Advancing energy sustainability in complex environments

Building strong energy policies and regulations is both a human and political challenge, particularly in countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where complex political and cultural dynamics make putting in place regulatory frameworks governing energy difficult. GOPA’s deep experience in the region has shown that sustainable change requires not only technical expertise but also trust-building and clear communication.

A strong regional footprint 

Over the last 15 years, GOPA has worked on nearly 30 sustainable energy initiatives in the Balkans and across the Black Sea in Georgia and Türkiye. These projects have ranged from infrastructure development —including installing a 100-kilometre-long 400 kV transmission line in Serbia, constructing two substations in Montenegro, and supervising the construction of a wind farm in Bosnia — to planning and regulation design. In Kosovo, GOPA developed a gas development plan and reviewed regulatory frameworks. In Georgia, the team, drafted bylaws in support of the introduction of the European Union (EU) Energy Acquis Communautaire. And in North Macedonia, GOPA drafted new legislation aligning the country’s energy efficiency and renewable energy laws with the EU regulatory framework. 

Fahrudin Kulic, a Germany-based senior engineer with GOPA originally from Bosnia, explains the urgency. “People in BiH aren’t aware of how fragile Bosnia’s position is as a net electricity exporter,” he says. “Our power plants are old. If they fail, the country would be forced to import electricity.” 

In countries like BiH, outdated infrastructure and a heavy reliance on coal create significant challenges to energy security, environmental sustainability, political stability, and public health. 

“Our work in the region has been instrumental in integrating the region’s Candidate and Potential Candidate Countries into the European Union,” says Marco Caponigro, executive director of GOPA Tech, which has spearheaded a multimillion-euro energy project in Georgia for over five years. “The key to success,” he adds, “is proper communication, and building a sense of local ownership.” 

To achieve this, Caponigro has meticulously handpicked top experts in their respective fields: “It’s all about passion. Our team’s passion for this work makes it easy for people to trust us.”

Patterns in common 

All of the Candidate Countries (Albania, BiH, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Kosovo) share post-1990s similarities in how their energy sectors have been run. BiH, in particular, has a very complex institutional structure as result of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement.

“This creates the additional challenge when transitioning Bosnia’s energy sector to a more commercial entity,” says Kulic. “The people there are opposed to making this change because they do not fully trust the institutions involved, and it would bring on increased costs to citizens as an investment in the country’s sustainable development.” 

The success of EU integration efforts rests on effective communication, citizen engagement, and trust at all levels. At its core, transitioning to sustainable energy production and regulation is about behavioural change. This is a continued challenge due to energy having been previously heavily subsidised in countries across the region. 

“People just want cheap electricity and are not supportive of paying higher prices to finance the necessary investments for an energy transition,” says Kulic. They are concerned about the loss of jobs in coal mining and the industry supporting the operation of coal-fired power plants.” 

Community engagement and the role of prosumers

In Georgia, GOPA’s work involves working closely with citizens to raise awareness on the importance of enabling large-scale investments in improving insulation of homes and buildings. Caponigro’s team harnesses the potential of schools as agents of change, and has conducted trainings on energy efficiency and renewable energy for 150 students and ten teachers across ten schools. The schools were given three months to develop and execute innovative initiatives to reduce energy and water consumption, and students were then invited to present projects at Georgia's Sustainable Energy Day, a large-scale public event held in June 2023. 

“Schools are where the spark is,” Caponigro says. “Educating the youth on the importance of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and the country’s energy transition is an effective way to reach entire families. Not to mention that schools make up the majority of public buildings, most of which will need to be renovated in line with the energy efficiency requirements established by the EU.” 

New ideas are needed that put consumers at the core of solutions for transitioning to cleaner and more robust energy sources alongside increased energy efficiency in existing infrastructure. A sustainable future of the energy sector can therefore be more easily achieved through the decentralisation of production, and by harnessing the power of prosumers. 

“These are the people who are both consumers and producers of electricity,” explains Kulic. “They’re the ones who, for example, have photovoltaic solar panels on the roofs of their homes, using some of that power and selling the rest back to the grid. The artificially low electricity prices are making these investments unattractive for households, while businesses that pay a higher price of electricity are already investing heavily in solar PV systems to reduce their operating costs.” 

Energy transition in the Balkans and Black Sea region requires more than technical expertise —it demands a deep understanding of political complexity and local realities. GOPA’s experience in the region has shaped an approach that combines top-down efforts, such as regulatory reforms and investment in large-sale renewables, with bottom-up strategies that empower prosumers and place communities at the centre of behavioural change.

(Originally published 27 February, 2024. Updates have been made to reflect current branding.)
 

Country/Region: Balkans, Black Sea, Türkiye, Georgia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Moldova, Ukraine