/28^th January 2021, Vanora Bennett, EBRD, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The Organisations behind the Platform Initiative in Support of Coal Regions in Transition in Western Balkans and Ukraine agreed to join efforts to support the transition away from coal and towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient future in the Western Balkans and Ukraine. Participants including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),World Bank Group, the College of Europe (Natolin campus), the Energy Community Secretariat, the European Commission and the government of Poland kicked off discussions on how to support the regions in phasing out coal while supporting local communities that remain economically dependent on the coal industry.

/1^st October 2020, EBRD, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The EU has one of the most ambitious energy and climate policies in the world. Its clean energy transition is well underway. "I am glad that benefits already can be seen in terms of "greening" of economies, less dependency on imported fuels, and greater domestic investments in ecologically sound approaches", said Christian Danielsson, Director General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. 

/LONDON, December 12, 2022, 11:00 GMT, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ This market report offer an incisive and reliable overview of the solar photovoltaic power sector of Western Balkan countries for the period 2023 ÷ 2032. Newly installed PV capacity in this region will exceed several GWs in the next 5 years. The number of fully permitted and ready-to-build projects is promptly increasing. The rooftop solar PV market segment in many countries is not developed and is forecasted to score significant growth soon. Energy demand in the region is constantly increasing, according to the Western Balkans Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook 2023÷2032. Some countries can exceed their electricity production demand needs with the support of renewable energy. Furthermore, some Western Balkan countries are currently in various EU membership joining statuses.

/17^th October 2019, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The Ministry of Economy of North Macedonia informed that a total of 44 bids have been received on a tender for the construction of solar photovoltaic power plants on private land with 27MW total installed capacity. Furthermore, for solar photovoltaic power plants on state land, 126 bids from interested investors have been registered for 62MW of total installed capacity. The Government will support investors with administrative approvals and complete all necessary procedures for the change of land status and developing detailed zoning plans of the sites for solar power plants deployment. The Republic of North Macedonia is very poor in primary energy resources. There are two major open-pit coal mines that supply two thermal power plants (TPPs) (TPP Bitola and TPP Oslomej), and two smaller open-pit mines that produce lignite for the industry and other sectors. The coal deposits of the mines adjacent to the power plants are of shallow heat value (lignite). Their capacities are limited, and the plants are due for retirement in about 10 - 15 years, according to calculations of the research department of Renewable Market Watch^TM. The other key fossil fuels are oil and natural gas, which are imported. There is only one oil pipeline transporting crude oil from Thessaloniki, Greece to Skopje, North Macedonia's capital.

/LONDON, March 16, 2023, 11:00 GMT, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Between 2012 and 2022, the Western Balkan Countries increased their solar power capacity 11 times. Western Balkans became one of the fastest-growing regions in Europe, with a 28.1 per cent increase in cumulative solar photovoltaic (PV) installed capacity in 2022 compared with 2021. The number of fully permitted and ready-to-build projects is promptly increasing. The rooftop solar PV market segment in many countries in this region is underdeveloped and is forecasted to grow significantly. Energy demand in the region is constantly increasing, according to the Western Balkans Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook 2023÷2032. Some countries can exceed their electricity production demand needs with renewable energy support.