The Environmental Protection and Energy Effectiveness Fund is a public fund in operation since 2007 in the autonomous part of Bosnia and Herzegovina – the Serbian Republic. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sarajevo, there is a separate fund which is also responsible for international matters.
The Serbian Republic Fund has many activities: gathering resources; financing, realizing and developing programs, projects, and other environmental protection activities; sustainable development; energy efficiency and renewable energy sources (RES).
There is no feed-in tariff system for renewables in the Republic of Serbia. However, renewable energy projects can be funded by the Environmental Protection and Energy Effectiveness Fund. The energy efficiency department is relatively new (in existence since 2013) and it currently gives priority to public building projects.
A large amount of the money which supplies the fund comes from packaging waste fees. It is mandatory for businesses to pay the right amount to the national fund. There is also a plan to introduce fees for electronic waste. There are already CO2 emission fees in effect in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Serbian Republic is currently in the stage of implementing the corresponding laws.
Every year, the fund’s budget receives around 2 to 2.5 million Euros, of which 10% is intended for projects proposed by NGOs. The funds are currently allocated in the form of subsidies. In this moment, a new system of funding energy efficiency projects is being implemented, which, in the future, will be in the form of loans. CO2 fees and other ways of increasing the fund’s income are also planning to be introduced, so that 10 -20 million Euros will be received annually. In response to why RES are not being implemented in the country, spokespeople say that energy prices in BiH are among the lowest in Europe. However, they would like to introduce more support for RES. The Fund wants to allocate 10% of its assets to projects that support renewable energy by 2018. Projects dealing with energy efficiency are already being supported. A plan of action for energy efficiency (EE) projects and an efficiency target of 9% have been set until the year 2020.
Position on the International Coalition project “Development Yes – Opencast Mines No”:
- they would like to collaborate; they want to stay in contact with us and to be informed of the project’s progress;
- the Fund has an International Department and there is also funding available for international projects;
- they are interested in making contact with the Lower Silesian Voivodship Environmental Protection Fund.
