The minister said that the announcement of the 1st ever auctions will be the initiator of a big new investment cycle, noting that the optimism is based on the fact that we have more than 1,000 MW of ready-made wind power projects.

– We recently broke a record, considering that for the first time we were among the top ten countries in Europe with an 11% share of wind production on a daily basis in the national mix, thanks to the operation of eight wind farms with a capacity of 400 MW, in which 730 million euros were invested.

Emmanuel Van Vyve, the director of Business Development at the company Elicio, reminded that the wind farm in Alibunar had operated for five years and that EUR 90 million had been invested in it. As he pointed out, the wind farm is an excellent investment, and the company is already planning next projects in Serbia.

– We welcomed with great pleasure the news about the auctions for the allocation of market premiums for RES that the government had launched and they are a good indicator of the further development of the sector. We will continue with new projects in Serbia, and the wind farm in Pancevo is next – stated Van Vyve.

The event was attended by the ambassador of Belgium to Serbia, Cathy Buggenhout, representatives of local and provincial authorities, numerous companies, as well as pupils from three elementary schools from Alibunar, Banatski Karlovci and Vladimirci. The pupils were the most interested in how the wind farms worked, how tall they were, but also how much they cost.

The maintenance technician at the Alibunar Wind Farm, Igor Milutinov from Elicio explained to them each turbine has a foundation with piles 13-16 meters deep, that each turbine has 100 meters tower height and 50m rotor blades, and that it can produced 2 MW of green energy per hour.

– The turbines are fully automated, they can be switched on through an app on the phone or the computer. If you went on foot to the top of the turbine, it would take 25 minutes, but each one has a service elevator which takes 4 to 5 minutes to reach the top. The  cut in (minimum required) wind speed allowing the turbine to start working is 3 m/s, whereas the cut out wind speed is 22 m/s. At higher speed, the operation of the system is discontinued to prevent damage. It takes less than a week to build a wind turbine, and each model costed EUR 2 million – said Milutinov. “

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The Elicio NV Group includes 49 companies in Belgium, France, Spain, the UK (Scotland), Serbia and Kenya. Dragana manages the finances at the six companies registered in Serbia. She is therefore an inevitable, and often crucial part of any project. For if payments fail to be made, or taxes and other expenses are not organized, there can be no project.

– I have been working at Elicio for almost 8 years – explains Dragana. – I came in for a job interview and took an instant liking to the ideas and projects of the Elicio Group. It is a phenomenal feeling being part of a team that fights not only for the good of the company that we’re all working for but also for the enrichment of conditions of life in our surroundings, and consequently the entire country and the world. Firms and projects like these are a safe bet and, along with the work itself, represent a common good. The fight for a healthy environment, the fight against climate change and pollution.

Since you deal with finance, how is your current job at Elicio different from your previous jobs in other industries?  

– The tasks managed in accounting and finance are quite similar whichever industry you are engaged in. Naturally, each of the industries that I have been a part of so far has had its distinctiveness. In this company I have followed the project planning phase, the anticipation of the adoption of new legal measures, the construction phase and the commissioning of a wind farm. As part of the job you are following up on the development and life cycle of a project, a power plant, so you get the sense of creating something, of building value whichever position you’re holding in a company that is engaged in wind farms. If you’re part of a successful team and a company that actually develops projects to build and produce green electricity, the results are bound to leave a mark. We currently have two wind farms in operation and three new projects in their development phase. Since the renewable resources of wind energy are a completely new industry in Serbia, we are continuously faced with the adoption of new regulations or amendments to existing ones, so as to come to a solution beneficial for all parties. This implies that there is never a dull day in any of our departments, and the same goes for all similar companies. New challenges are constantly emerging.

What have you learned from your time in the wind power industry?  

– My start at this company was like an entry into an entirely different world. Elicio is one of the firms that built the first wind farms in Serbia, which means that it had to be decided for the first time how some changes would be followed through and registered in accounting. Our laws that define the rules of business and posting failed to provide for the particularities typical for wind farms since there had been none in our country up until that point. Even today, several years after putting the first wind farms into operation, we still come across situations that require additional clarification and harmonization of regulations, so that everyone can be clear about their treatment in each company’s records.

