The Ministry of Energy and Mining signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the organizations The Nature Conservancy and Eko-team, as an expression of readiness to cooperate in order to encourage the development of solar and wind power in Montenegro, while at the same time preserving natural and social values.
The memorandum will facilitate the preparation and implementation of a national study on the positioning of solar and wind power plants in Montenegro, in order to use it to identify low-conflict areas for the development of renewable energy sources.
"The basis for this kind of research is the recently published study of the assessment of the potential of the Municipality of Nikšić for obtaining energy from the sun and wind. The study showed that the areas with the least conflict potential in this municipality, and at the same time with medium or high development potential, can offer about 40 megawatts (MW) of electricity from wind and an impressive 2,7 gigawatts (GW) from solar energy," it added. joint statement of the signatories of the Memorandum.
The relevant minister, Saša Mujović, said that the study, which aimed to map the locations with the greatest potential for the development of renewable sources of electricity based on wind and sun, was a unique study of its kind conducted in the area of the Municipality of Nikšić.
"The results tell us that this area has a significant resource for the development of renewable sources of electricity. "In order to carry out further tests, the Ministry of Energy and Mining will provide institutional and professional support for the preparation of a national study that will contribute to the improvement of the development of renewable sources of electricity and the definition of national strategies for achieving climate neutrality," Mujović said.
The representative of The Nature Conservancy, Igor Vejnović, announced that they are grateful to the Ministry for its willingness to start work together with them, Eco-team and other partners in Montenegro on something that is very similar to the process that is carried out within the framework of the REPowerEU plan by which the European Union ( EU) requires member states to designate so-called areas for accelerated development of renewable energy sources.
"The potential for the production of electricity from the sun and wind 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," said Vejnović.
The representative of Eco-team, Milija Čabarkapa, said that they are convinced that this cooperation will generate many benefits, both for the Montenegrin power system and for the preservation of natural values.
"Our task will be to respect the principles of biodiversity conservation and ensure the well-being of the local community, to contribute to the fulfillment of Montenegro's obligations regarding the fulfillment of climate goals, but also to enable credible data on areas that provide optimal conditions for the development of renewable energy projects", he said. is Čabarkapa.
As part of the Memorandum, the Ministry will provide institutional support for feasibility studies of the development of an energy storage system at the location of the Nikšić Railway Plant, all with the aim of balancing solar and wind energy resources, as unstable sources of energy.
"This system would be reliably charged with electricity from the grid in moments of excess, and would return energy to the grid when needed. The success of this project could result in the creation of a demonstration center for the net zero emission industry in Southeast Europe and beyond, and could bring benefits to local communities by creating new jobs in the clean energy industry," the statement added.
The Ministry said that Montenegro, like the rest of the world, is facing the challenge of preserving energy stability in times of climate and biodiversity crises, without further deepening the crises.
"The biggest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and global temperature growth is the use of fossil fuels, that's why reliable and increasingly available technologies for electricity production from the sun and wind are being singled out as a possible carrier of the electric power system of Montenegro in the future," explained the Ministry.
From that department, they stated that the energy transition towards renewable energy sources, such as the sun and wind, requires special attention in terms of their positioning, since these technologies occupy a significant space.
"If the space is not chosen carefully, it can cause conflicts and put at risk the biodiversity, cultural, social and economic values of an area, which ultimately calls into question the implementation of numerous projects due to possible resistance from the local population and the professional public," the announcement concludes.
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