Sofia’s burned lesson: Why the Western Balkans must ditch waste incineration
November 25, 2025
While Western Balkan governments scramble to solve their energy and waste crises by turning to incineration, a clear lesson is emerging from the EU: burning waste is a dead end.
Serbia’s district heating crisis: Gas dependence fuels price volatility
July 1, 2025
Serbia’s district heating sector is facing an unprecedented crisis, driven by an overreliance on imported fossil fuels – particularly fossil gas – and an inability to control energy prices. This dependence puts the sector at a significant risk of collapse in the coming years, threatening the basic heating needs of millions of citizens. It also underscores the urgent need for the Serbian government to diversify the district heating system by integrating sustainable renewable energy sources.
Keeping the flame alive with emission revenues: How the EU Modernisation Fund props up fossil gas and waste incineration
May 8, 2025
In operation since 2021, the Modernisation Fund was designed to channel EU emission trading revenues into investments in the energy transition in 13 lower-income Member States.
Unmasking the biomass dilemma in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
January 17, 2025
As EU law regulating bioenergy is not yet sufficient to avoid climate and nature damage, this report outlines why forest biomass needs to be treated with caution in the Western Balkans.
Closing the door on waste incineration for district heating in central and eastern Europe
December 2, 2024
Member States and public financing must align with EU principles and avoid investments that lock them into unsustainable practices like waste incineration.
Repower the regions: How to make a heating and cooling plan for municipalities. A methodology for creating a sustainable and just plan for district heating decarbonisation
September 27, 2024
The methodology proposed in this study for local heating and cooling planning at the local level is supplemented by a set of specific legislative and regulatory recommendations at the state level.
Western Balkans urged to embrace renewable energy for district heating
May 14, 2024
The city of Tuzla in Bosnia depends on the local coal-fired power plant for its district heating. / emirkrasnic via Pixabay
Communities leading the Western Balkans’ clean heating transition
May 8, 2024
Photo: Nataša kovačević
Cleaning up District Heating: Best technologies and real-life examples
April 18, 2024
Intended for practitioners, policymakers, civil society and the energy sector, this brochure reviews various public financing options that can help enable the transition to clean district heating.
The Western Balkans residential Green Economy Financing Facility: Results so far and recommendations for further action
January 31, 2024
This briefing assesses the effectiveness of the energy efficiency credit lines for households financed through the Green Economy Financing Facility, in terms of environmental sustainability and attractiveness for users in all six Western Balkan countries.
