CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

The conference starts on the 6 September and the opening topics include the opportunities of the Western Balkans when it comes to clean energy and renewables, comparison of WB potential to that of Western Europe, ways to accelerate renewable energy deployment, how far WB countries are from reaching the Paris climate goals, attracting foreign investment, why building coal plants is still an option for some WB countries, setting coal phaseout dates and decentralizing energy generation. Talks will also cover financing clean energy projects in the Western Balkans, with emphasis on the costs of closing coal mines, lowering possible prices for investing in renewables, moving from a feed-in tariff scheme to an auction system, increasing investment attractiveness and the risks of it all.  Planned projects or projects under development will also be discussed, as well as what needs to be done to grow the region’s wind power sector.

Day 2 promises more hot topics, such as the development of hydrogen energy strategies in the region, how to secure the capital needed to fund green hydrogen energy, regional and European partnerships and their importance in the development of hydrogen production in the region, and leading technologies for a hydrogen-based energy transition. The conference will also cover the most promising solar energy projects in the region and the preparation of electricity grids for rising shares of solar PV in the region.