The economic viability of coal is ever decreasing. Without public financial support many coal investments are doomed to fail. Yet several institutions are still willing to finance an energy source that wrecks our climate, damages our health and wastes our money.
To help bring about a world beyond coal, we investigate and promote a socially responsible transition while exposing the economic, legal, social and environmental risks of coal power.
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We provide updates in English from the Balkans and other coal regions.
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Just transition
No one should be left behind when we reconstruct our world into one driven by clean energy. Working on just transition brings all actors who believe in fair regional redevelopment to the same table: unions, industry, public administration, governments, civil society and others sharing this goal.
Coal projects
Kolubara B lignite-fired power plant, Serbia
The Kolubara B thermal power plant site is situated near Kalenic village, 60 km south-west of Belgrade, at the northern side of the Tamnava Open Cast Mine. The decision to build the 2 x 350 MW plant was taken in 1983 and construction started in 1988. Construction progressed slowly until 1992, when work was suspended due to sanctions against Serbia. At this stage, about 40 per cent of the facility had already been constructed, partly with the assistance of a World Bank loan.
Kostolac B3 lignite power plant, Serbia
Serbia’s state-owned utility Elektroprivreda Srbije is planning a new 350 MW lignite plant at Kostolac in the country’s north-east. In spite of high level support and Chinese financing, the project is plagued by concerns over pollution, State aid and legal challenges.
Kosova e Re lignite power plant, Kosovo
Kosovo currently wastes much of the electricity it produces in its two highly polluting lignite plants: In 2018, nearly 28 percent was lost from the distribution system through technical losses and non-payment (around half each), and much more is wasted through lack of energy efficiency measures. Yet the Kosovo government plans to build a new 500 MW lignite plant (around 450 MW net), Kosova e Re or New Kosovo.
Latest news
Scientific studies reveal river ‘sickness’ from small hydropower plants in Serbia
Blog entry | 21 April, 2021Projects financed by the EIB through secretive intermediary banks destroy 10 km of supposedly protected rivers for only 2 MW of energy.
Read moreDistrict heating in the Western Balkans – we need clean, modern heating that works for everyone, for the long term
Blog entry | 20 April, 2021Heating in the region is still largely based on fossil fuels or wood, the district heating networks are in dire condition, and in poorly insulated buildings winter is not as cosy as it could be. Authorities across the Western Balkans need to pay much more attention to planning and implementing clean and modern heating solutions.
Read moreNGOs expect Energy Community infringement procedure on Montenegrin coal plant
Blog entry | 19 April, 2021Montenegro has recently confirmed that its highly polluting Pljevlja coal plant has exceeded its allowed operating hours under the Energy Community Treaty, yet no moves have been made to close the plant. This threatens to create a worrying precedent if not tackled.
Read moreRelated publications
A case study on the Beli Kamen and Komalj hydropower plants on the Crni Rzav and Ribnica Rivers in Serbia
Study | 22 April, 2021 | Download PDFThe small hydropower plants Beli Kamen and Komalj are built on the Crni Rzav and Ribnica Rivers of the Drina basin in western Serbia. Both plants are interconnected, as they use water from the same intakes and were financed by the European Investment B
Jadar Lithium Mine, Serbia: A Raw Deal ICT metal mining case study
Study | 15 March, 2021 | Download PDFThe Jadar River Valley in western Serbia has the potential to become home one of the world’s largest lithium mines, supplying 10% of the world’s demand and supporting the neighbouring EU’s digital transition agenda. The Serbian government, therefore, p
Pollution of land, surface and groundwater near the slag and ash disposal site of Tuzla thermal power plant
Study | 18 December, 2020 | Download PDFFrom 1 March – 31 August 2020, an analysis of water and soil samples was conducted in the area of influence of the closed slag and ash disposal sites in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – Plane, Divkovići I, Divkovići II, Drežnik and Jezero I – as w
