The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said it is considering providing a senior loan of 11 million Euros to finance the upgrade of Bosnia's biggest paper mill, Natron Hayat, B&H Business Daily reported. The loan is aimed to help Natron Hayat to optimize its energy generation and consumption by substituting fossil fuels with biomass based energy and to improve its health and safety management to match EU standards, the EBRD said in a statement earlier this week.

The construction of Gorna Arda hydropower project in southern Bulgaria is likely to be resumed in the autumn, a local daily reported, citing insiders.

The news comes as Austria’s energy firm EVN and Bulgaria’s dominant state power utility NEK are expected to sign an agreement for the project in the framework of the visit of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in Vienna

Belarus produced 370,700 tonnes of biodiesel fuel, up 60.4% from the same period of 2009, BelTA learnt from the National Statistics Committee. The production of biodiesel fuel has increased 5.4 times when compared with the same period of 2008.

Officials also said energy company Roth & Rau plans to build Kazakhstan's first solar power plant.

ASTANA, July 5 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia, Kazakhstan have signed three agreements on cooperation in nuclear power engineering and on the construction of a hydropower plant.

EPS has signed an agreement with Italian company SECI Energia for founding a joint venture called Ibarske Elektrane.  In the coming years, they will be building 10 hydroelectric plants along the Ibar River, worth a total of EUR 278mn.

Over a 100 energy leaders have already confirmed they will address TIREC (Turkish International Renewable Energy Congress) September 28th –October 1st in Istanbul at the Grand Cevahir Convention Centre & Hotel.

TIREC is fully supported by the Turkish Government as they look to develop their energy autonomy and develop beyond being seen as just a pipeline country. “Turkey has some tremendous natural renewable energy resources” explained Fatih Aydin, Congress Director. “rich wind resources both onshore and offshore, an excellent solar map and a huge hinterland of underused arable land will enable the development of a domestic bioenergy industry and a wider bioeconomy. Since we launched the event we have been overwhelmed by the interest shown by energy executives in Turkey and also other countries.

Sveaskog’s subsidiary in Latvia, SIA Sveaskog Baltfor, is to develop its handling of biofuels. The company previously only bought timber, pulpwood and biofuel but it will now start up its own production, investing in its own facilities.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group , will invest up to €25 million in the Green for Growth Fund Southeast Europe to stimulate financing of sustainable energy projects within the region. The fund will have a significant developmental impact in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy and expanding lending to households, small and medium enterprises, renewable energy projects, energy service companies, and municipalities.  Its investments initially are targeted to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey.