Western Balkans Governance of Energy Efficiency by Dr Lorenc Gordani
Western Balkans Governance of Energy Efficiency by Dr Lorenc Gordani Energy Efficiency is often described as the EU’s biggest energy resource, the “first fuel”, as it is competitive, cost effective and widely available. Energy efficiency will also enhance energy security, while at the same time decreasing emissions. This is why the EU has ambitious energy savings targets for 2020 and 2030, and ‘energy efficiency first’ is one of the principles of the Energy Union project. The energy intensity of the Western Balkan countries is very high compared to the average of the EU. Similar to other transition economies, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, emerged from the socialist era with energy intensive economies. Significant progress was made over the past 15 years…