Uticaj malih hidroelektrana na održivi razvoj Republike Srbije

Abstract

The ongoing debate and a relatively strong public voice against the buildingof small hydropower plants (SHPP) in the Republic of Serbia (RS) was the motivefor the paper. The goal was to objectively compare SHPP with other renewableenergy sources (RES) and fossil fuels. Apart from ecological, an economic sideof the construction of SHPPs is considered, as well as the achieved results ofthe RS with regard to internationally accepted commitments for promotion ofRES. To achieve the goal, a review of the most prominent studies in the field ispresented as well as the existing energy strategies and related accomplishmentsof the most developed EU countries that heavily invest in RES. It is worthy ofnotice that the largest number of newly built, revitalized and designed SHPPsin developed countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) are of the mini hydrotype. Among these, the biggest number of plants are with capacities below 100kw, which clearly shows that for the mentioned countries every kw producedfrom RES is significant. without time-limited incentive measures, the buildingof SHPPs is not economically sustainable neither in the RS nor in the EUcountries. Compared with fossil fuels, RES have far less adverse environmentaleffects. Many reliable energy studies highlight run-of-the-river SHPPs as the mostenvironmentally friendly among RES. In the paper, the way for overcoming theidentified environmental problems related to the building of SHPPs in the RS isrecommended. If the most developed EU countries, build, plan, and revitalizeSHPPs that should the RS do too.