RMU Banovići in Bosnia and Herzegovina is preparing a 15 MW solar power plant on land previously used for mining waste, representing the coal producer’s first substantial move into renewable electricity generation. The project is estimated at around €17.4 million. The planned facility is designed primarily to reduce the company’s own electricity costs rather than operate solely as a merchant power plant.
The solar installation could cover roughly half of RMU Banovići’s electricity demand. This would lower exposure to electricity purchases on the market while adding renewable generation to the company’s energy mix.
Financing and support for coal-dependent areas
The investment is expected to be part of a wider €40 million programme supported by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The programme aims to assist coal-dependent areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina as they adjust to changes in the energy sector.
With the support framework in place, the solar project is positioned within broader efforts connected to transition planning for coal regions. The information provided links the solar development to that wider funding envelope rather than detailing separate financing terms for the plant itself.
Reuse of mining-affected land for power generation
The project location adds a rehabilitation dimension by reusing an area already affected by years of mining operations. Instead of requiring undeveloped land, the solar plant would be built on land associated with prior mining waste disposal. This approach supports repurposing industrial land for power generation and creates a new productive use for a former waste site.
RMU Banovići is not abandoning brown-coal production, but the solar project introduces a second energy business line. It also provides a degree of protection against future electricity-price volatility.
Transition model for Southeast European coal-linked firms
For coal-based companies across Southeast Europe, self-consumption solar projects may become increasingly relevant as transition models. Existing industrial land, grid infrastructure and large internal power demand can make on-site solar developments easier to justify than entirely new standalone projects.
The case described for RMU Banovići reflects that pattern through its use of mining-affected land and its focus on covering part of internal electricity demand rather than relying solely on merchant sales.
