January 13, 2026
by in News

Montenegro’s EPCG finishes study on gas power plants

A feasibility study for gas power plants in Montenegro has shown that using natural gas for electricity generation is a feasible option.

State-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) officially received a feasibility study for gas power plants in Montenegro. The document covered the possibility of building facilities with capacities of 50 MW to 400 MW at several locations – Bar, Podgorica, Pljevlja, and Nikšić, the company told Vijesti.

In December 2021, EPCG launched the process for the selection of a consultant that would outline technical solutions and develop a preliminary feasibility study. The contract was awarded in July 2022 to SS&A Power Consultancy from Switzerland.

Three options for gas power plants

In the tender documentation, the company has revealed its plans to build three gas power plants.

One would be a hybrid power plant with a capacity of at least 50 MW near the city of Bar, including a gas turbine and with a possibility to use renewable sources. Another possible project would be for a combined gas power plant of at least 150 MW within the now defunct KAP aluminium smelter in Podgorica, also with a potential to utilize renewables. The third gas power plant, with a capacity of up to 200 MW, was envisaged to be installed in the town of Pljevlja.

All the considered options are technically feasible and economically viable, according to the study.

Depending on the capacity of the plant and the source of the gas supply, investments are estimated in the range of EUR 233 to EUR 362 million. This assessment is for a minimum plant capacity of 150 MW and a maximum of 400 MW.

Four potential locations

The study includes a preliminary analysis of gas plants with capacities of 50 MWe, 75 MWe, 150 MWe, 200 MWe and 400 MWe at the four locations. Its authors proposed technical solutions based on the most advanced gas turbines.

They examined various options for securing natural gas: from potential offshore gas fields in Montenegro and importing gas through Serbia to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Port of Bar and a connection to the Adriatic-Ionian gas pipeline. EPCG explained that the further development of the project primarily depends on ensuring a stable source of gas.

However, the decisions will also be made in cooperation with the government and the Ministry of Energy and Mining in the context of the broader national energy strategy and the recently signed memorandum of cooperation with the Japanese company JERA.

Natural gas as an option to replace coal

A memorandum of understanding was signed last year for the development of projects for an LNG terminal and gas power plant as well as for studies for these projects.

The idea about a gas power plant and LNG terminal emerged in 2021 as a replacement for the Pljevlja coal-fired power plant.

In December of 2021, EPCG signed an MoU with the LNG Alliance, and the Port of Bar took a similar step six months later. In July 2023, the Government of Montenegro signed a MoU with companies Enerflex Energy Systems and Wethington Energy Innovation from the United States.

Post Views:47
January 13, 2026
by in News

Why CEE is one of most attractive regions for investment in new energy projects

Munir Hassan and Thomas Hamerl, partners in CMS’s world-leading energy practice, discussed the most significant developments in the renewable energy market for 2026.

There is great potential for early movers in the segments of battery storage and ancillary services, according to Munir Hassan, global head of the energy and climate change at CMS (London), and Thomas Hamerl, regional head of energy and climate change at CMS Vienna.

Interconnection and interoperability with the EU’s electricity market will enhance the region’s value for established producers and increase its attractiveness for new investors, they told Balkan Green Energy News.

Beyond grid availability and tariffs, potential investors in renewables and storage focus on the target country’s policy direction and the scalability of projects, Hassan and Hamerl explained.

Investors need advisors who are familiar with international contracts and can navigate local energy markets

Potential investors in renewables and storage do not just look for efficient support with time-sensitive grid availability and network tariffs. They appreciate legal advisors who are familiar with international contracts and can also navigate local energy markets. The current policy direction of the target country and the scalability of projects are more interesting than ever, Hassan and Hamerl asserted.

CMS’s regional footprint and its global network enable it to share expertise across jurisdictions, and its local teams contribute to regulatory initiatives. With over 70 offices worldwide, including 17 offices in CEE region, CMS supports renewable energy developers and investors. The global law firm follows policy developments that are shifting from saturated markets to the CEE region, with the aim of applying best practices and overcoming challenges and bottlenecks beforehand.

