This year’s Annual General Meeting of the Institute’s Partners took place on Wednesday, July 27 and was held exclusively online. Twenty five, out of 42 partners, actually participated. Most countries in the region were fully represented including Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.
Apart from a detailed briefing by the chairman of IENE, on the Institute’s activities in the first half of 2022, the other important item of the agenda was the approval of the Annual Report for 2021 following submission to all partners several days before. Following a concise presentation of the report and a detailed report of the accounts by and last year’s balance by the chairman, the partners approved unanimously both the AR and the accounts for 2021. The Annual Report has now been posted on the Institute’s web site and can be seen here.
Following approval of the AR the partners went ahead and discussed a number of issues related to planned activities for the second half of 2022 and 2023 and the need for a new strategy concerning the future development and outreach of the Institute. All partners agreed that as market conditions continuously change and are greatly impacted lately by the mounting energy crisis and the crisis in Ukraine, there is a clear need for a new strategy to be worked out and adopted ahead of next year.
Commenting on the Institute’s AG, following its approval by the Board of Governors, IENE’s Chairman Mr. Costis Stambolis commented: “The “Annual Report” contains a wealth of information on the Institute’s activities including research and study projects, publications, educational, courses, conferences and related events. Also, as short profile of IENE’s resident staff and external associates is included together with a detailed listing of the Board of Governors.
Furthermore, the Report explains how the Institute functioned last year from an administration and operational viewpoint, including the work of its 7 Scientific Committees and their participation in various public consultations but also in events and activities organised by third parties. In addition the Report discusses the Institute’s finances and how, despite the pandemic lockdown, it managed to operate without any serious loss of income.
Last year the Institute focused on a number of research and study projects including its major study, the “SEE Energy Outlook 2021/2022”, which was successfully concluded at the end of December and a feasibility study on behalf of the Independent Electricity Transmission Operator of Greece (IPTO) on “Energy Storage Systems’ Integration in Crete”. Other studies carried out covered the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the need for investment in industrial production for RES components and systems.
The Annual Report also discusses the Outlook for 2022/2023 and the challenges which IENE currently faces. The most important of which is the need to expand its membership, especially in the SEE region, together with increased attention and a bigger effort on research and analysis.This will inevitably lead to an increase of its scientific staff and greater connectivity with our partners in the various countries of SE Europe whom I sincerely wish to thank for their active support and involvement so far. As I also wish to take this opportunity to warmly thank all IENE staff and associates for their excellent work and true dedication. Without their valuable contribution IENE would not have managed to go through one more difficult but successful year, to further consolidate its position as a key stakeholder in the energy sector in SEE and also be in a position to look ahead with great confidence and optimism”.
