In the last decade, a wave of hydropower construction in the Western Balkans has caused ever-increasing public outcry. Large hydropower projects have long caused public resistance, but the mushrooming of smaller plants of less than 10 megawatts (MW) in remote and often ecologically sensitive areas has intruded into communities across the region, causing a wave of protests and blockades. One of the main drivers of the destructive small hydropower boom in the Western Balkans is the availability of public financial support in the form of feed-in tariffs. Originally foreseen as a means to boost all forms of renewable energy, including solar and wind, in the Western Balkans feed-in tariffs have been disproportionately directed towards small hydropower plants.