Speaking to Balkan Green Energy News, Hassan and Hamerl said companies should ride the investment wave and use opportunities as legal frameworks in Southeast Europe and the wider CEE region are advancing rapidly and opening new market segments.

At CMS’s traditional annual CEE Energy Conference (CEE Energy Conference 2025), held in London in October 2025, most investors were seriously considering to add energy storage to power plants and PPAs for industrial customers.

Data center projects are adding to demand growth in green electricity

Hassan pointed to digital infrastructure as the main driver of demand, even more in SEE than the rest of the CEE region, alongside the decommissioning of coal and gas-fired power plants.

Things are starting to move with data center projects in Slovenia, Croatia and Austria, for example, Hamerl stressed.

“Usually, data center developers are international and well-experienced, bringing technical and commercial know-how. These need not be only global hyperscalers such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft. Smaller data centre operators and telecom companies are strengthening their presence in CEE. They may all seek out the expertise and networks of local infrastructure developers,” he added.

CMS is involved in major projects throughout Southeast Europe

The changes are spurring the need for more resilience in the energy sphere and national sources. It is one of the factors behind the nuclear energy program in Poland, for shielding against geopolitical shocks, according to Hassan.

There are also nuclear power projects in Romania, including an advanced one for a small modular reactor (SMR) system, and Bulgaria, and CMS is involved in all of them. It has also contributed to deals for the giant Vifor wind power endeavor in Romania. Slovenia and Serbia are next.

Financing through debt could contribute to nuclear energy and interconnector projects

Hassan said there is a notable appetite for debt financing in CEE and suggested that the model could contribute to nuclear projects including the ones for SMRs.

“Another relevant development that we see is the development of electricity networks and even interconnectors. There’s a lot of private capital that’s looking to build electricity grids in Southeast Europe and Central and Eastern Europe. But the regimes there are designed for the existing system operators to develop these projects. The difficulty, like here in the UK and other parts of the world, is that they are unable to deliver the infrastructure quickly because they don’t have the resources and financial capability,” he asserted.

Western Europe is comfortable with the idea that private companies can own and run such assets, Hassan underscored and added that transmission upgrades in general could be financed the same way. But TSOs would typically take ownership of transmission system infrastructure including interconnectors.

EU funds would have better effect as loan guarantees

Among the investment appeal factors in CEE, Hassan highlighted the grants via the European Union’s Modernization Fund and Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

“Those sorts of funds are very, very important. I think the governments need to find smart ways of effectively using that money to help create conditions in which you can get private international investment into the region, rather than simply as grant funding. If you give it as a way of, let’s say, underwriting debt, in case there’s a risk issue, that’s a better way, that kind of multiplier effect,” he stressed.

Knowhow for navigating legal frameworks in emerging market segments in CEE

The United Kingdom and other parts of Western Europe are experiencing growth of the markets for new system support services. Southeast Europe and Central and Eastern Europe may follow soon. For instance, Austria is about to introduce a capacity market. Serbia is rolling out an ancillary services market in January 2026, enabling a potential revenue stream for standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS).

“It’s not a mature market yet, but market entrants with the required experience and knowhow, will find a lot of possibilities in the region. If you want to be a first mover or an early mover, you must go there now,” said Hamerl. He added it is an opportunity for battery storage, to support the grid through the flexibility market or frequency restoration and new kinds of services, instead of just arbitrage.

It is much more expensive to expand the power grid than to use energy storage capacity available in the market

Regulatory frameworks are either in place or will very soon be in place, Hamerl noted.

“Batteries play an important role in supporting the grids and saving money because building new grids is always much more expensive than storage capacity in the market. I still see a long way to go for alternatives to batteries,” he said.

The fact is that it takes several years to build a pumped storage hydropower plant, while hydrogen and ammonia production and distribution infrastructure are not sufficiently developed yet.

