The investors in renewable energy sources capacities should focus on realisation of projects without wasting time on administrative procedures, but the state to carry out the procedures instead of them, Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski said.

Pesevski at Tuesday’s forum in the Economic Chamber of Macedonia said that potential in this segment is still not sufficiently used although the state had done a lot in the past years especially in the sphere of regulations and procedures. The government is interested in all good proposals, mostly for those which guarantee positive rates on return of capital.

In the past years some of the politics in the sector of renewable energy sources were more or less criticised but from today’s point of view it appeared to be right steps in right time, he said, adding that he is not satisfied with the duration of the procedures, although there are many improvements in this sector.

In regard to the regulation the progress is evident because several years ago there were no solutions concerning this sector and many regulations or other acts were adopted quickly in order some facilities to be put into operation, Pesevski said.

President of the Group for Renewable Energy Sources Koco Angjusev said that so far €250 to €300 million were invested in this type of capacities in Macedonia, of which €170 were realised.

Over 40 megawatts of hydro energy (small hydro power plants), 36 megawatts of wind power plants and over 15 megawatts of photovoltaic were installed in Macedonia in the past years. Around 50 megawatts of small hydro power plants or a total of 130 megawatts which is almost the same as “St. Petka” and “Kozjak” power plants together are being built, Angjusev said.

He said that still it is not the solution to the energy problem in Macedonia. Conventional energy sources as coal should be considered which give the bigger part of the energy. Still these projects considerably contribute for development of the energy in Macedonia, Angjusev said.

The legislation in this segment is significantly improved but also many things still should be improved. The Regulatory Commission should complete some of its rule books in compliance with the Energy Law which refer to cooperation between producers connected to distribution network (renewable energy sources) and EVN operator, Angjusev said.

Today’s forum is part of USAID’s Clean Energy Investment project and as USAID director James Stein said the project is directed towards intensifying of public – private dialogue aimed at finding solutions in surpassing current obstacles in realisation of potential investments.