Belgrade has for the first time organized the Energy Week. From May 29 till June 2, numerous public gatherings, conferences and workshops will be held. The goal is to raise public awareness on numerous subjects and challenges in energy safety and efficiency, energy consumption, renewable energy sources and environmental protection, as well as to showcase new solutions and technologies. The manifestation is a part of the EU Sustainable Energy Week which is supported by the European Commission.
At the opening of the Belgrade Energy Week city mayor Sinisa Mali said that the idea of the manifestation was to raise the awareness of “themes that are important to the quality of life in the city and its functioning, which are not visible in a daily life.”
He said that this year, the city budget has allocated 120 million dinars for raising the energy efficiency in public buildings in order to save on heating during winter and air conditioning in summer, and announced the project would be expanded next year to include housing, regulating the landfill in Vinca and production of heat and electricity from garbage sources.
Acting Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Oskar Benedikt noted that the Energy Week represented a transformation of society. “These children who are here today, when they grow up, they will attain everything we have started today,” said Benedikt.
He noted that the climate change brings serious threats and reminded of the consequences of the catastrophic floods of 2014. “We all have to work on lowering gas emissions of the greenhouse effect, lowering of CO2,” said Benedikt and added that “Belgrade has started a great work on raising the energy efficiency in buildings and using renewable energy sources. Oil, coal and similar are dirty energy and we should use more solar and wind energy,” he said.
He said that the EU will continue to offer support to Serbia in transforming the energy sector.
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The Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic welcomed the organization of the Energy Week and said the renewable energy, energy efficiency and the use of clean energy were priorities that would be shown through rich content throughout the week.
The Energy Week, in different venues, will gather representatives of relevant government institutions, universities and eminent scientific institutions, companies and advance technologies’ manufacturers, local self-governments, civil sector, as well as representatives of schools and media.