Photovoltaics, BESS in sharply upward trajectory

Locations for photovoltaics in Southeast Europe are much better than in most parts of Europe, Hamerl underscored, adding that the coastal areas are particularly favorable for wind power.

For instance, experts predict the total operational solar and wind capacity in Montenegro to reach 400 MW by the end of this year. For Croatia, RES generation capacity is expected to increase from 4.7 GW in 2025 to almost 12 GW by 2040.

In Bulgaria, PV capacity jumped fivefold since 2019, to 5 GW, the law firm pointed out and emphasized the surge in both co-located and standalone BESS as well. Forecasts see the segment, currently at 600 MW, to hit 5 GW by the middle of 2026.

CMS Sofia has advised on more than 50% of all installed renewable energy capacities in Bulgaria. One of the clients, Renalfa IPP, has an investment program worth EUR 1.2 billion, involving 1.6 GW in electricity generation assets and 3.3 GWh of battery storage in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and North Macedonia.

CMS helping optimize regulations to suit governments as well as investors

There are obviously differences in every country of Central and Eastern Europe, but there are similarities drawing investors into the region, according to Hassan.

“They want to see the revenue risk is dealt with, the technical risks are dealt with, the political risk is kind of dealt with, et cetera. So our job as lawyers is to help people understand the frameworks, but also our local teams are helping to design some of these frameworks. To that extent, we can try and design them upfront in a way that achieves not only what the countries want, the governments want, but also what the international investors will be looking for,” he asserted.

The most important factors for investors are a clear direction of law making and scalability

In his view, the most important factors are a clear direction of lawmaking and regulation – strong policy backing, and scalability, in the sense that a company can do many more projects on the back of the first one.

Hamerl said that the waiting time for grid connection remains one of the most important elements, together with network charges. Investors seek stable grid fees or at least clarity about the pace and way of growth, he stressed.

“They are always asking us about the stability of the grid and the grid usage charges. However, in some markets there is a diversity of federal, provincial, and  local laws requiring different permits. Investors ask themselves in which province it is possible to obtain permits in time. Zoning and spatial planning is crucial too. For most of our clients, it’s nice to get subsidies, but those other issues are more important,” Hamerl asserted.

January 13, 2026
by in News

Belgium’s former Ministry of Energy Tinne Van der Straeten to become CEO of WindEurope next month

WindEurope’s new Chief Executive Officer Tinne Van der Straeten, member of the Chamber of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Belgium and the country’s former minister of energy, will assume office on February 2. She is replacing Giles Dickson. The EU added 13 GW of wind capacity in 2025, less than half of what it requires.

WindEurope appointed Tinne Van der Straeten as its new CEO, effective on February 2. The organization pointed out that Belgium’s former minister of energy, from 2020 to 2025, is taking the helm at a critical time for Europe’s energy security, industrial competitiveness and climate commitments.

Tinne Van der Straeten oversaw Belgium’s wind energy expansion, including a broad consensus on Belgium’s response to the energy crisis in 2022, the announcement adds. She chaired the North Seas Energy Cooperation in 2020 and at the start of 2025 and the European Energy Council in 2024, and vice-chaired the ministerial meeting of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2022.

Most recently, the former minister served as a member of the Chamber of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Belgium. She is a member of the Flemish Green Party – Groen.

Wind energy is central to Europe’s energy independence

Van der Straeten said she would take on her new responsibility with determination at a defining moment for Europe.

“Wind energy is central to Europe’s energy independence, industrial competitiveness and climate ambitions. Wind is a home-grown and scalable technology. It delivers affordable power, strengthens energy independence and sustains a competitive industrial base with high-quality jobs across Europe,” the incoming chief said.

Former CEO Giles Dickson served ten years

WindEurope’s Chairman Henrik Andersen praised Tinne Van der Straeten for passionately ensuring wind was kept high on the political agenda in her home country of Belgium and across the European Union.

