further work of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant will have to be addressed through this document.

- The Eco-team's position is that that year should not be too ambitious as long as the TE manages to meet the pollution standards and as long as there is a financial profitability of its work. On the other hand, we are of the opinion that it is important to understand that we are already in the process of energy transition, that the period and the year when the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant will have to be shut down are approaching, and that it is therefore necessary to use all these years while the Thermal Power Plant is working to build new sources which will ensure the energy stability of Montenegro, but also provide prerequisites so that the local economy of Pljevlja could be restructured and revived through the development of other sustainable economic branches - she points out.

We have already mentioned that the interest of investors in investing in RES is huge. When asked whether the state could use certain measures to encourage further investments in this area, our interlocutor recalls that the Ministry of Energy and Mining has already prepared a draft law on renewable energy sources, which again introduces incentives for the production of energy from renewable sources.

- However, the question is how many incentives are needed for the construction of new RES, considering that there is a great interest of investors to invest in RES. Specifically, on the territory of the Nikšić municipality, UT conditions have already been issued for 42 locations for the construction of solar power plants, which is about 7,000 MW of installed power. In the previous period, we had a big challenge of regulations and unsystematic approach in issuing UT requirements for the construction of RES facilities - says Milev Čavor.

- The system of market premiums will be applied after the end of the transitional period, which ends at the end of 12 months from the date of the merger of the Montenegrin day-ahead electricity market with the single European organized day-ahead market, or another day-ahead market that has been operational for at least two years and which has a physical interconnection with Montenegro, through which trade is realized in the volume of at least 1 TWh per year - concludes Diana Milev Čavor for eKapija.