What do you like most about the work you do?

– The great team that I work with, not only here in Serbia but also in our parent company in Belgium. We have fantastic annual gatherings of colleagues from all over the world, and it’s always in a different country. These are unforgettable experiences, so we are eager for a new project to be constructed in Serbia, so that we can once again gather the Elicio team from around the world right here. That must clearly be the greatest asset that any company can boast of. It makes a difference when facing the many challenges and obstacles we encounter, as we manage to find solutions for any situation, finish the task and complete the project as planned.

Would you encourage girls finishing economic schools and faculties to look for jobs in companies engaged in green energy?

– I truly feel that there is a safe future ahead for companies like these. There will be ever more projects aimed at human development along with great care for the environment, the quality of water, soil, and air on the planet. This is precisely why I would recommend working in such companies, because with the satisfaction of a job well done, what makes a difference for me is being part of a movement that cares about the healthier future of our planet. It’s also a pleasure to be part of the Renewable Energy Association of Serbia formed by the Green Women’s Network. This type of activism is something I immediately supported because it’s very important to empower women and motivate them to engage in green business. It’s a way to demonstrate that energy is not only a man’s job, and that there is work and prominent positions available for people with all educational profiles.

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The company Elicio has built two wind farms in Serbia – Alibunar (42MW) and Malibunar (8MW), which produce electricity for 43.000 households and contribute to the reduction of 105.000 tons of CO2 per year.

After investing in two wind farms, Elicio started developing new projects in Serbia with a total power of about 200 MW.

The company Elicio has been present in Serbia for more than a decade and has so far invested around 100 million euros. As a socially responsible company, Elicio pays special attention to environmental protection and good relations with the local community.

In addition to Serbia, the company Elicio has operational wind farms in its native Belgium and France, with a total capacity of 335 MW. The company Elicio invests significant funds in offshore wind farms, and is a co-owner of three operating wind farms in the North Sea with a total capacity of 1.1 GW, as well as several projects under development.

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According to the announcements of the organizers, the interest in the conference is huge, both from the domestic audience from the world of business, and from the region.

According to the preliminary agenda, the conference will consist of five panels focusing on the following topics:

– The impact of the security and economic crisis on the development of RES projects (regional views);

– Market challenges, regulatory obstacles and the investment environment as key elements for the realization of wind farms and other RES projects (words of investors and equipment manufacturers);

– Financing RES projects from the point of view of leading banks and bankers;

– Development, construction and operation of RES projects from the point of view of environmental protection experts;

– Integration of RES into the electricity market (one year later, the biggest electricity experts summarize their projections from the previous conference and give new predictions).

The speakers on the panels will be key decision-makers in the public and private sectors, among whom we single out the confirmed for now: Matteo Colangeli and Grzegorz Zielinski (EBRD), Jelena Matejić (EMS), Miloš Mladenović (SEEPEX), Anne-Catherine de Tourtier (Nordex), Ivan Komušanac (WindEurope). One of the most famous European environmental protection experts, Tony Iles, will be among the panelists, as well as leaders of leading commercial banks and numerous other experts.

Sponsorship of the conference has so far been confirmed by Elnos Group, Enlight, Elektrozapad, Erste Bank, insurance broker ACB, Wind Park Plandište, while media partners will be Energetski Portal, eKapija, Nedeljnik and Diplomacy and Commerce.

The company Strauss Adriatic, which uses green energy from the biomass of coffee chaff for its production, as well as its own solar power plant, will serve Beanz coffee all day and thus contribute to the best networking in the city.

Support from the audience was confirmed by numerous diplomatic representatives, while top managers of various European companies are among the registered observers. The registration link is still open at the Conference 2022 – RES.