“She has collaborated across industry and government to shape energy policy and build positive long-term investment frameworks that enable sustainable wind deployment. I look forward to working with Tinne as she leads WindEurope forward and supports Europe’s journey to a more competitive, homegrown energy system together with its members,” he stated.

The WindEurope Board thanked former CEO Giles Dickson for his 10 years of leadership and contribution to Europe’s wind industry.

Affordability, competitiveness, security

Van der Straeten will focus on ensuring Europe gets the most from wind to deliver affordability, industrial competitiveness and energy security, the organization said.

Faced with mounting geopolitical challenges, the continent must shake its dependence on imported fossil fuels, WindEurope stressed.

“Wind is uniquely placed to deliver that. A renewables-based energy system, with wind at its core, will save Europe up to EUR 1.6 trillion, even when counting the grid and backup costs. To reap these benefits, Europe must deliver on the Clean Industrial Deal, accelerate the buildout of homegrown and competitive renewables and ramp up the electrification of its economy,” the update reads.

Today wind energy generates 20% of all electricity consumed in Europe. With the right policies, the level will rise to 34% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050, WindEurope estimated.

The EU installed 13 GW of new capacity in 2025. It is less than half of what Europe needs to deliver its 2030 energy security and climate targets.

“The wind sector is at a turning point. The industry is ready to accelerate and to provide more than 600,000 jobs by 2030. But it is held back by permitting issues and infrastructure delays,” said Tinne Van der Straeten.

Post Views:73
January 13, 2026
by in News

Greece installs 2.5 GW of solar in 2025 as utility segment dominates

Greece is expected to reach its 2030 goal early in solar installations, according to SolarPower Europe’s latest data.

The association expects Greece to achieve the goal of 13.5 GW this year. By the end of the decade, there will be 21.5 GW in installed solar capacity, based on the most probable scenario, up from 12.22 GW, estimated for 2025.

Greece added 2.5 GW, slightly lower than the record 2.6 GW increase of 2024, the update showed. It places the country at the number seven spot, behind Germany (17.6 GW), Spain (9.2 GW), France (6.7 GW), Italy (5.2 GW), Poland (3.7 GW) and Romania (2.5 GW).

Greece was the fourth-best country in Europe in terms of solar installations per capita, with 1,223 W, trailing the Netherlands (1,582 W), Germany (1,405 W) and Estonia (1,335 W), according to the estimate.

Net billing and delays stymied the rooftops segment expansion

A significant drop took place in the Greek rooftops and commercial and industrial (C&I) segments, as a result of the switch from net metering to net billing, as well as administrative delays. Utility-scale activity offset part of this decline, resulting in only a slight contraction for the year, SolarPower Europe said in its annual outlook. In total, 72% of new capacities were of utility size, with the rest being in all other categories.

Self-consumption systems have surpassed 1 GW in total capacity. While community solar projects account for nearly 20% of total installed photovoltaic capacity, most are not used for self-consumption, and their significance in terms of new installations is declining.

Future growth depends on storage and power demand

Looking ahead, SolarPower Europe considered Greece to be on a strong growth path, with utility-scale projects driving most new additions and a large storage programme expected to ease integration challenges later in the decade.

Residential and C&I segments continue to struggle with policy delays and the shift to net billing, while rising curtailment and low-price hours weigh on investor confidence, the association noted. About 8% of potential renewable energy generation is curtailed, and this rises to over 11% for PV output. The number of hours with zero or negative prices in the day-ahead electricity market almost doubled in 2025. Still, the number of hours impacting power plant revenue remains lower than in many other European countries.

While the overall market is expected to grow in the short term, further expansion is dependent on electricity demand growth, as well on the pace of deploying storage, grid upgrades and self-consumption rules.

Post Views:56
January 13, 2026
by in News

Albania gives green light to CWP Europe for 600 MW wind park

Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku promoted CWP Europe’s wind power project Tropoja of 600 MW. After receiving the ministry’s preliminary approval at the event, the company’s CEO Dimitar Enchev highlighted the importance of local electricity production for a modern economy, including AI and data centers, and for energy independence. Albania still doesn’t host a single operational wind turbine.

