Stakeholder Forums instrumental in increasing investment in energy from renewable sources in Macedonia

In March, the USAID-funded Clean Energy Investment project (CEI), in cooperation with the Association of Renewable Energy Producers and International Finance Corporation Balkan Renewable Energy Program hosted the fifth quarterly Renewable Energy Stakeholders’ Forum in Skopje, Macedonia. Presentations and discussions focused on legal and practical improvements to renewable energy investment procedures, and the potential for investment in photo-voltaic panels on rooftops, without utilizing a feed-in-tariff.

“The forums are a much-needed mechanism for public-private dialogue among renewable energy project developers, investors, local associations, representatives of government ministries and agencies, and the donor community,” said USAID Mission Director James Stein. “They provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to ask questions about issues they encounter in the investment process, propose solutions to various obstacles, and share ideas for future actions.”

Many laws and procedures within the renewable energy investment cycle have been amended as a result of stakeholder forum discussions and follow-up activities — most notably, the recently adopted new laws on Construction Land and Urban and Spatial Planning, which, along with the previously amended Grid Code, will help reduce the investment cycle by as much as 12 months.

Stein, along with Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski, and Association of Renewable Energy President Koco Angushev each made opening remarks. Renewable Energy Specialist Darko Janevski also presented.

The Clean Energy Investment project is a three-year project that supports the government of Macedonia in implementing relevant strategies to increase investment in energy from renewable sources, and reduce Macedonia’s total final energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Winrock is USAID’s implementing partner on the project.