EU pressures Slovakia to switch to renewable energy

Brussels is pressing Slovakia to use more wind power; however, there are still a number of hurdles hampering its development in the country. This was reported by the Hospodárske Noviny daily on Tuesday. According to the paper, in line with an EU directive, Slovakia should generate 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. Specifically, wind energy should make up at least 4 percent. However, barely 0.02 percent of all energy produced in Slovakia is currently generated this way. The only wind parks currently running in Slovakia are those in the village of Cerová and a location near Myjava. The paper reports that progress in developing this source of energy is being hampered by legislation, missing technologies and a low demand for it. The Economy Ministry, led by Peter Žiga, is coming up with an amendment to the law on power engineering that should change the situation.