Production in Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost exclusively based on coal and hydropower.  Most of the coal and oil used in Bosnia is imported from Russia.  As of 2007, Bosnia has had no power generated by non-hydro renewable resources (EIA, 2007).  A table of basic information about Bosnia and Herzegovina is located below.  Despite the current lack of renewable energy generation, Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the EU obligatory protocol committing them to produce 20 percent renewable energy in comparison to their overall energy consumption by the year 2020.  Solar, wind and biomass energy are expected to have a large roll in achieving this goal.

One major set-back to the development of the energy sector is the transmission system.  The transmission system in Bosnia and Herzegovina sustained significant damage during the war and is still in the process of rebuilding.  The former primary transmission line was a 400 kV network spanning 800 km.  This network had two primary interconnections, the Adriatic Line connecting to Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Greece, and the Northeast Line via Ernestinovo in Croatia, which is part of the former central Yugoslavian transmission line.  At the present time neither of these interconnections is in operation, however, the system is connected to Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia via 220 kV lines.  A considerable amount of investment in reconstruction is required to bring the entire system back to operational status. 

The following table provides summary information about Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Country Summary Table

Privatization of the energy sector is also necessary to ensure the ease of bringing renewable energy to Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The government has pursued privatization since the end of the war in 1995.  Laws on privatization strategy and implementation were passed in 1996, 1997, and 1998, with small-scale privatization beginning in 1999.  As of June 2001, about 108 out of 276 small enterprises (value of less than KM 300,000) and about 530 of 1,029 medium to large-scale enterprises were sold to individuals or privatization funds.  Formal planning or strategy on privatization is yet to be formulated for the energy industry.  As of 2007, the privatization process is still underway for the energy sector (Plan Bleu, 2007).

Bosnia and Herzegovina has four different public utilities each responsible for their own sector of the country.  The utilities are EP BIH, ERS, EP HZHB and BREKO District of BIH.  The following map shows the areas in which each of the public utilities operate.  The numbered sections indicate the company responsible for transmission in the area.

Utility Districts of Bosnia-Herzegovina

Total production of electricity in 2006 was 12,770 GWh while the total consumption was 12,010 GWh.  Bosnia and Herzegovina is a net exporter of electricity (EIA, 2007).  A table estimating the electricity consumption from 2005 to 2020 is displayed below.

Estimated Final Electricity Consumption

The priority for the electricity industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina is to create efficient market structures within clear regulatory frameworks that encourage more competitive markets for electricity and at the same time are able to attract private investors and ensure economically sound development of the system. This way, the electricity sector can meet electricity demands as efficiently as possible.

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Overcoming the complex political administrative situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina is a challenge faced by investors in the energy sector. 

The tariff for renewable sources with installed power up to 5 MW is 5.8 €c/kWh on the 10 kV voltage for the BIH utility, and a 6.6 €c/kWh on the 10 kV voltage for EPNZHB utility.  Corrective coefficients have been established for

•  Small hydro power plants: 0.80
• Biogas, biomass, waste dump power plants: 0.77
• Wind and geothermal power plants: 1.00
• Solar power plants: 1.10

 Bosnia and Herzegovina is a signatory to:

• Regulation (EC) No 1228/2003 of The European Parliament and of The Council of 26 June 2003 on condition for access to the network for cross-border exchanges in electricity

• Directive 2003/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Concerning Common rules for the internal market in electricity and repealing directive 96/92/EC

• Directive 2001/77/EC of the European Parliament and of the council of 27 September 2001 on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market

• Framework Convention on Climate Change was signed in 2000.

• Kyoto Protocol to the Framework Convention on Climate Change was signed in 2007.

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 A wind atlas for Bosnia and Herzegovina was recently established.  The assessment shows that Bosnia and Herzegovina has significant wind potential.  It is estimated that the total wind power potential capacity is about 2,000 MW, but only 900 MW are usable.  This potential has not yet been exploited.

The new atlas shows the most promising areas for exploitation include regions around Bihac, Tomislav Grad, Livno, Glamoc, Mostar and part of the east Herzegovina, Trebinge and Gacko (Emportal, 2009). 

The following figure displays the wind velocities at a height of 80 meters throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina.  As shown, the wind potential is greatest in the western portion of the country where the velocities can reach up to 9 m/s. 

