How renewable energy could reinvigorate Romania’s slumbering district heating sector
March 3, 2023
The lack of modernisation and rehabilitation of Romania’s district heating systems is felt most strongly by the inhabitants, but it also affects local budgets and has a negative impact on the environment.
If you’re in a hole, stop digging: a case study on Hungary’s plans to revisit shale gas and on the environmental, social and health impacts of fracking
February 28, 2023
In 2022, Hungary announced an energy emergency and, to address the crisis, plans to increase domestic fossil gas production. A key part of these plans was to develop an unconventional fossil gas (‘shale gas’) field in Békés county (the Corvinus project
Illiberalism alert: draft law to shut down civil society awaits vote in the Romanian senate
February 22, 2023
Under the absurd claim that the country doesn’t have enough motorways or hydropower generation capacity because of NGOs’ actions in court challenging environmental and construction permits, the Romanian parliament is going after civil society altogether and on multiple fronts.
EBRD: Everything is peachy, just trust us!
February 17, 2023
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) appears keen to finance a major new pipeline to import fossil gas from Greece to North Macedonia, which would lock the country into increased fossil gas use for decades. Yet when the rationale for this is questioned, the EBRD fails to provide relevant data to justify its claims.
369 million euros of North Macedonia’s public money going up in smoke
January 30, 2023
North Macedonia’s government, through the state-owned energy production company AD ESM, has spent hundreds of millions of euros on imports of coal, heavy oil and fossil gas to keep the country’s fragile energy system going during the energy crisis. The result is a significant increase in emissions of air pollutants and serious damage to the environment and public health.
Solar-powered district heating is the breath of fresh air Pljevlja residents deserve
January 25, 2023
Speeding up investments in a sustainable district heating system powered by solar energy would not only help cut greenhouse gas emissions and heating bills; it would actually save lives.
How many elephants does it take to build a gas pipeline?
January 23, 2023
In October 2022, the EBRD published no fewer than eight environmental and social assessments on the Greece – North Macedonia fossil gas pipeline for public consultation. Thousands of pages analyse every nook and cranny along the planned route, but fail to notice the elephant in the room: the project’s massive greenhouse gas emissions.
Romania U-turns on decarbonisation to expand a lignite mine in Gorj and wipe out 106 hectares of forest
January 13, 2023
The Romanian government is again acting contrary to its EU commitments.
Analysis of alternatives to coal-based district heating for the Bitola region in North Macedonia
December 21, 2022
The study examines the current heating situation in the Bitola region (covering the municipalities of Bitola, Mogila and Novaci), followed by an analysis of the techno-economic potential for using decentralised heating solutions that are also in line with the country’s environmental protection commitments.
Let the sunshine in: how a coal region in North Macedonia can switch to sustainable heating
December 21, 2022
The government in North Macedonia wants to link the 40 year old REK Bitola power plant to the regional heating system. But cementing the dependence on fossil fuels would be reckless. Instead, a new study finds that fitting houses in Bitola with air conditioning and solar panels could keep people warm, cut air pollution and even shield against increasingly volatile energy prices. Such households forming energy communities, the study shows, could not only lower initial investments but even generate them some income.