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Emmanuel started his career in 1997 as a process engineer at FABRICOM, in charge of the design and sizing of waste energy recovery facilities. He quickly joined the SITA group, as a project engineer and took part in the construction of the first sorting center in the Brussels Region in 1999, and the modernization of the waste to energy plants in Liège and Brussels. In 2002, he joined SUEZ, parent company of SITA, as Project Manager and was sent to England where for 5 years he managed various new household waste treatment infrastructure projects developed under Public Private Partnership contracts, both in the development and construction phase.

In 2010 he returned to Belgium and joined TRACTEBEL, an engineering subsidiary of the expanded GDF SUEZ group, now ENGIE. In 2012, he became Product Manager for the “thermal renewable” segment, which covers activities related to biomass, concentrated solar and geothermal energy. He leads the teams of engineers active in Belgium and abroad, defines the development strategy and its implementation. In 2018, he took over responsibility for the entire portfolio of projects under construction, including wind farms in Belgium, Mauritania and Georgia and solar projects in South Africa. After a year as Business Development Manager for the Renewable Energies segment, in 2019 he takes over the responsibility of the new hydrogen, battery storage and solar photovoltaic segment and, positions TRACTEBEL as a leader in the field.

In 2021, he joined the ELICIO as Business Development Director, in charge of the development of new renewable and wind projects in particular, in the three main markets of Belgium, France and Serbia. Together with the entire management team, he contributes to the group’s sustainable growth strategy, including in new geographical areas such as Spain. He holds a M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering (1997), from the Université Catholique de Louvain.

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Elicio is the only Belgian company in Serbia that generates electricity from wind energy. It has built two wind farms in Serbia – Malibunar (8MW) and Alibunar (42MW) – and started developing new projects in South Banat area.

As a Belgian company, are you satisfied with the investment environment in Serbia?

Belgium has become one of the leading producers of renewable energy in Europe and worldwide. Last year, more than 1.34 million households were supplied with energy produced from wind. In Belgium, almost 4,000 MW of power has been installed in wind turbines onshore and offshore, which is 10 times more than in Serbia. We are glad that we have managed to transfer the knowledge in Serbia and to invest. Our two wind farms make up 12 per cent of the wind energy market in Serbia. We have invested more than 90 million euro. The World Bank’s IFC Group and several privately owned banks from Serbia have participated in the financing of the Alibunar WF project, which shows a lot about the quality of the project.

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“We have started developing several projects in South Banat area, in the territory of the City of Pančevo. The total capacity of all projects is over 200MW”

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We have been operating in Serbia for more than 10 years. In the beginning, it was difficult, but with the adoption of contemporary Law on Energy and the Law on Planning and Construction, the investment environment has significantly improved. Green energy is not an alternative. It is the future. I think that both the authorities and people are aware of this fact.

Elicio has built two wind farms in Alibunar and announced new projects in South Banat area.

We have started developing several projects in South Banat area, in the territory of the City of Pančevo. The total capacity of all projects is over 200MW. We have cleared all legal and property issues and rented land plots from private owners. We are now waiting for the Assembly of the City of Pančevo to adopt a Decree on the Detailed Planning Regulation. We have already spent significant funds on preparing the relevant documentation. 

In addition, we have not given up on Alibunar yet in sense of increasing our capacities and developing new projects.

What are the benefits for municipalities in which you develop and implement projects?

The Municipality of Alibunar has received significant funds from the annual property tax. Also, we have started the implementation of the Profit Sharing Agreement, according to which the municipality receives part of the profit generated by WF Alibunar every year. Although 2020 has been difficult because no incentive measures were in place due to the pandemic, we still set aside almost 2.2 million dinars as a donation for heating in the school in Banatski Karlovac. In previous years, we donated a garbage truck, funds for medication to the health centre, schools, events, ceremonies, etc. That is how we operate in every municipality that treats us like a reliable investor.

What are your and Elicio expectations in the RES sector in Serbia in the next period after the constitution of the Government of the Republic of Serbia?

