In the original 2010-2020 action plan, Slovenia committed to have 25% of the total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020.

While the goal is being successfully implemented in heating, the ministry says the country is lagging behind the projections in electricity consumption, mainly because of delays in investments in new production capacities.

The updated action plan contains updated projections until 2030, including projections of production and consumption of energy from renewable resources and the indicative national goal for renewables at the minimum of 27% by 2030.

The ministry set out two scenarios to attain the goal: one foreseeing greater exploitation of wind energy and the other increasing the share of solar energy. The ministry favours the latter as being the preferred choice from the economical as well as environmental aspect.

The favoured technology for the production of electricity from renewables is large hydro power stations so both scenarios foresee a maximum realistically possible utilisation of the water potential.

The goal by 2030 is to utilise 62% of the technical potential for the production of electricity in hydro power stations, up 13.6 percentage points from today's rate.

The projection does not take into consideration the use of the whole technical potential on the planned water installations but about 25% less, mostly due to environmental limitations.

Although the projections prioritize utilisation of water resources outside protected areas, it will be impossible to attain the set goals without using resources within the Natura 2000 conservation areas.

Unless acceptable solutions for large hydro power plants within Natura 2000 areas are found by 2030, Slovenia will not be able to meet its goal either by 2020 (it will meet 24.8% instead of 25%) or by 2030 (it will meet 25.8%).

Among the priority projects, the plan lists the completion of hydro power stations on the lower Sava, renovation of the hydro power plants on the Drava, construction of plants on the mid-Sava (Suhadol, Trbovlje and Renke).

As potential projects the plan also lists hydro power plants on the Sava in the area of Ljubljana and Litija and eight hydro power plants on the Mura.

The ministry notes the likelihood that the Mokrice plant on the Sava will not be completed by 2020, so the action plan would have to be amended to step up other measures now planned beyond 2020, primarily those relating to distance heating, industry and other cost-effective measures.

The updated action plan is accompanied by an environmental report. The ministry expects remarks and proposals from the public to both documents until 21 July.