CWP Europe will hopefully connect its future wind park Tropoja to the grid within 12 months, excluding the period of harsh winter, according to Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama. Speaking at the project’s presentation, he said the investment is a step toward the country’s ambition of becoming self-reliant in energy production.

“For a long time, we had complete dependence on water and rainfall. At the same time, we inherited a system with so many weaknesses that, when rainfall was lacking, we had to go to international markets and purchase large quantities at inflated prices. Meanwhile, when rainfall came in abundance, we often saw much of this potential value, water, go to waste and not only fail to be converted into energy, but at times also cause extraordinary damage,” Rama stated.

Namely, hydropower plants accounted for almost 100% of domestic electricity production until recently. By the end of the decade, the combined share of wind and solar power will reach 30%, Rama underscored.

Preparing final stages of Tropoja wind power project

CWP Global’s Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer for Europe Dimitar Enchev received a preliminary approval from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy at the event. He highlighted the importance of local electricity production for a modern economy and energy independence, especially with the expansion of artificial intelligence and data centers.

“The last time I was here was about three months ago, when we decided and signed a joint cooperation agreement with the EU, and now, after three months, we receive the permission that allows us to engage in preparing the final stages of our project,” he stated, as quoted by CNA.

CWP Europe has more than 7 GW under development in Southeast Europe

CWP Europe has 900 MW in wind power projects under development in Albania, part of a portfolio of more than 6 GW across Southeast Europe plus more than 1 GW in photovoltaics.

The Tropoja area is in the country’s far north. Albania still doesn’t host a single operational wind turbine.

Support from European Commission

CWP Europe signed a joint declaration in October with the European Commission, the Albanian Investment Development Agency and the Montenegrin Investment Agency, in support of the Tropoja project and the Montechevo solar farm with battery storage in Montenegro, respectively.

In September, the company’s subsidiary Eralb Invest submitted its wind power project to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, for 603.9 MW. It is not subject to concession and doesn’t benefit from state support measures.

In 2023, the firm sent a proposal to the Strategic Investment Committee (SIC or KIS) in which the project was for a wind and solar park of 826 MW in total capacity. It is an interministerial panel chaired by Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The entire designated area in Tropoja municipality reportedly spanned 385 hectares, encompassing the territories of the villages Viçidol, Berisha, Luzha and Pac, and the investment was valued at EUR 1.2 billion.

In October 2023, CWP and GE Vernova’s Onshore Wind business agreed to develop a large-scale hybrid wind and solar project in Albania. They estimated the investment at more than EUR 1 billion.

Fântânele-Cogealac-Gradina, the biggest onshore wind park in Southeastern Europe and, until recently, in entire Europe, has 600 MW in capacity. It is located in Romania. CWP developed the project and sold it in 2008.

Balluku: Diversification is strategic necessity

Albania is moving to a modern, balanced energy model, where diversification of sources is no longer a solution, but a strategic necessity, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku.

“The Tropoja wind farm is not just an energy investment. It is a symbol of the transformation that Albania is experiencing, a transformation towards a sustainable, stronger and more innovation-friendly economy. This project proves that the Albanian energy sector is entering a new phase, where private investment and foreign direct investment are becoming engines of growth, thanks to serious partnerships and long-term visions,” she stated.

Wind and solar power projects totaling 1.5 GW are under development in Albania

In recent years, Albania added over 700 MW of photovoltaic capacity, and another 400 MW for self-supply, Balluku revealed. Wind and solar power projects totaling 1.5 GW are under development, she added. Future pumped storage hydropower capacity in the Drin (Drim) cascade and Statkraft’s project in Moglica amount to 1.6 GW, Balluku stressed.

Since 2013, losses in the power distribution network have dropped to 16.9% from more than 45%, while total electricity capacity increased by 1.5 GW, the deputy prime minister added. She said outages have been reduced to an all-time low and that they usually only last a few minutes.

The Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime suspended Balluku in late November amid an investigation, but the Constitutional Court soon reinstated her.

Post Views:40
January 12, 2026
by in News

Spajić: Japanese company Itochu eyes Montenegro’s waste-to-energy project

Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajić said an incinerator of up to 50 MW is about to be built, resolving the municipal waste management issue. He added that Itochu from Japan is interested in the investment.

Following a public call for a feasibility study for a waste-to-energy facility in Podgorica, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said Montenegro would soon build the first incineration plant. It will enable up to 50 MW of renewable energy from waste, sorting out the matter of municipal waste management in accordance with the European Union’s directives and in an environmentally friendly way, in his words.

The public-private partnership will facilitate the construction of an incinerator for the capital city, but it would also be an option for other municipalities, according to Spajić. The prime minister revealed that Japan-based engineering giant Itochu is among the companies interested in the project.

Deponija, the utility in charge of waste management in Podgorica, launched the public call in September. The contract was awarded last month to a consortium of local firms Vatreks Rescue CG and Medix, and Slovenia-based GP sistemi.

A consortium has won the contract for the feasibility study for the incineration facility in Podgorica

They are due to deliver the documentation within two months. The job is worth EUR 435,600 including value-added tax.

There was no indication in the project task about the preferred technology for the incinerator. Such facilities are usually cogeneration plants, combined heat and power (CHP).

In the Western Balkans, there is only one municipal waste incinerator that recovers energy. It is located in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. Utilizing waste to generate energy is a component of the waste management hierarchy. Incinerators are present all over Europe.

Podgorica’s waste utility Deponija runs the city’s landfill. It already captures biogas, but it flares it without utilizing the energy.

Executive director Aleksandar Božović said the firm would soon obtain the licenses and documentation to build a biogas power plant. The study has been completed, and Deponija is working to secure a grant from an international financial institution, he asserted.

Post Views:71
January 12, 2026
by in News

ContourGlobal installs 500 MWh standalone BESS facility in Bulgaria

A standalone battery energy storage system of 202 MW and 500 MWh is fully operational and actively participating in Bulgaria’s day-ahead and intraday electricity markets. ContourGlobal built it at its Maritsa East 3 coal plant, using the grid connection of one of its former units. Acting Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov, who attended the inauguration, said the country added 5 GWh last year and estimated that the overall BESS capacity would hit 15 GWh by mid-2026.

One of the biggest standalone battery storage installations in Eastern Europe and among the first in Bulgaria recently came online. Located within the ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 (Maritsa iztok 3) coal power plant, the facility uses the grid connection of a former unit. Two remained in operation, supplying electricity during periods of peak demand.

The BESS has 202 MW in operating power and a duration of 2.5 hours, translating to 500 MWh, the company said. It inaugurated the battery system in the presence of Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov.

Stankov: New BESS creates sustainable pathway for evolution of Maritsa East

The new facility is actively participating in both the day-ahead and intraday national electricity markets, supporting optimized power dispatch, improved balancing of electricity supply and demand, and the integration of renewable energy sources, while enhancing overall system stability and flexibility, the update adds.

Such projects signify how innovation and existing industrial infrastructure can work together to strengthen grid stability, improve flexibility, and accelerate the integration of renewable energy sources, Stankov stressed. The investment enhances energy security, supports market-based operation, and creates a sustainable pathway for the evolution of traditional energy hubs such as Maritsa East, in his words.

According to the acting minister, Bulgaria added 5 GWh of BESS capacity last year, nearly matching the Chaira pumped storage hydropower plant. He recalled that the overall level is set to reach 15 GWh by mid-2026.

Project materialized in under nine months

The project in Maritsa East 3 received support through the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and the Bulgarian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Spanning 2.5 hectares, the installation is part of the company’s 3 GWh operational BESS portfolio. ContourGlobal is owned by KKR.

BYD supplied the 110 battery skids for the battery system, which also includes 28 power conversion system (PCS) and transformer units. ContourGlobal progressed from the final investment decision (FID) to commercial operation date (COD) in less than nine months.

