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Slovakia

 

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Current Situation
Slovakia is an inland country situated in Central Europe. There are several geographical types represented in Slovakia. The southern part is mainly lowlands, partly hilly, while Carpathian Mountain Ranges are extending across most of the northern part of the country with frequent basins. Most of the area of Slovakia is hilly though (for example the south of the country). The highest elevation point is Gerlachovský Štít (2 655 m) and the lowest point Bodrok River (94 m).

Renewable resources cover 16,6 % of country’s electricity gross consumption:
 Water 15,1 %
 Biomass 1,5 %

Electricity production is divided between coal power plants 27,16 %, nuclear power stations 32,16 % and renewable resources 30,68 %. Production capacity of electricity is 8 210 MW of which 2 514 MW is from water power plants and 5 MW from wind power plants. (Eurostat 2008). Slovakia is working on building’s thermal insulation.

Perspectives
Slovakia committed itself to increase the share of electricity produced from renewable resources on gross domestic consumption to 31 % by 2010. Slovakia’s priority right now for electricity production from renewable resources is to construct two big water power plants on Danube and Váh rivers and also to construct pump storage power plant Ipeľ. European Union report called “End of Energy Wasting in Central and Eastern Europe” is analyzing energy situation in Czech, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Slovakia was found the worst country with 5,2 times higher need of energy per every Euro of GDP.

Slovakia’s policy is focused on energy efficiency and it includes stable buying prices and tax reductions. There is relatively week support of renewable energy sources usage. Main supporting programs are running since 2000 but because of lack of long term guarantees investors are not willing to invest in larger projects.

For example in wind energy sector there is a lot of investment projects from private sources with large support of local authorities. Slovakia’s aims are similar to other inland countries to create new energy standards and support of low energy houses or passive houses. There is a tendency to increase energy efficiency by thermal insulation and windows replacement.

Key Players
Biomasa, s.r. o. – Non profit organization; it is a union of companies headquarted in Kysuckom Lieskovci. It has been engaged in wood biomass usage for 8 years. Apart from wooden chips production it owns or operates 44 facilities for burning wooden chips for public buildings, for example schools.

Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency
Slovak Power Plant a.s. – operates 34 water power plants
Energy Center Bratislava

Job demand
Most important renewable energy sources in Slovakia are wind energy, biomass, and water energy. Biomass has a very high potential in Slovakia. It represents 18 % of gross domestic consumption of electricity but the usage is insufficient so far (1,5 %). There is currently a very limited usage of wind energy. Installed output of wind power plants is only 5 MW but there is potential of wider wind energy usage in Slovakia. Investment and construction of wind power plants will increase the number of jobs in this sector.

Employment potential in renewable resources area can be 5 times higher than that in fossil fuels area. Renewable resources create localized employment and they play significant role in regional development by offering valuable and sustainable source of income for rural areas.