Almost all electrical energy consumed by the citizens of Serbia for their own purposes, was obtained from so-called conventional energy sources such as power plants. On the other hand, obtaining electricity from renewable energy sources is considered as a distant future, and further, that is matter of interest only of rare fans of clean energy, from the perspective of the majority. However, the intensive use of renewable sources comes slowly in Serbia, and that time is simple impossible to avoid because energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources are extremely important issues within the European Union.

By CEV Magazine team

The Energy Summit in Sofia, during which agreements on building South Stream gas pipeline was expected to be ratified, has failed before 28 European leaders even met in the capital of Bulgaria, because Russian president Vladimir Putin has refused to join the summit due to the disputes with Bulgaria. Several days later, after talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev in Moscow, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that Bulgaria and Russia have set aside their disagreements over the proposed South Stream gas pipeline to Europe, paving the way for an agreement within the next couple of weeks. However, Prime Ministers have forgotten not only to specify how these previous disagreements were dissolved, but Russia hasn`t mentioned an alternative in case if Turkmenistan decides not to export their gas supplies to Russians.

By CEV Magazine team

Within a two year period EU countries plan to retire old-style light bulbs, also known as "incandescent pears", in favour of energy saving light bulbs. On the contrary, Serbia rarely uses energy saving light bulbs, but if each household would replace just one classic bulb with the economical, compact fluorescent lamp with the same light intensity, Serbia could save at least 18.14 billion euro thanks to that sort of lightning, as it was calculated by Cacak Faculty of Technology`s expert team.

By Nenad Radicevic

Serbia and other countries of the South-Eastern Europe have hardly avoided being in complete darkness during the gas crisis - recently was posted on the European Internet portal Euractiv. However, no local politician has denied this news. According to the European Commission expert, who insisted on anonymity, "electricity systems in all the region countries were on the brink of cracking and their being able to cope and fight the crisis and remain stable was a very pleasant surprise." In spite of the local officials` silence, independent energy expert Zorana Mihajlovic Milanovic has confirmed the thesis that the complete electricity shortage in the region was avoided miraculously.

By CEV Magazine team

Just four months after the Serbian public has been assured the gas agreement with Russia also includes the "Banatski Dvor" underground gas storage construction, this assertion has become questionable. "Srbijagas" General Manager Dusan Bajatovic has announced the arrival of the Gazprom delegation for talks with the Serbian representatives on possible Russian partner participation in construction completion of underground storage "Banatski Dvor," the total capacity of 800 million cubic metres. The term "possible participation" has echoed in the ears of everybody who have doubted the Serbian representative`s assurances that agreements on the South Stream pipeline and "Banatski Dvor" storage construction would be signed although the Major Provisions of the Basic Cooperation Agreement on the Serbia`s Petrol Industry (NIS) sale has not been signed.

By Danijela Pasic

Global economic crisis enforces the most developed world countries to provide energy by implementing numerous technological innovations; Serbia, however, begins to discover renewable power supplies and to stimulate energy savings. People in Serbia waste it as there`s plenty of it, anything regarding ecology and savings is never treated as top issue in national media, and a small number of those who have chosen to adjust their environment to the new critical circumstances are often marked as eccentrics. This is the reason why the data, recently announced by Energy Efficiency Agency`s deputy manager Bojan Kovacic, do not surprise at all - these facts prove that the conditions in our country are dramatic, because 56 percent of Serbian households participate in entire energy consumption.

By Nenad Radicevic

During the past several days, an authority or a public company official has for the first time publicly pronounced the idea of Serbia being able to think about connecting to gas pipelines other than Russian when talking about the gas supplying policy. In an interview for the Belgrade magazine Ekonomist "Srbijagas" Director Dusan Bajatovic has announced Serbia would lobby for the part of the Nabucco international gas pipeline to pass through Serbia. On the other hand, "Transnafta" Board of Directors President Bratislav Ceperkovic has said for Dnevnik daily that Serbia had an opportunity to get one more alternative gas supply route - White Stream gas pipeline. For the time being regarding these initiatives there were no reactions coming from the top government officials although every European government has long ago realised energy routes and sources diversification had become the key element of every country`s energy security.

By Magda Munteanu

The three guards stand at the gate in the 40°C afternoon heat, ignoring the bustle around them. Grim-looking barbed wire coils round the top of the tall fence, as if designed to stop convicts escaping from prison. Seen from a distance, the nuclear plant at Cernavoda, in eastern Romania, looks peaceful and unremarkable. The five round reactor buildings stand in a row along the banks of the Danube. There is little indication the tall fence separates the two operating nuclear reactors from a 4 billion euros project that is about to begin.

By Lavdim Hamidi

At the Dona juices factory in Podujevo, in north-eastern Kosovo, two huge generators roar constantly. Deafened by the noise, employees shout at each other and use signs to communicate as their words cannot be heard. The owner, Bashkim Osmani, says he has no option but to use the noisy appliances, which have cost him about 90,000 euros to install and run over the past 8 years. That was when he decided to cut supplies from Kosovo`s state power company, KEK, after becoming fed up with power cuts. "If you rely on KEK, it will kill your business," he says. Many businessmen share Osmani`s pain in Kosovo, where the lack of an adequate, sustainable power supply is hindering economic growth.

By Stanimir Vaglenov

"We have enough ecological problems even now," says Ivan Gebrev, an hotelier in Pasha Dere, near the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Varna. "If the South Stream pipeline is laid here, it will be the end of our business." A day earlier, the beach at Pasha Dere, near where the South Stream gas pipeline is expected to surface, was polluted by a spill. Although it had nothing to do with the South Stream pipeline, Gebrev sees it as ominous. "It`s not the first time this has happened," he says, gloomily. "But no one is ever fined. Evidently our business is insignificant compared to the so-called strategic interests of the state."

By CEV magazine team

The rejection of nuclear power, which remains the key energy recourse in the 21st century, is unsustainable for Serbia in long terms. There are many nuclear facilities surrounding Serbia - Bulgaria has opt for erection of another one near the town of Belene, Romania is on the same path, and Albania seems to have reached the very end of the executive phase. According to Petar Skundric, Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy, nuclear plants represent the future and necessity of our country.

By CEV magazine team

Ambitious plans in building Nabucco (American-European project) and South Stream (Russian-European project) gas pipelines could be left aside for indefinite time. The destiny of both gigantic projects is, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington (CSIS), uncertain and, most probably, impracticable. The report of Robert Ebel, of the CSIS, indicates that troubles in financing these two projects concern far more serious problem.