Night sun in Vranje - City seeks strategic partner for installation of solar panels in ten locations

(Boban Stankovic)

Solar radiation in Serbia is about 40% above the European average, while southern cities of Nis, Kursumlija and Vranje have the greatest potential for the use of solar energy in our country. The calculation done by competent institutions shows that the annual savings resulting from the installation of 4 square meters of solar collectors on every roof in Serbia would amount to about 7,420 GWh of electric energy, that is, about 370 million euros. These numbers, along with the ecological aspect and the EU regulations, are the reason why growing number of institutions, municipalities and cities in Serbia decide to invest in renewable energy sources.

- The city of Vranje, which has about 276 sunny days per year, has already determined ten location that meet all the requirements for the installation of solar panels - Boban Stankovic, the Assistant Mayor of Vranje, told eKapija.

- Through public-private partnership projects, we intend to find companies for the selected ten locations to invest, together with us, in solar panels. The city provides the lots and necessary permits, as well as certain construction privileges, while the obligation of the strategic partner is to invest in the installation of panels. Part of the profit from the sale of electric energy to the EPS will be used to cover the costs of public lighting and consumption in health care and educational institutions and public companies in the municipality. In that way, the money we used to spend on electric energy will be redirected to new investments and economic development. If we are left with some money after covering all these costs, it will be invested in new projects. We are going to specify the size of ownership share in the talks with the interested companies, which will depend on the capacities of plants and production - Stankovic explained.

Stankovic said that long-distance power lines and access junctions were in the vicinity of aforementioned locations, which was a necessary condition for installation of panels. Our interlocutor pointed out that the City was open for all forms of cooperation so that the negotiations would be conducted with both individual companies and consortiums, that is, all the potential partners willing to invest in the renewable energy sources.

- In the new Master Plan and Spatial Plan for Vranje, aforementioned locations are designated for the installation of solar panels so that we can issue all the necessary permits in a very short time. We insist that the company we form must be registered in Serbia because it should be pointed out that all members of the EU are obliged to produce 12% of all energy from the renewable energy sources and, although it is not a member, Serbia should act accordingly - Stankovic concludes.

In addition to using the potentials of solar energy, the City of Vranje also has a great potential for the construction of mini hydroelectric power plants.

- According to the cadastre formed by the Ministry of Energy, 35 small hydroelectric power plants of up to 1 MW are planned to be built on the territory of Vranje. We have an exceptional water power potential, the building locations are close to long-distance power lines and important traffic arteries, which is very important for further distribution of energy. The locations are precisely defined and included in the spatial plan, while the procedure for issuing permits will be maximally shortened. The City seeks a strategic partner for these investments as well - said Stankovic.

The Sun in Serbia

Average intensity of solar radiation on the territory of Serbia ranges between 1.1 kWh/sqm/day in the north and 1.7 kWh/sqm/day in the south - during January, and from 5.9 to 6.6 kWh/sqm/day - in July.

On the annual basis, average value of the energy of global radiation in Serbia ranges from 1,200 kWh/sqm/year in northwest Serbia to 1,550 kWh/sqm/year in southeast Serbia, while it amounts to about 1,400 kWh/sqm/year in central Serbia. The level of use of radiation depends on the characteristics of the installed heat receiver so that the average value of the available useful energy that can be adopted is 700 kWh/sqm/year.

The energy that the Sun radiates to square meter of the roof on houses in Serbia during the year equals the energy obtained from burning 130 liters of oil - and it is completely free.

Besides, the use of overall potential of solar energy for heating water would reduce the emission of carbon dioxide by 6.5m tons per year. According to the unofficial data, only about 15,000 square meters of solar collectors are installed in Serbia every year.

T.S.