We expect continuity, even progress. The feed-in tariff period is over. We are pleased that a project has been launched with the EBRD aimed at adopting new regulation and introducing an auction system. Our company has projects in France and Belgium and we participated in auctions there. We are ready to help Serbia with our knowledge and experience in auctions. Also, we believe that, in the future, it will be possible to implement projects without state incentives which are completely commercial. But we will need the state’s support in terms of faster adoption of planning documentation, grid connection approvals, possible tax relief, etc. In return, Serbia will get more green energy, which is a direct contribution to a healthy environment.

For 2020, Serbia had to comply with international regulation to produce and consume 27 per cent of the energy produced from RES. All European countries will have more demanding goals for 2030, so the expected target for Serbia is over 30 per cent. We, as serious investors, are ready to support Serbia with our projects in order for the country to fulfil its international obligations.

What distinguishes Elicio as a serious investor in the field of RES, in Serbia and generally?

We have been operating in Europe for two decades, and we have been present in Serbia for a decade. We trusted the state, invested money, and obtained bank guarantees even when the sector was new and unpredictable to Serbia. We have the know-how for project development, construction monitoring and operation of wind farms in Serbia with the cooperation of our HQ in Belgium. We participated with 20 million euro of equity in the financing of Alibunar WF, while IFC and commercial banks allocated 60 million euro as a loan. We manage and maintain our power plants. We are socially responsible to the local community. During development, construction and operation, we employed, directly or indirectly, a significant number of experts and workers. We fulfil all obligations towards the state and municipality such as paying tax.

The post Christophe Bols, Elicio, Country Manager Serbia: We built two wind farms and started new projects appeared first on Elicio.

At the opening of the conference, Deputy PM and Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlović stated that she wants Serbia to become a green country.

“Serbia is on the verge of adopting four key basic laws in the field of energy, and the Law on Climate Changes has already been adopted. We are also working on the National Energy and Climate Plan, we are making a new Strategy for the development of energy, which means that there will be no more decisions in the field of energy without us checking how it affects the environment. Also, in 2040, Serbia will be a country that will produce electricity and heat, and over 40% of it will come from renewable energy sources,” said Minister Mihajlović.

At the first panel titled Serbia as a green investment destination – Ecological approach for economic progress, the speakers were Srđan Gavrilović, Commercial Strategy Manager, Rio Sava Exploration, Jovana Lukić, director of the SBB Foundation and CSR director of the United Group, Prof. Dr Đorđe Mitrović sa from the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade, Zoran Jakovljev, Advisor, GIZ Srbija, Goran Matović, Lead Engineer, GEFF Serbia Leasing.

Zoran Jakovljev, Advisor, GIZ Srbija spoke about the new project “Smart system for recycling cans” which is being implemented in Belgrade. “The project includes the testing of a new model based on the principles of circular economy. It is a digital recycling system based on the use of smart devices, primarily a smart can press that is equipped with various sensors. By inserting cans into these smart presses, citizens are collecting points for discounts in Idea markets. Our idea is to expand this project in other cities as well “, Jakovljev said.

Jovana Lukić, director of the SBB Foundation and CSR director of the United Group stated at the first panel: “As a company, we have always had different engagements in the community in which we live and acted responsibly towards the community in which we operate. We are very loud and present in order to point out the need to change the consciousness and habits of individuals, the economy and the state in preserving the environment, to connect with each other, because that is the only way to be a greener country”. She added that in addition to social responsibility projects implemented through the SBB Foundation, SBB develops services that have a direct impact on nature protection, such as the E-invoice that protects forests, and they are also developing internal policies and procedures for participation in environmental improvement.

“We are actively dealing with other aspects of responsible business, such as ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance). We operate as United Group in 8 countries, we try to learn from each other and apply good practice from other countries in our country and vice versa”, Lukić underlined.

Srđan Gavrilović, Commercial Strategy Manager, said that Rio Tinto recognized climate changes as a scientifically proven reality 20 years ago.

“In 2018, we reached a strategic decision to abandon further coal production. Also, 75% of total electricity comes from renewable sources, and that percentage is continuously increasing. In addition, we have allocated one billion dollars for the period from 2020 to 2024 for projects that are exclusively related to climate change,” Gavrilovć pointed out.