The company is developing a second BESS on the same site, with a matching capability. It has a battery project in combination with a solar power plant as well.

Battery energy systems allow for the storage of electricity generated from various sources, including photovoltaic and wind power plants, during periods of low demand and its release back to the grid during peak demand, which helps balance production and consumption and the stable operation of the electricity transmission system.

Three months ago, International Power Supply (IPS) opened its Factory X1, with a capacity of 3 GWh per year. It is the first gigafactory in Bulgaria for battery energy storage systems. The same company is building another manufacturing facility.

Post Views:53
January 12, 2026
by in News

Semi-transparent solar systems not cost-efficient if transparency is above 50%

Semi-transparent solar systems are often presented as innovative and aesthetically appealing solutions. However, scientists from Spain warn that they are economically viable only up to a certain level of transparency. Levels above 50% have significantly lower system efficiency per unit area, resulting in higher electricity generation costs.

Researchers from the University of Jaén in Spain conducted a technical and economic analysis to assess the cost competitiveness of semi-transparent photovoltaic technologies (STPV). The study titled ‘Assessment of cost-competitiveness of semi-transparent photovoltaic systems’ and published in the journal Renewable Energy, shows that the costs are closely linked to the level of transparency.

“The paper introduces a cost framework that explicitly links transparency to module cost, structural cost, and system capex, using reference values from real utility-scale PV projects in Spain rather than idealized assumptions. The results explain why many STPV concepts look attractive on paper but struggle commercially, and where targeted policy instruments can realistically help without creating false expectations,” said the study’s lead author João Gabriel Bessa, in a statement to pv magazine.

The researchers analyzed a 1 MW semi-transparent ground-mounted solar system in Spain. The analysis examined total system costs, changes in module efficiency at different transparency levels, as well as the impact of increasing required surface area on the cost per watt and the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).

Semi-transparent photovoltaic systems are commercially viable only with transparency of up to around 50%

LCOE represents the average cost of producing one unit of electricity over the entire lifetime of a power plant. It accounts for all project costs, from construction and financing to operation and maintenance, relative to total electricity generation, and is used as a key indicator for comparing the cost-effectiveness of different power generation technologies.

The researchers found that STPV remains commercially viable only up to transparency levels of about 50%. As transparency increases, the active solar cell area decreases, leading to lower electricity generation without a proportional reduction in the costs of non-cell materials.

The study’s authors also point out that balance-of-system (BOS) costs—which include all equipment, works, and infrastructure required for a photovoltaic plant to operate, excluding the solar modules themselves—increase with higher transparency levels. This is because the costs of mounting structures and direct current (DC) cabling scale with the physical area of the photovoltaic generators. By contrast, the costs of inverters, alternating current (AC) cabling, transformers, and other electrical equipment are largely independent of transparency levels.

Higher transparency, higher costs

To determine which financial and technical parameters have the greatest impact on LCOE, the researchers also conducted a sensitivity analysis.

Both analyses confirmed that total system costs rise as transparency increases. According to the study, a fully opaque system with zero transparency would have an installation cost of EUR 0.628 per W. As transparency increases, however, module efficiency declines, requiring a much larger area covered by photovoltaic modules to reach the same installed capacity.

At 50% transparency, module efficiency drops to around 10%, doubling the required surface area and increasing total system costs to EUR 0.904 per W. When transparency reaches 90%, efficiency falls to just 2%, requiring a fivefold increase in surface area and raising system costs to EUR 3.110 per W.

Bessa notes that with transparency above a band of 45% to 50%, LCOE rises sharply and exceeds typical market electricity prices, even in regions with high levels of solar irradiation, such as southern Spain.

“As transparency increases, power density declines faster than module costs, because non-cell components such as glass, encapsulation, framing, and logistics dominate the cost structure. This leads to a strong increase in EUR/W module costs, even when less silicon is used,” Bessa said.

