SEE TOP 100: Mix of nuclear/renewables to help SEE meet energy demand, goals - Part 3

The commitment of the EU to cut greenhouse gases brought about the climate and energy package, which has set ambitious targets for at least 20% cut in emissions of greenhouse gases by 2020, compared with 1990 levels, a 20% cut in energy consumption and a 20% increase in the share of renewables in the energy mix of the bloc. It was exactly the desire of the EU to tackle the climate issue and its deepening reliance on natural gas imports that gave stronger impetus to renewable energy across Europe through Directive 2009/28/EC. As the member states were in different stages of introducing green sources to their energy mix, the proposed RES target varied between countries.

The analysis was featured in the fourth edition of SEE TOP 100, the annual ranking of the biggest companies in Southeast Europe published earlier this month by SeeNews.

SEE countries, which in their past relied extensively on fossil fuels for electricity production, will have to meet relatively lower targets in recognition of their previous efforts to reduce carbon belching. Still, the region is far behind western European countries in harnessing the power of the sun, wind and water for electricity generation. EU members Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia stand the best chance of meeting their goals through the adoption of legislative changes and investment incentives. Romania, for instance, introduced favourable conditions for developing wind power projects and in 2010 the country registered a 33-fold increase of installed wind capacities.

Wind and solar resource maps and assessments by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) show that the region has good prospects for developing renewable sources - Albania, Macedonia and Serbia have high solar irradiation levels, while Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania have potential to harness wind power. The plentiful water resources throughout SEE will also help the countries to attain their RES goals. In Albania nearly 90% of the electricity comes from HPPs. However, the requirement for an HPP to be green is that its capacity is 10 MW or less, while the majority of HPPs operating presently in SEE exceed that limit.

Choosing wisely
The most important choice that SEE countries have to make will not be a matter of which, nuclear or renewable, but a matter of how - how to achieve safe, efficient and reliable power supply through diversification of the energy resources.

Debates on the pros and cons of nuclear and renewable energy are rather superfluous because both types of energy have strong proponents and staunch critics. However, it would be fair to mention some of the most widely spread arguments for and against the two types of energy sources.

Renewables
(+) no need for fuel, directly utilises the existing natural resources;
(+) safety of wind turbines, solar installations;
(+) lower initial capital requirements;
(+) constantly improving energy efficiency of renewable technology, which reduces the generating costs;
(+) solar systems can be close to the point of demand.

(-) require vast areas of land for delivering more installed capacity;
(-) difficult to meet base-load demand due to their intermittent nature;
(-) storage capacities to accumulate produced power when not needed;
(-) environmental concerns such as bird mortality, soil overheating, soil erosion, flooding;
(-) hydro dams are expensive to build.

Nuclear
(+) largest power output per unit of all energy sources;
(+) fuel can be used over a long period of time and is claimed to be inexpensive.

(-) requires large capital investments; operation and maintenance costs are also high;
(-) logistical difficulties in storage and transportation of spent nuclear fuel;
(-) risk of a nuclear disaster.

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