Maja Vukadinović, Assistant to the Minister of Mining and Energy for Energy Efficiency and Climate Change, announced at the TOPS 2025 conference in Zlatibor that Serbia aims to phase out fuel oil and coal by 2040. The strategy focuses on significantly increasing the use of wood biomass, heat pumps and solar energy.
A major priority is the intensive integration of renewable energy sources (RES) and heat pumps into district heating systems. Currently, projects are underway in 10 cities and municipalities, with a combined investment of €40.5 million.
In partnership with the German Development Bank (KfW), a €32 million rehabilitation of district heating infrastructure is in progress. So far, modernization efforts have covered 23 heating plants nationwide through four phases.
A landmark project is the solar thermal power plant in Novi Sad, set to become the world’s largest thermal energy storage facility. This innovative plant, combined with a heat pump utilizing the Danube River’s heat, is expected to serve as a model for other Serbian cities in adopting sustainable district heating solutions.
