TIRANA, Oct 10 /ATA/ The Administrator of the Albanian Power Corporation (KESH), Erald Elezi, participated in the “Energy Week Western Balkans 2024,” one of the most important energy forums in the region, which brings together decision-makers, regulators, and experts to discuss the future of renewable energy.
This forum revolved around the challenges of integrating renewable energy into the power grid, sustainability and modernization of infrastructure, as well as regional cooperation to accelerate the energy transition.
In his remarks, Administrator Elezi emphasized that KESH is committed to ensuring the energy security of Albania and to building a greener future.
A report released a few months ago by the European Union Statistics Office (EUROSTAT) listed Albania third, after Sweden and Finland, for energy consumption derived from renewable sources, overtaking all other EU countries.
The report highlights that the gross energy consumption generated from renewable sources in Albania for 2022 was 44%.
In the first quarter of this year, energy generated by private hydro power plants, concessions, and photovoltaic producers exceeded that produced by public hydro power plants.
Data from INSTAT showed that public hydro power plants produced 1,162 GWh in the first quarter of 2024, down from 1,614 GWh produced in the first quarter of 2023, marking a production decline of 28.1%.
Private and concession hydro power plants produced 1,246 GWh, compared to 1,156 GWh produced in the same period a year earlier, marking an increase in electricity production of 7.8%.
Electricity generation from solar photovoltaics in the first quarter of this year was 70.140 MWh, compared to 16.515 MWh in the same period of 2023.
The use of renewable energy has many benefits, including a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, diversification of energy supplies, and a decrease in reliance on fossil fuel markets (oil and gas).
Renewable energy sources include wind energy, solar energy (thermal, photovoltaic, and concentrated), hydropower, tidal energy, geothermal energy, ambient heat captured by heat pumps, biofuels, and the renewable portion of waste.
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