WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

4.3.2 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Pascal Hauser, International Center on Small Hydro
Power
Key facts
Population 3,879,296 1
Area 51,209 km 2
Climate Hot summers and cold winters; areas
of high elevation have short, cool
summers and long, severe winters;
mild, rainy winters along coast 1
Topography Mountains and valleys. Fast-flowing
mountain streams and powerful rivers.
Rain pattern Annual precipitation 899 mm with
more rain in winter 2
Electricity sector overview
The country is a net electricity exporter, with a total
electricity production of 14,050 GWh in 2011.
Unfavourable hydrological conditions in 2011
considerably reduced the electricity generated by
hydropower plants (4,326 GWh or 46 per cent less
than those in 2010), which represent an important
part of the electricity generation mix (figure 1). 3
Small hydro and industrial
0.97%
pow er plants
Hydropow er
30.79%
Other pow er plants
68.24%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Figure 1 Electricity generation in Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Source: State Electricity Regulatory Commission 3
Small hydropower sector overview and potential
The country’s gross theoretical hydropower potential
is estimated to be 68,800 GWh/year (equivalent to
8,000 MW capacity), the technically feasible potential
is 24,000 GWh/year (6,800 MW) and the economically
feasible potential is 19,000 GWh/yr (5,600 MW). 4
SHP installed
capacity
SHP potential
36 MW
0 250 500 750 1000
1000 MW
Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities in Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Source: Economic Commission for Europe 5
The technical small hydropower potential of Bosnia
and Herzegovina is around 1,000 MW, at present
there are about 25 small hydropower plants with a
total capacity of 36 MW in the country (figure 2). 5 The
2007 Statement on the Security of Supply by the
Energy Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina
reported that the Government had awarded 100
concessions for the construction of small hydropower
plants with a capacity of up to 5 MW (total of 200
MW). 6
Renewable energy policy
No public institution has yet been assigned to be
responsible for renewable energy sources in Bosnia
and Herzegovina. The only existing support
mechanism is based on two laws that set the
minimum electricity purchase price to be paid to
producers of renewable energy with an installed
capacity of up to 5 MW (Official Gazette FB&H
32/2002 and Official, Gazette RS 71/2003). 7 Power
utility companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina are
required to buy the electricity produced from
renewable energy sources. According to a source in
2009, the price for electricity from small hydro plants
was 4.45 euro cents/kWh, which was lower than wind
and solar. 5
Barriers to small hydropower development
A report by the Economic Commission (2009) has
reported these in the country: financial barriers such
as low energy prices and potential for feed-in tariffs;
lack of defined methodology for concession and
permit delivery for small hydro projects; and the need
for improved administrative procedures for small
hydro project development. It is reported that
numerous requests for construction of small
hydropower plants had been made but progress in
actual construction was limited, mainly due to lack of
a relevant framework for their implementation and
also limited capital availability. 5
References
1. Central Intelligence Agency (2012). The World
Factbook. Available from
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos.
2. Climate Data European Union (2012). Climate
Sarajevo - Bosnia and Herzegovina. Available from
www.climatedata.eu/climate.php?loc=bkxx0004&lang
=en.
3. State Electricity Regulatory Commission (2011).
Report on Activities of the State Electricity Regulatory
Commission in 2011.
4. European Bank of Reconstruction and Development
(2005). Bosnia and Herzegovina: Country profile.
5. Economic Commission for Europe (2009).
Financing Energy Efficiency Investments for Climate
Change Mitigation Project. New York
and Geneva: United Nations.
6. Energy Community (2007). Statement on security
of supply in Bosnia and Herzogowina. Available
from www.energycommunity.org/pls/portal/docs/85835.PDF
368