/2^nd October 2017, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Statkraft officially opened the 73MW Banja hydropower project in Albania, which is the first of the two power plants being constructed as part of the 256MW Devoll hydropower project. The power plant, which is located 65 kilometres southeast of the capital Tirana, was officially opened by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Statkraft CEO Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, together with Albanian Energy Minister Damian Gjiknuri and Norway’s Ambassador-designate, Per Sjaastad.

/18^th December 2020, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Solar photovoltaic (PV) power in the European Union had a strong performance in 2020 despite the negative health, social and economic effects of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, revealed the recent update of Europe Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook: 2020 ÷ 2030.  The EU member states installed 18.2GW of solar power capacity in 2020, an 11% improvement over the 16.2GW deployed in the previous year, according to the recently released report EU Market Outlook for SolarPower 2020-2024 by SolarPower Europe. With minimal solar power installation activity in Bulgaria and Romania in the last few years, the prediction model of SolarPower Europe shows the up-and-coming gigawatt new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity addition opportunities for Bulgaria and Romania by 2024. SolarPower Europe’s growth assumptions are much higher than the targets formulated by EU member states in their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP). But with drivers for solar energy in Europe only getting stronger, the foundation is laid for further rapid growth in the coming years.

/18^th January 2021, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Bulgarian Commission on Protection of Competition Approved the Acquisition of 42 MW Wind Farm of MET Group from Enel Green Power. The Swiss-based MET Renewables Holding AG has notified the Commission for Protection of Competition in Bulgaria of its intention to acquire sole direct control over Enel Green Power Bulgaria EAD. The parent company is a subsidiary of the Italian Enel Green Power, which is part of the Enel Group and its activities are related to the management of 42 MW wind farm consisting of two sites with a total number of 14 SPV companies that own 14 wind turbines of 3 MW each, all in Northeastern Bulgaria. The buyer, MET Renewables Holding AG is a new company, but it is backed by the Swiss group MET, with direct owner MET Holding AG. However, it has been operating in Bulgaria since 2017 through its subsidiary MET Energy Trading Bulgaria. It is active in the electricity trading market at freely negotiated prices.

/LONDON, November 10, 2021, 9:15 GMT, Tanjug, Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic met on 19 November 2021 with representatives of the Chinese machinery company Sinomach. They discussed potential investments in the development of the energy sector and the economy in the context of Serbia's potential in the electricity and renewables sector.

/16^th February 2016, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Wind power capacity of Croatia according to EWEA's paper "Wind in power: 2015 European statistics" has grown with 22 % YoY turning the country in fast-growing wind market among SEE countries. Croatia added 76.2 megawatts (MW) of new wind energy capacity during 2015.

/12^th May 2021, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ This decade shall be crucial for the clean energy transformation of Croatia, reveals the Renewable Market Watch™ in its report Western Balkans Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook 2021÷2030. The country has considerable potential for developing solar energy and increasing energy independence. The energy transition council of Croatian President Zoran Milanović was established in 2020 and estimated the country’s solar potential to 6.8GW. However, to harness this potential effectively, Croatia will need to adopt more ambitious solar energy targets, ensure clear renewable energy investment direction in the power sector, and develop its modern electricity grid. The clean energy transition and development of the solar power sector can contribute to GDP growth and new jobs creation. Renewable Market Watch estimates that solar photovoltaic power capacity in Croatia will increase significantly in the following years compared to its current level assuming the tendered and planned large scale projects. The abundance of solar irradiation in Croatia shall enable photovoltaic energy to become an increasingly cost-competitive power generation source and attract new investments.

/25^th August 2017, Axel Reiserer/ The EBRD and the Enterprise Expansion Fund (ENEF) are jointly providing €1.8 million in financing to support the expansion of Albanian company APM, a leading local manufacturer of fabricated metal products, which is active in the renewable energy business as well. The funds will co-finance a €3.7 million investment plan including the purchase of machinery and equipment to support the expansion of capacity in response to growing demand from existing and new clients.

/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. 

/9^thMay 2018, IGlobes Online, Israel Business News/ Enlight Renewable Energy Solutions Ltd. (TASE:ENLT) reported to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) that it had signed an agreement to acquire the rights in a wind energy project in Kosovo in the advanced development stages. The plant's planned capacity is 105 megawatts.

/12^th January 2016, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The Albanian government announced that it would establish wind turbines in the Kurbin area, aiming to construct the first 36 MW wind farm in the country for wind energy generation. The Ministry of Energy and Industry proposed this plan approved by the government and featured at the Official Bulletin. 

/11^thMay 2018, Global Wind Service, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/At the beginning of April 2018 Global Wind Service (GWS) reported half of the installation works at Alibunar Wind Farm in Serbia when a team of GWS technicians completed the installation of turbine number 12 out of a total of 21. Senvion awarded GWS with unloading, pre-assembly and installation of the 21 Senvion MM100 turbines.

