A true solar “revolution” is underway in the municipality of Sokolac. The first mini-power plant started operating. As a pilot project of a much stronger power plant of 100 MW, the administrative preparation of which is in the final phase, a capacity of 150 kW on a daily basis has already been enabled. And while the investor, a local businessman, announces the expansion of this capacity, more and more people are interested in similar projects.

Clean and inexhaustible, and also free – the energy of the sun and the expanses of Sokolac as an endless source, is the potential that started the energy transition in this local community. The first solar panels and photovoltaic cells spread on the former pasture of the investor, 10 of them in two rows. With a certain tendency to expand capacity.

We installed a power plant of 150 kW, and we intend to build another one of 200 kW, so that the total would be about 350 kW, which would be about 425,000 kWh on an annual basis – said investor Danko Vučak.

Six months were needed for the works, which also include administrative preparation. A mild winter also helped, so even before the plan, the first kilowatts of investment worth about a million darks flowed into the distribution network. The return on investment is dictated by the market.

  • We expect that this investment will return in four to five years, after which we can achieve positive profit results – added Vučak.

Dozens more similar mini power plants are in preparation. Local entrepreneurs were granted location approvals for a total capacity of seven megawatts by the administration. The remaining 100 MW – which is the limiting factor of the existing distribution network – is reserved for the construction of a solar power plant.

Obtaining the consent of the Government of Srpska and relevant ministries, the competent regulator and the Republic Commission for Concessions is in the final phase.

  • By the end of June, the documentation will be completed so that the investor can enter into the implementation of this project. Green energy is the future, and we expect that it will lead to a green economy – said the mayor of Sokoc, Milovan Bjelica.

There are already interested investors in the project worth about 50 million € – from Poland, China, Lithuania, Spain… However, the most serious is the German-Serbian consortium Ener State, which has already started the registration procedure in Sokolac, submitted a request for a concession and a feasibility study to the competent domestic operator.

The same consortium is also interested in financing two economic projects – for the construction of aluminum carpentry and car parts plants. The final choice of investors, however, will be made after the public call procedure, that is, the competition, which is the task of the Commission for Concessions of the Republic of Srpska.

The location for the future solar power plant – Glasinačko polje – has been determined. 150 hectares of unused agricultural land owned by the municipality have been reserved. It remains for the local assembly to change its intention to a construction one with the revised spatial plan, which should be done already at the first following session of the Assembly, scheduled for Wednesday.

The income side of the local budget only from the concession fee should reach the amount of 300.000 € per year.

In addition to the power plant, as a kind of energy unit, the installation of solar panels and heat pumps on the buildings of primary and secondary schools and the sports hall was also planned, for the purposes of heating those institutions – the costs of which are currently financed from the municipal budget.