The sensitivity analysis also showed that annual specific yield, expressed in kilowatt-hours per kilowatt of installed capacity, is the single most influential parameter affecting LCOE, outweighing even capital expenditure and financing conditions.

Post Views:57
January 12, 2026
by in News

Serbia developing legal framework for CO2 storage

The draft law on hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation will include permanent disposal of carbon dioxide in geological formations of depleted deposits, the Ministry of Mining and Energy of Serbia said.

Serbia has begun work on a draft bill on hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation and the basic principles for the law. The Ministry of Mining and Energy invited interested individuals, expert institutions, representatives of companies and scientific and academic bodies as well as civil society organizations to submit proposals and suggestions via the email address [email protected].

The deadline is January 18. Under development is one of the key regulatory frameworks for mining, given that it entails exploration, exploitation, preparation and transport of hydrocarbons within the process of exploration and exploitation ‒ in particular, oil, natural gas, condensates and other hydrocarbon resources.

In Serbia, the sector is regulated by the Law on Mining and Geological Explorations. It treats hydrocarbons as mineral raw materials for energy. The aim of the forthcoming law is to establish a unique legal and institutional framework for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation as well as for the exploration of geological structures suitable for underground storage of natural gas and permanent disposal of CO2 in geological formations of depleted deposits in exploitation zones, in line with the highest security and environmental standards.

The forthcoming law needs to facilitate incentives for exploration and the use of geological structures for storing gas and carbon dioxide

The ministry explained that the regulatory framework needs improvement as regards the process of approving exploration and exploitation rights, including alignment with European regulations. It especially concerns directive 94/22/EC on the conditions for granting and using authorizations for the prospection, exploration and production of hydrocarbons, directive 2009/31/EC on the geological storage of carbon dioxide and directive 2013/30/EU on safety of offshore oil and gas operations.

Among the specific goals is the introduction of environmental standards and environmental protection measures in all phases of the process. In the law, the ministry also intends to define investors’ obligations when it comes to remediation, rehabilitation and monitoring. As for gas and CO2 storage, the new framework needs to facilitate incentives for exploration and the use of geological structures for the purpose, within the strategy to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Post Views:62
January 12, 2026
by in News

Slovenia to aid energy-intensive companies with EUR 30 million per year

The Government of Slovenia has adopted a bill on state aid for energy-intensive companies.

Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy Bojan Kumer said following a government session that the bill on state aid for energy-intensive companies addresses the serious challenges facing this segment of the Slovenian economy.

He added that these companies generate high added value, account for a significant share of Slovenia’s exports, and provide thousands of quality jobs, often in regions which offer no alternative employment opportunities.

According to an analysis from last May, electricity tariffs for Slovenian businesses were among the highest in the European Union.

The law aims to ensure competitiveness for companies exposed to international competition, for which electricity costs are a key factor in business operations.

Around 40 companies should benefit from the state aid

In difficult global economic conditions, support for energy-intensive companies is essential to help them remain competitive in international markets, the minister emphasized.

The subsidies will be limited to electricity consumption over the next three years, including 2026. The ministry expects them to be available to approximately 40 companies in the chemical, steel, and paper industries.

The law defines clear criteria for receiving aid, limits on the amount of support, control mechanisms, and sanctions in case of violations, with the beneficiaries required to allocate at least half of the received aid to sustainable investments, according to the ministry.

The annual electricity consumption threshold is 15 GWh

Funding for the subsidies will come from sources outside the state budget, through companies wholly owned by the government that operate the country’s key electricity generation capacities. The estimated amount of aid is approximately EUR 30 million a year.

The government will send the bill to parliament for consideration under a fast-track procedure, as its implementation will require timely approval from the European Commission.

To qualify for the subsidies, companies will have to meet criteria including annual electricity consumption of more than 15 GWh and a share of electricity costs in the company’s added value of at least 5%, Naš stik reported.

They will also be required to have an established energy management system and to invest at least half of the savings from lower electricity prices in decarbonizing production or improving energy efficiency.

Post Views:42