North Macedonia is bathed in daylight, so, phasing out coal ought to be straightforward. However due to the power disaster, the precise reverse is at the moment occurring: historic coal-fired energy crops are blowing large quantities of poisonous emissions into the air and new lignite mines are even being opened up.
Regardless of a pledge to change into the primary coal-free nation within the Western Balkans, North Macedonia has prolonged the time limit of its coal-fired energy crops a number of instances. Click on on the video above to observe the report.
A cloud of thick smoke constantly escapes from the Bitola coal-fired energy station. North Macedonia has two coal hubs – REK Bitola and REK Oslomej. 47 per cent of the nation’s electrical energy is produced by burning soiled lignite.
The brown materials is extracted from large opencast pits near the coal energy stations constructed some 40 years in the past. Based on Pece Matevski, director of REK Bitola, one other coal mine is anticipated to open: “Quickly, we’re going to open Zivojno. Within the subsequent 30 years we could have sufficient coal for the facility plant to work and to perform!”
Coal phase-out postponed from 2027 to 2030
North Macedonia meant to part out coal by 2027. However the power disaster has prompted the nation of two million inhabitants to vary its plans. It’s now anticipated to give up coal by 2030.
Within the capital, Skopje, Nevena Smilevska is an power transformation campaigner on the NGO CEE Bankwatch. She is apprehensive concerning the impression of additional delays on the nation’s potential accession to the European Union.
“The date of closure wants to stay 2030. It is vitally unlikely that we’ll be allowed to ignore the European Inexperienced Deal,” she explains.
“If the EU accession does occur, we must shut the (coal) energy crops earlier than we accede,” Smilevska provides. “It doesn’t make sense to get a grant for ‘Simply Transition’ away from coal – and to open a brand new coal mine. That is unacceptable and would fully destroy the coal exit technique.”
The best SO2 emissions within the Western Balkans
As lignite reserves (known as brown coal) are working out, the nation has to import coal from neighbouring nations. A powerful reliance on fossil fuels doesn’t enhance air high quality.
In 2022, the Bitola coal plant had the best SO2 and mud emissions within the Western Balkans area. 111.000 tons of SO2 have been emitted – 17 instances greater than allowed.
But, the nation’s common of 280 days of sunshine gives excellent situations for the manufacturing of photo voltaic power. 120 km away from Skopje, in North Macedonia’s oldest coal energy plant, Oslomej, the manufacturing of power is ready to vary. Solar energy stations are being constructed on high of the opencast lignite mine.
But, the supervisor of the photovoltaic energy plant has been ready for its electrical energy to be fed to the grid for a yr and a half.
“We’re nonetheless ready for some licences from authorities,” says Cedomir Arsouski.
Nonetheless, the latest settlement reached on the COP28 might speed up North Macedonia’s power transition.
Worldwide lenders have introduced they are going to finance a €3 billion plan to fully shut down the nation’s coal-fired energy crops by 2030, and change them with photo voltaic, hydro, wind and gas-powered models.
The purpose is to make sure a ‘Simply Transition’, deploying 1.7 gigawatts of renewable power and multiplying power storage capacities while upgrading grid connections.
Will North Macedonia’s inexperienced ambition be achieved this time? If the nation succeeds to exit coal by 2030, it may very well be a job mannequin for all the Western Balkans area – and for some EU members too…
Further sources • Fixer: Sofija Dukoska; Übersetzer: Novka Kaurin, Sofija Dukoska; Video: Stéphane Petit; Drohnenpilot: Davor Bogdanoski, Aleksandar Vajdevski, Slave; Ton: Nathalie Vanel; Produktion: Alice Vignon, Sophie Claudet; Grafiken: Domenico Spano & Philippe Brun