- Serbia plans to offer subsidies for solar PV installations by citizens for self-consumption
- Projects will be selected competitively whose process will be launched on September 3, 2021
- More such public calls to subsidize solar panel installations are planned to be launched in 2022
The Ministry of Mining and Energy in Serbia has decided to launch an official tender on September 3, 2021 to offer subsidies for solar for self-consumption. It will offer subsidies for the installation of solar systems.
According to the ministry, 50% cost of the PV installations will be funded by citizens themselves, and remaining 50% will be covered by local self-government units and the federal Energy Ministry.
Initial agreements are expected to be signed with local self-government units in the next 30 days or more. “We want to see more solar panels on the roofs of buildings and houses in the next few years, and to use green energy more,” said country’s Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Mining and Energy Prof. Dr. Zorana Mihajlović.
She also shared that in 2022 the government plans to launch several public calls to subsidize installation of solar panels.
Serbia recently adopted a decree that makes it easier for citizens to become prosumers of solar power by easing permitting and approval process. It lays down conditions and the method of calculation of billing between prosumers and suppliers.
Now after investing in a solar PV system and its installation, the prosumers only need to contact the supplier to be connected to the grid. This will get them a 2-way meter through which they can send all generated electricity to the grid. At the end of the month, they can see the difference in the electricity they consumed and the amount they fed to the grid. They will be expected to pay only for the difference if they consumed more than they produced.
“In this way, solar panels are procured in one step, while previously it was necessary to complete the entire administrative procedures, and the procedure lasted longer than six months,” according to the ministry.
In May 2021, the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture invited applications for competitive agricultural projects including those paired with solar PV for state subsidies (see Serbia Providing Subsidies For Agrivoltaic Projects).
