A comprehensive study indicates that the Southeast European and Caucasus countries (SEECCA) require a staggering $150 billion investment to overhaul their power systems. This research paints a picture of the region’s dangerous over-reliance on natural gas and coal. Combined, these two sources account for roughly 60% of the region’s energy mix today. The results were shared at an in-person stakeholder workshop that took place in Minsk, Belarus on May 22, 2025.
The full report goes into more detail on each country’s energy transition and progress. Among them are Albania, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. While each country has its own specific challenges, they all desperately need to modernize their systems to be more energy efficient and sustainable.
In fact, the project’s resulting study pinpoints three priority action areas critical for accelerating these energy system transformations. Second is a digital technology retrofitting of energy efficiency that could finally scale it on a massive level. This strategy reflects an important element of retrofitting buildings and industries with IoT technology. Specifically, it seeks to reduce energy waste and improve performance.
Second, buried deep within the report’s “innovation” discussions, the report champions hybrid energy models that mix natural gas with hydrogen. This new approach doesn’t just bottom out natural gas as a transitional fuel — it sets the stage for the construction of hydrogen-ready infrastructure. Using AI-driven integrated cross-modal intelligent transportation systems can make this tailored hybrid model work smarter and more efficiently.
Finally, the report points out that smart grids and regional integration are key to decarbonization. Cross-border infrastructure projects like the Green Energy Corridor are key to creating an interconnected regional energy network. By encouraging cooperation between countries, these global efforts can help improve the availability of resources and advance energy security.