/28^th December 2020, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The Swiss-based MET Renewables Holding AG has notified the Commission for Protection of Competition in Bulgaria of its intention to acquire sole direct control over Enel Green Power Bulgaria EAD. The parent company is a subsidiary of the Italian Enel Green Power, which is part of the Enel Group and its activities are related to the management of 42 MW wind farm consisting of two sites with a total number of 14 wind turbines, all in Northeastern Bulgaria. The buyer, MET Renewables Holding AG is a new company, but it is backed by the Swiss group MET, with direct owner MET Holding AG. However, it has been operating in Bulgaria since 2017 through its subsidiary MET Energy Trading Bulgaria. It is active in the electricity trading market at freely negotiated prices.

/LONDON, December 27, 2021, 10:00 GMT, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The Swiss energy company MET Group finalised the transaction for a 100% stake in a 60MW wind park in Bulgaria. MET Group signed a share purchase agreement with Spanish Grupo Enhol to acquire the operating wind asset earlier (on 30 July 2021) this year. With this acquisition, the company continues to follow its target of 500MW operational renewable energy power plants in the Central East Europe (CEE) region by 2023. The transaction is essential in achieving MET’s renewables growth targets in the CEE region of 500 MW in operation by 2023.

/23^rd March 2016, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ MK Fintel Wind is now constructing its second wind farm project in Serbia – the 6.6 MW La Piccolina project in Vrsac, located in Vojvodina province and expects to commission it by the end of Q3 2016.

/18^th May 2020, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Romania had the cumulative installed capacity of 1,390 MW (1.39 GW) as of 1^st January 2020, according to the recently published report Romania Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook: 2020 ÷ 2030. The photovoltaic development in Romania was started with small scale photovoltaic installations below 30 KW in 2006. Contrary to the rapid expansion of the wind market in Romania, the photovoltaic power capacity remained relatively unchanged by the end of 2011. After that, Romania was an emerging market for photovoltaic energy investments amongst SEE countries by the end of 2014. The maturing photovoltaic markets in Germany, Spain, France, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy and Bulgaria allowed investors to look for new opportunities among South-East European (SEE) nations and Romania was one of the best alternatives. Furthermore, Romania was one of the major destinations for the Chinese solar power plant investors in Central and Eastern Europe between 2012 and 2015. By the end of 2011, the country had approximately 3 MW installed capacity, by the end of 2012 this capacity increased fourteenfold to approximately 42 MW, and with a more than thirty-fold explosive growth cumulative installed capacity reached 1,293 MW (1.29 GW) by the end of 2014. However, solar photovoltaic market growth in Romania between 2015 and 2019 was moderate, with only 97 MW of newly installed capacity in this period.

/7^thMay 2018, IFC, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Fossil fuels are, worldwide, the most important energy resource at the moment. Still, at the same time, they are the main source of air pollution and excessive heating of the lower tiers of the atmosphere. In Serbia, more than half of electricity generation stems from outdated coal-fired plants.

/LONDON, January 10, 2023, 11:30 GMT, NextPower III ESG/ NextPower III ESG (“NPIII ESG”), the international OECD private solar fund managed by NextEnergy Capital (“NEC”), is delighted to announce its first strategic solar and battery storage acquisitions in Greece. The acquisitions include six utility-scale solar PV projects totalling 132MWp, and a majority in six standalone battery storage projects totalling 400MW.

/17^th May 2020, EPBiH, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ In the Podveležje region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, works have begun in the beginning of this week on the construction of 15 wind turbines with the accompanying foundations of the "Podveležje 1" wind farm with 48MW power capacity, which officially opened the construction site, reported the Renewable Market Watch™. After the mobilization and establishment of container accommodation for the stay of the contractor's staff, drilling the ground for the placement of explosives, work began on the excavation of pits for the foundations of future wind turbines. The terrain for the future two foundations was blown up, and the works will continue with the planned dynamics in the coming weeks. In order to ensure safety during blasting, all legal measures have been taken beforehand. The contractor for the construction of the Wind Farm is the consortium between Croatian branch of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd. and Wind Power A/S from Denmark. On the construction of foundations and execution of blasting works, engaged as domestic companies HP Investing doo Mostar and Blasting doo Sarajevo. The wind farm "Podveležje" is financed by credit funds the German Development Bank - KfW and its own funds Elektroprivreda BiH.

/15^th August 2019, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Energy Strategy of the Republic of Kosovo 2013-2022 is the main document outlining energy policies and development objectives of the energy sector, in line with international standards on sustainable development, environmental protection and social wellbeing, which aims to maximize profits from the use of the country’s energy resources. The Energy Strategy aims to establish effective mechanisms for implementing requirements set in this strategy, taking into account the effective management of existing energy resources and environmental protection. It focuses on enhancing the security of supply in line with European standards and diversification of energy sources. This strategy aims to encourage rational use of energy and increased energy efficiency, utilization of renewable energy sources, the introduction of new technologies while respecting international standards of environmental protection and community care. Kosovo has solar, wind, hydro and biomass resources available that are more than sufficient to meet the country's energy supply needs, has been mentioned in the regular update of 'Western Balkans Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Market Outlook 2019÷2028'.