RSD 500 million in 2019 energy efficiency budget

Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic announced yesterday that the Budget Fund for Improving Energy Efficiency in 2019 would amount to RSD 500 million.

He said that it was the highest amount up till then and equal to the budgets from the previous four years combined. Antic invited municipalities to prepare projects for the next year.

The minister yesterday signed agreements with 14 local self-governments on the allocation of grants from the said budget fund in the total amount of RSD 125 million.

– Thirty-nine local self-governments responded to the public call and 14 best projects have been selected – Antic said.

The funds were awarded to the municipalities of Osecina, Krupanj, Ljubovija, Irig, Kragujevac, Cuprija, Bosilegrad, Kraljevo, Gadzin Han, Velika Plana, Bela Palanka, Svilajnac, Knjazevac and Kanjiza.

He pointed out that the estimated energy savings from these projects amounted to around 2.3 million kWh a year, and that the reduction of the emission of carbon-dioxide amounted to around 1,200 tons a year.

According to Antic, the consumption of energy in facilities within those projects has been reduced by 40%.

The projects encompass four primary schools, two preschool institutions, two secondary schools, two cultural sites and four local self-government buildings.

He reminded that three public calls had been carried out until 2018, within which 39 projects had been realized, with energy savings amounting to around 9.4 million kWh.

He said that energy efficiency was one of the priorities of the Ministry of Energy, but also the Government of Serbia, and announced the establishment of the Energy Efficiency Fund.