Using renewable energy must go hand in hand with responsible consumption habits

Investing in solar energy certainly pays off in the long-term, but that is just one piece of the puzzle – for its potential to be fully used, people should spend energy more consciously and state subventions should be directed towards the most vulnerable to energy poverty. This was concluded during the discussion “Can the Sun warm the poor?” organized by the NGO Ministry of Space on 16 April 2024. PET’s program director Mr. Bojan Gajić was one of the speakers in the discussion, during which he shared his experience with establishing the first solar power plant with prosumer status in Niš, Serbia, as well as his thoughts on the potential of solar panels in facilitating a just energy transition in Serbia.

The audience showed a great interest in the Magdon solar power plant project, which was initiated and carried out by PET’s co-founders. They inquired about the process of getting prosumer status, costs and benefits of installing a solar power plant on a residential building and potential for long-term savings.

Mr. Gajić explained what motivated the residents to invest in such a project, which will cut their communal electricity bills by approximately 40 percent. He added that thanks to the financial support from UNDP, the investment will be returned in 4 to 5 years, while the warranty period of the solar power plant system is 20 years. While the process of obtaining the prosumer status was lengthy, he said that he is satisfied with cooperation with EPS.

“One of the biggest obstacles in motivating people to invest in solar power plants is their belief that it doesn’t pay off. That is out of the question – it will pay off, it’s just a matter of when it will pay off,” as Mr. Gajić emphasized.

When discussing the role of the state in supporting renewable energy projects, Mr. Gajić pointed out that state subventions are helpful in the initial phase of energy transition, until investing in power plants becomes financially attractive for all sides involved. He believes that we are “close to the moment when prosumer systems in individual households can function without subventions,” while residential communities who take on joint renewable energy projects – such as Magdon – still need support.

Mr. Saša Petrović from energy cooperative Elektropionir, who was also at the panel, emphasized that the democratization of energy production means that the state should include citizens as energy providers, not just passive consumers. He added that being a prosumer also means changing the consumption patterns and being a responsible energy consumer.

Panelists agreed that state should place more focus on helping the energy poor and the most vulnerable groups of citizens, as they do not have the funds to co-finance such projects.