Speakers at the other panel discussion on the topic Renewable Energy Sources in Serbia – Business Environment, Legislation and Development Perspectives were Christophe Bols, Elicio Country Manager Serbia, Aleksandar Popović, Project Manager, GIZ Srbija, Marijan Rančić, Business Development Director of New Energy Solutions and Miloš Kostić, co-owner of the companies MT- KOMEX, Solaris Energy I CEEFOR.

Aleksandar Popović, Project Manager at GIZ Srbija underlined that GIZ supports the new Law on Renewable Energy Sources.

“The new law represents a significant basis for further development of renewable energy sector. This law will also lay the foundations for achieving the goals set within the Agreement with the Energy Community. In addition, introduction of renewable energy sources is one of the most important measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the new law that was passed is also important for meeting other international obligations, “said Popović.

Marijan Rančić, Business Development Director, New Energy Solutions stated that he first had doubts whether the new Law on Renewable Energy Sources would be good, given the short deadline, but now he believes that the law is really good.

“The law provides a clear picture and a secure investment framework. Serbia has this practice where the primary regulation provides only a framework, guidelines, while the secondary regulations, decrees, acts are used to define the sector itself. This suggests that a key part of the job is ahead of us. Certainly, this law has created an environment for a new investment cycle in renewable energy sources in Serbia,” said Rančić.

Christophe Bols, Elicio Country Manager Serbia said that it’s time for new projects.

 “We have started preparations in 2019 for the development of two new projects, we are currently waiting for the urban plan and hope that this decision will arrive soon. Projects related to solar energy and biomass cannot be realized in a short period of time. It is necessary to make adjustments to the network, in the long run there is a space of 3000 to 4000 megawatts. However, consumption will rise, more and more industry is coming to Serbia, so the production of green energy will be needed “, Bols pointed out.

At the third panel The future of Serbian circular economy – Recycling Industry in Serbia, the speakers were Ivan Karić, State Secretary, The Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, Tisa Čaušević, Public and Regulatory Affairs Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, Dragan Rajković, Regional Sustainability Director – Tetra Pak, Prof. Dr Aleksandar Jovović, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Nenad Ratković, Sales and Purchase Manager, Eco-Recycling.

Ivan Karić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Environmental Protection underlined at the panel that the Ministry sees the Negotiating Position for Chapter 27 as the main strategic document in achieving goals, primarily goals of circular economy.

“Our position in the light of circular economy is one step ahead, before the European Commission adopted a new circular economy package, but nevertheless, we have already started revising five specific implementation plans related to waste management this year, in accordance with the new circular economy package. I would also like to point out that 30 institutions and about 150 different experts participated in the drafting of the Negotiating Position for Chapter 27, and we cooperated with all of them through many working groups “, stated Karić.

Tisa Čaušević, Public and Regulatory Affairs Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, said that sustainability is the topic they approach with utmost attention, and for many years, their activities have raised the ladder of responsible and sustainable business.

“At this moment, we focus our attention to the development of sustainable packaging, but also provide support to the state in finding the most efficient solutions for the collection and management of packaging waste. We are also very committed to pilot projects with which, and through good practice, we want to check the effects of a potential deposit system. We also know that our country has an important task in the process of joining the EU, and that is the opening of an extremely demanding Chapter 27. As a stable partner of the community in which we operate, we provide all the necessary support to the Government of Serbia so that demanding conditions are met as soon as possible,” Čaušević said.

Dragan Rajković Regional Sustainability Director at Tetra Pa, said at the panel: „ Serbia has a chance to show that a comprehensive deposit system permanently solves the problem of efficient waste collection and subsequent recycling and it has a chance to become a leader in waste management innovations. Tetra Pak is ready to contribute its know-how to the introduction of the necessary regulatory changes. ”

At the last panel, Environmental compliance and regulation in Serbia, where focus was placed on air, contaminated soil, industrial and hazardous waste, the speakers were Daniela Meilmann, Business Development Manager, DHVMED Israel, Siniša Mitrović, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Radovan Đukić, Deputy Mayor of Apatin, Marinko Ukropina, Managing Director SGS Beograd, SGS Adriatica, SGS Slovenia & SGS Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kristina Cvejanov, Business & CSO Consultant, Green Loop Consulting.

