Energy at Balkan Summit 2026: from coal to clean power, and power for AI
Renewable targets, storage, new energy law and the question of who finances the transition: the energy sessions of day one.
Plenary Session 3, “Powering the Future: Renewables, Interconnection & Sovereign AI Hyperscalers”, met on Monday 19 October at 13:30. It was moderated by Carole Megevand, Country Manager for Kosovo and North Macedonia at the World Bank Group.
On the panel were Getoar Mjeku, Deputy Minister of Economy of Kosovo; Miroslav Labudović, Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines and Mineral Resources of North Macedonia; and Hubert Perr, Head of Cooperation at the EU Office in Kosovo.
Deputy Minister Mjeku was candid about the starting point: Kosovo's energy sector still depends heavily on coal. The target is 1,600 MW of renewable capacity on the grid by 2031. He pointed to a 105 MW solar park now under construction after an open tender, and to a US grant of $202 million for battery storage.
Deputy Minister Labudović said North Macedonia has adopted a new energy law, reached 1.5 GW of renewable capacity by 2025, and plans 260 MW of solar on former coal-mining land.
For the EU, Hubert Perr called energy one of the most important sectors in the region, and warned that instability in energy supply can quickly become social discontent.
In the Strauss Hall, Thematic Panel 4 looked ten years ahead: “Balkan Energy Sovereignty 2035: Renewables, Storage, Coal-gasification, Coal Transition & LNG for AI”. It brought together three financiers: Francesco Corbo, Regional Head of Energy for the Western Balkans and Croatia at the EBRD; Anthony Pollak, Investment Advisor at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation; and Onur Onk, Investment Officer at IFC. Trim Tërnava, CEO of KOSTT, Kosovo's transmission system and market operator, moderated.
Energy and AI data centres had their own matchmaking hour at 16:00 in the Meeting & Networking Hall.
Balkan Summit 2026 took place in Prishtina from 18 to 21 October 2026, at the Emerald Hotel.