Energy Efficiency in HPP on the River Neretva

Abstract For generating electricity in hydropower plant is necessary to ensure power supply to all equipment that is the continues part of production process. This type of energy represents the power plant’s self-consumption in the primary process. The total self-consumption of hydropower plants is directly related to its type, size and location, and whether the hydropower plant is part of a cascade series or not. One of the long-term goals of JP EP BiH is to ensure high productivity and reduce the costs of production facilities, i.e. self-consumption. In 2020, JP EP BiH introduced an Energy Efficiency Policy, which committed to introducing high energy efficiency processes and the most modern technologies proven in practice, while intensifying the transition to more renewable energy technologies in generating mix, as well as increasing energy efficiency and energy savings in all existing activities and processes. As there is no single definition of energy efficiency, in generale it implies a reduction in energy consumption by influencing on the process, work methods and production techniques, in order to use less energy for the same amount of production. In practice, energy-efficient hydropower plants are those whose total self-consumption is less than 1.2% of the annual production. Therefore, it is necessary to precisely define the electricity consumers who have this treatment. In this paper, energy efficiency in HPP Jablanica, HPP Grabovica and HPP Salakovac has been observed from this aspect. With quality structural maintenance and progressive improvement of the energy efficiency of plants and equipment, there will be reduction of the total self-consumption. This directly increase the contribution of hydropower plants to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the generation mix of JP EP BiH.