Daniela Meilmann Business Development Manager from DHVMED Israel, said that DHVMED is one of the largest companies in that country.

“We have the know-how which, together with engineering solutions, can contribute to Serbia and the Balkans in overcoming environmental challenges. We believe we have a solution and an innovative approach to the air pollution you face today, but also to other environmental problems,” Meilmann underlined.

Izvor: diplomacyandcommerce.rs

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The need to take more care of the environment we live in is not new, only the current unstable epidemiological situation caused by Covid-19 has confirmed that we must raise the awareness of the people around us every day and take more care of the world we live in. At this conference, we will try to bring closer the most important spheres for the improvement of the environmental protection. The questions we will raise will be connected with what Serbia is doing on its way to a green economic destination, what is available from renewable energy sources and how much we use them, in what condition is our recycling industry, and last but not the least, environmental compliance and regulation in Serbia It is certain that we will open a large number of important questions for eminent speakers from various areas of business for Serbia and its ecologically enlightened path.

In the first panel SERBIA AS A GREEN INVESTMENT DESTINATION – Ecological approach for economic progress we have a pleasure to virtually host Srđan Gavrilović, Commercial Strategy Manager, Rio Sava Exploration, Jovana Lukić, director, SBB fondation, prof. dr. Đorđe Mitrović, Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, Zoran Jakovljev, Advisor, GIZ Srbija and Goran Matović, Lead Engineer, GEFF Serbia Leasing. Moderator will be Ruža Veljović, Diplomacy and Commerce magazine.

In the second panel RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES IN SERBIA – Business environment, legislation and development perspectives we have next participants Christophe Bols, Elicio Country Manager Serbia, Aleksandar Popović, project manager, GIZ Serbia, Marijan Rančić, Business Development Director of New Energy Solutions and Miloš Kostić, co-owner of the companies MT- KOMEX, Solaris Energy I CEEFOR. Moderator will be Danijela Isailović, Manager – The Renewable Energy Sources of Serbia Association.

In the third panel THE FUTURE OF SERBIAN CIRCULAR ECONOMY – Recycling industry in Serbia we’ll be talking with Ivan Karić, State secretary, The Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia, Tisa Čaušević, Public and Regulatory Affairs Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, Dragan Rajković, Regional Sustainability Director – Tetra Pak, prof. dr. Aleksandar Jovović, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade and Nenad Ratković, Sales and Purchase Manager, Eco-Recycling. Moderator will be Suzana Obradović, Association of Recyclers of Serbia, Secretary General.

In the fourth panel ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND REGULATION IN SERBIA – Focus on air, contaminated land, industrial and hazardous waste there are next participants Daniela Meilmann, Business Development Manager, DHVMED Israel, Siniša Mitrović, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Radovan Đukić, Deputy Mayor of Apatin, Marinko Ukropina, Managing Director SGS Beograd, SGS Adriatica, SGS Slovenia & SGS Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kristina Cvejanov, Business & CSO Consultant, Green Loop Consulting. Moderator for this panel, Vanja Kovačev, media expert.

You can see more details about the conference HERE

The conference is supported by the next companies: German Organization for International Cooperation (GIZ), SBB Foundation, Coca-Cola,Tetra Pak, RioTinto, Elicio, New Energy Solutions and DHVMED Israel.

Izvor: diplomacyandcommerce.rs

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Serbia is a great place for investments. After the constitution of the new government, we expect continuity and even progress. Serbia must go green.

Elicio is the only Belgian company in Serbia that generates electricity from wind energy. It has built two wind farms in Serbia – Malibunar (8MW) and Alibunar (42MW) – and started developing new projects in South Banat area.

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