Bosnia Wind Resource Map (Source: 3Tier)

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4.  Biomass

The Bosnia and Herzegovina Biomass Energy for Employment and Energy Security Project plans to avoid 120,000 tonnes of CO_2eq over 15 years by retrofitting or installing biomass-fired boilers in 20 schools across the country.  According to the UNDP Human Development Report, biomass and waste currently make up 3.7 percent of Bosnia’s energy supply.  It is estimated that 1 million cubic meters of biomass per year are available for energy production (Plan Bleu, 2007).

Forests and forestland include around 43 percent of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territory or around 2.7 million hectares. The forest decreases in size by around 0.1 percent each year.

It is estimated that wood waste in Bosnia and Herzegovina can annually produce approximately 5,200 GWh of electricity, which amounts to 600 MW of installed capacity.  Regarding landfill gas, a pilot project has been developed in Saravejevo that has 350 kW of electric capacity (Trade Council of Denmark, 2008).

Regarding residues from field crops, fruit tree plantations, and livestock activities, there should be a significant potential for their collection and utilization, along with wastes including manures from intensive farms. Utilization of those resources could be done through incineration or anaerobic digestion technologies. 

Detailed studies and surveys would have to be carried out to determine location, logistics, size of units, economics and viability, likewise with MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) and the waste of sewage (sewage sludge).

It is assumed that charcoal and wood fuel consumption is similar to that of the remaining inland area of former Yugoslavia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Biomass Resource Data

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Bosnia and Herzegovina has basically two different climatic regions.  Its southern costal regions are typical Mediterranean climates, and the northern regions have climatic activities similar to central Europe.  The solar irradiation values vary accordingly with about 1,240 kWh/m² in the northern region to 1,600 kWh/m² in the southern region.  In the southern region, the amount of sunny days can get up to about 270 days per year.  The solar potential of the region is approximately 1,900 TWh (MercyCorp, 2009). 

With the help from the Solar Water Heater project, Bosnia and Herzegovina has installed solar water heaters in the town of Tuzla.  The project has had so much success that a new production facility was opened in the nearby city of Gradacar. 

The primary form of solar energy and technology used are flat plate collectors for heating houses and some commercial and public premises.  Their contribution to the total energy consumption is insignificant.  It is not expected that this figure will increase substantially in the near future, as new consumption could mainly come from new entrants to the market (i.e. of new buildings or installations).  Currently, the only known solar-related businesses exist in Sarajevo, Brčko, Tuzla, and Gradacar.

The following figures display the direct normal and global horizontal irradiation values for Bosnia and Herzegovina.  As shown, the southwestern portion of the country has significant irradiation levels.

 Direct Normal Irradiation Values (Source: NASA)

Global Horizontal Irradiation Map (Source: NASA)

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Currently, there is no power generated from geothermal resources in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Subterranean geothermal pools and lakes throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina present potential sources of thermal energy.  A pilot project was planned for development, but never constructed.  The country’s geothermal potential for space heating and therapeutic bath purposes, based on the existing wells, is about 33 MWt. 

The heat flow density for Bosnia and Herzegovina is shown in the following figure.  As shown the country has the highest heat flow density in its northeastern corner.  The rest of the country has moderate heat flow.

Geothermal Heat Flow Density

(Source: Energie-Atlas GmbH)

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Bosnia and Herzegovina’s geography includes fast-flowing mountain streams and powerful rivers that are very well suited for hydroelectricity production.  Currently, hydroelectric power stations exist with a generating capacity of around 6,500 MW.  Most of these installations are more than 30 years old; modernization of the existing plants is in the pipeline.  In 2007 Bosnia generated 6,140 GWh of hydroelectricity, which was a 5 percent generation increase from the previous year (EIA, 2006).

It is estimated that Bosnia has a hydropower potential of 23,400 GWh.  Most of the potential is located within the Drina, Neretva and Trebisnjica river basins.  The Drina River alone is estimated to have a power generating potential of about 6,000 GWh.

Bosnia has an estimated small hydro power potential of 2,500 GWh/yr.  According to the Bosnian Ministry of Energy, Bosnia & Herzegovina has the potential to support 356 large and small hydroelectric power stations.  Since 2006, a total of 120 licenses have been issued for new mini hydroelectric power stations; mini hydroelectric power stations have capacities not in excess of 10 MW. 

The government is seeking foreign investors that would help develop the country’s hydroelectric potential.  The Austrian Power & Environment Technology GmbH has been assisting a Bosnian energy company, Elektoprivreda BIH, with the construction of four hydropower stations totaling 200 MW.  Many other foreign investors have taken interest in hydroelectric development in the area as well (Wein International, 2007). 

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