The Slovak Challenge Fund (SCF), financed by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic and implemented by the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, had an impactful year in 2024. Within SCF were implemented three projects in Serbia, two in Moldova and two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with total funding USD 267,556.50. An additional USD 133,598 was mobilized through private sector co-financing. 

These innovative and sustainable solutions addressed global challenges such as pollution, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, energy efficiency, and cultural accessibility. The projects not only contributed to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also demonstrated the power of small-scale innovations to make a big impact.  

Driving Change Through Innovation 

The Slovak Challenge Fund’s initiatives exemplify how targeted financial support can drive transformative change. The seven SCF projects brought the following results: 

• Digitizing Museum Experiences in Sarajevo: Operation and information system of the Museum of Genocide in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina was enhanced through a new QR digital platform. Thanks to the deployment of a new multilingual system, the museum’s content is now manageable and accessible digitally to a wider audience.  

• Bee Breeding Box for Biodiversity Protection: The innovative hyperthermic solution for destroying the Varroa destructor parasite was successfully tested in an innovative beehive prototype placed in an apiary in Serbia.  

• A Renewable Energy Solution through Virtual Power Plants: An assessment was conducted on the potential for using virtual power plants (aggregating small green energy producers) in Serbia. Following legislative amendments, this technology will enable more efficient connections between producers and consumers in the market for support services, contributing to the stabilization of the electricity transmission system.  

• Tackling Drought with Portable Wastewater Treatment: Small mobile wastewater treatment plant was successfully tested. The use of microfilters enables the reuse of contaminated water with minimum energy consumption for agricultural irrigation. The measurable improvement achieved by the unit lies in its ability to combine high pollutant removal efficiency with cost-effectiveness and operational flexibility.  

• Microalgae for Heavy Metals Pollution: The possibility of using algae for decontamination of heavy metals soil was tested in Zenica region, Bosna and Hercegovina. Laboratory tests have demonstrated the ability of algae to bind heavy metals from the soil.   

• Integrated Solar Roofing System in Moldova: An innovative solar roofing system was installed and tested at the Goat Town tourist complex near Chisinau, Moldova. The system combines photovoltaic modules with solar roofing material, creating an energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing roof. The project demonstrates a low-carbon, cost-effective solution to reduce emissions, increase energy independence, and support sustainable tourism. 

• Digital Development of Organic Agrotourism: Digital platforms for sales and promotion were created to supported rural tourism and organic farming in Northern Moldova. Ten Moldovan farmers and tourism service providers were trained in digitization, while an interactive digital map and a regional cookbook of local specialties were developed to boost tourism and promote local products. 

Designed to transfer Slovak solutions to new markets or test them in diverse environments, SCF supports Slovak innovators to collaborate with local partners in the implementing countries. These projects serve as a testament to the potential of collaborative efforts in building a better, more resilient future. 

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The 2-in-1 photovoltaic Solar Roof in the Kozy Town was developed and implemented by the Slovak company Nice Visions within the Slovak Challenge Fund grant programme.

The custom-made photovoltaic roof was integrated into the original shingle roofing. It consists of 40 panels forming a highly aesthetic unit; therefore this system is more suitable for renovation than construction. Besides all the features required of a building roof, it brings to the area also aesthetic and environmental qualities.

Benefits

Integrating the PV elements into the roofing instead of using separate roof elements and an additional PV section leads to savings in construction and installation materials.

This type of photovoltaic roof (“roof and PV in one”) has the potential to save up to 30% of the cost of providing rooftop PV compared to the most common solutions. The return on investment is also attractive.

“We are glad that our roof is already supplying tens of kilowatts per day to the park in Pohrebea,” said Igor Žáček, founder of Nice Visions. “This project was very beneficial for our company as we gained new business experience, for example in exporting outside the EU. At the same time, Moldova is a country that does not have much experience in photovoltaics, so we provided various consultations beyond the original scope,” he added.

The installed peak power of 13.2 kWp will cover a substantial part of the energy consumption of the adventure park, as there are favourable sun glare values in the south-eastern Europe.

You can see a fully integrated roof in a video here.

Support from Slovak Challenge Fund

Nice Visions received financial support from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic and the United Nations Development Programme’s initiative Slovak Challenge Fund in the amount of 39,310 USD.

More about the project: link

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