Over 4,300 prosumers have been registered in Serbia’s Elektrodistribucija registry, with a total installed capacity exceeding 84 megawatts (MW), according to official reports. Maja Vukadinović, Assistant Minister for Energy Efficiency and Climate Change, announced that a public call for local self-governments to apply for subsidies to fund prosumer projects will be launched in April. Municipalities and cities will then open calls for citizens over the summer.
“The value of the subsidy will depend on citizen interest, so we cannot predict the exact amount in advance. Individual measures are already predetermined. We offer subsidies of up to 50%, and if someone applies for multiple measures, the subsidy could reach up to 65%,” Vukadinović told Tanjug. A prosumer is a consumer-producer of electricity who has connected their own renewable energy production facility to the internal installation of their property.
The produced electricity is primarily used for self-consumption, and any surplus is supplied to the transmission and distribution systems. Vukadinović explained that the procedure for potential prosumers is quite simple.
“Applicants only need to submit a few documents, including a registration form with identification details about the household. Afterward, the applicant will select the measure they want to implement in their household. Additionally, they must provide proof of the legality of the property, a photocopy of their ID card, and a copy of their electricity bill showing a consumption of 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in the previous month, to demonstrate that the property is inhabited and not used occasionally or as a weekend home,” Vukadinović stated.
The criteria for obtaining subsidies will be based on the order in which applications are received.
“I must emphasize that this program will run until the end of 2027, so I believe that all citizens who want to take advantage of it will have the opportunity to do so at some point,” Vukadinović added.
Subsidies for improving the energy efficiency of homes have been available since 2021. Vukadinović pointed out that through four public calls, around 35,000 households across Serbia have already benefited from the program.
“The goal is to retrofit around 70,000 households by the end of 2027. In 2023, we began implementing a project in cooperation with the World Bank, with 131 local self-governments applying. Last year, in 2024, that number increased to 137, with a total value of approximately 2.1 billion dinars. There is huge interest,” Vukadinović said.
She noted that the greatest interest is in replacing windows and doors, though citizens are also opting for other measures such as installing solar panels and collectors, replacing boilers with more efficient ones, and insulating facades and roofs.
Vukadinović emphasized that Elektrodistribucija Srbije, the operator of the distribution system, prioritizes resolving connection requests from prosumers.
“Another point to mention is the alignment of energy regulations with tax regulations, particularly regarding value-added tax and excise duties to promote energy efficiency. For instance, VAT is now applied to consumed electricity, which complies with the requirements of consumer-producers. Additionally, we have improved communication with interested individuals through projects the ministry runs in cooperation with consumer-producer associations that keep them informed about procedures and regulations,” she explained.
The Ministry will continue to take measures within its authority to improve the status of prosumers, which will help increase their numbers in the domestic market.
According to data from the Renewable Energy Association of Serbia, the number of prosumers in the country is steadily rising, with the highest number located in Vojvodina (1,100) and among households (3,100).
The smallest number of prosumers is found in residential communities, as only four such communities have decided to produce electricity this way.
The Šumadija and Western Serbia regions have 613 prosumers, while the Eastern and Southern Serbia regions have 867. Belgrade has about half the number of prosumers compared to Vojvodina, with only 512.
Municipalities such as Crna Trava and Bela Palanka still have no prosumers, while Preševo recently gained its first prosumer.
Currently, the installed capacity of household prosumers stands at over 25 megawatts (MW).
