April 22, 2025
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All applicants qualify for first wind power auction in Kosovo*

Three potential bidders met the legal, technical and financial criteria for the upcoming wind energy auction in Kosovo*, for a quota of 100 MW.

Ahead of its request for proposals in the competitive bidding process for wind power projects, the Ministry of Economy of Kosovo* confirmed that all applicants passed the qualifications stage. The quota is 50 MW to 100 MW and the plan is to support 150 MW in total in two rounds. Participants will bid for 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) and contracts for difference (CfDs).

The next phase will “start soon,” Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli said. It was due in March. International Finance Corp. – IFC, which is part of World Bank Group, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have provided support for organizing the first wind power auction in Kosovo*.

According to the schedule, the call for the remaining capacity will be issued the second half of the year.

Six-month deadline for financial proposals

One applicant is a consortium of Notus Energy, based in Germany, and Stublla Energy from Kosovo*.

The ministry also received documentation from Akuo Energy from France and a consortium led by Güri̇ş, headquartered in Turkey. Both participated in the first solar power auction as well, held last year. The companies submitted documentation on February 20.

All met the legal, technical and financial criteria for the upcoming bidding, the ministry said. It revealed that the request for proposals would last half a year and vowed to conduct it in line with the highest transparency standards.

Potential investors can attend a planned presentation and submit questions regarding necessary documentation

In the meantime, the ministry and IFC are planning to hold a presentation for the qualified investors. After that, they can send questions.

The auction commission is responsible for assessing the fulfillment of the legal, technical, environmental and social criteria, before opening the financial proposals. The winner, among the companies and consortia that qualified, is the one offering the lowest price per megawatt-hour. The upper limit is EUR 80.2 per MWh.

Wind projects would be run by special purpose vehicles (SPVs), firms where the government would have a share of up to 49%. The Ministry of Economy intends to use the funds from the International Monetary Fund’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in the development of the 150 MW.

Power consumption far exceeded domestic supply last week

Among other developments in Kosovo*, which has the world’s highest share of coal in electricity production, consumers have received another warning.

Distribution system operator KESCO said last week, ahead of the Easter holiday, that domestic production capacity amounted to 315 MW from coal and 130 MW from renewable sources. Consumption was 43% higher than in the equivalent period of last year, surpassing 700 MW. Devices with high consumption should be used only when necessary, especially during peak hours, the company pointed out.

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* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
April 18, 2025
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Nofar Energy inks deal for 265 MW solar power plant near Bucharest

The operator of the biggest solar power plant in Romania is about to start building a much bigger facility. Nofar Energy signed a turnkey contract including operation and management for a 265 MW system in Corbii Mari in Dâmboviţa County.

Just west of Bucharest, one of the largest photovoltaic projects in Romania is nearing materialization. A consortium of COX Energy from Spain and domestic firm AJ Construction, part of AJ Brand, is the designated contractor and operator for a proposed 265 MW solar power plant in Corbii Mari. A multijurisdictional team of Clifford Chance lawyers, coordinated by its Bucharest office, advised Nofar Energy, the developer, and revealed the news.

The small commune is in Dâmboviţa county. The Israeli company acquired the project in late 2023.

The Clifford Chance Badea law office said the Corbii Mari endeavor is the fourth engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operation and maintenance (O&M) contract in which it assists Nofar Energy. The overall collaboration concerns renewable energy projects in Romania for over 650 MW, it added.

Nofar recently said is meeting the timelines for its key projects in the country including Ghimpați (146 MW) and Iepurești (169 MW) and Slobozia, of 74 MW. The last of the three won government support through a contract for difference (CfD) at the country’s first auction. The Israeli company added that it has a project portfolio of 970 MW and 120 MWh. The latter item apparently concerns battery storage.

In addition, Nofar Energy said last month that it connected to the electricity grid its solar park in Ada, the largest such system in neighboring Serbia.

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April 6, 2025
by in News

Kosovo* adopts Law on the Promotion of the Use of Renewable Energy Sources

Only after the first auction was held, lawmakers in Prishtina enabled subsidizing renewable electricity plants through contracts for difference (CfDs). Passing the Law on the Promotion of the Use of Renewable Energy Sources, they also cleared the way for the introduction of guarantees of origin, a renewable energy operator and support fund, energy communities and energy storage in Kosovo*. The legislation includes provisions on self-consumption.

Kosovo’s parliament adopted the Law on the Promotion of the Use of Renewable Energy Sources. It won praise from the Energy Community Secretariat for aligning the legal framework with the Renewable Energy Directive. The international organization based in Vienna also commended the move toward sustainable energy development.

“This law will bring benefits to the private sector, through new concepts of consumer involvement in the energy sector and through the definition of procedures that must be done competitively. In this way, all enterprises are treated equally, benefiting from their competition which leads to lower prices and affordable costs for citizens,” the Ministry of Energy said.

Provisions for green heating, cooling, transportation

Among the objectives are increasing the security of supply and protecting the environment. The Law on the Promotion of the Use of Renewable Energy Sources includes provisions on the combined generation of heat and power (CHP or cogeneration).

The legislation covers the electricity sector, heating and cooling and transportation. The law cleared the way for incentivizing consumers to produce, store and sell the surplus of renewable electricity.

A system for guarantees of origin of electricity is envisaged to be rolled out as well. Notably, the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) expects to establish a registry in June. The law stipulates that a renewable energy operator would be founded. The entity would manage a renewable energy support fund.

Liquid day-ahead market was necessary to have reference prices for CfDs

In addition, the legislation defines energy communities, energy storage activities and behind-the-meter installations for renewables self-consumers. Such units wouldn’t be able to inject electricity into the grid.

The adoption of the law was apparently on hold until the Albanian Power Exchange (ALPEX) set up a liquid day-ahead market. Kosovo* and Albania jointly launched the bourse. The reference price set in trading is necessary for obligations determined in contracts for difference (CfDs). The subsidies are awarded in renewable energy auctions.

On the other hand, the first such competitive bidding process was completed late last month, before the Law on the Promotion of the Use of Renewable Energy Sources was passed.

The Government of North Macedonia sent a similar bill to the national assembly a month ago.

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* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
April 6, 2025
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Kosovo* signs three agreements for 105 MW solar project

The Ministry of Economy has signed three agreements with the winners of the first renewable energy auction in Kosovo*, for a photovoltaic project with a grid connection of up to 105 MW.

Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli has signed an agreement with newly-founded Lindja Solar on the development of the solar power project selected in the first renewable energy auction.

The firm was founded by the winning consortium, led by Groupe Orllati. The remaining members are Holdigaz from Switzerland, ZPV from Germany and domestic solar panel producer and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm Jaha Solar, the ministry said.

KOSTT signed a PPA with the investors

Rizvanolli said the ministry also signed a land lease agreement with Lindja Solar. In addition, Transmission, System and Market Operator (KOSTT) signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the project firm.

The consortium led by Switzerland-based construction company Orllati was selected in early April to build and operate a solar park of up to 105 MW in connection capacity for 30 years, including a 15-year contract for difference (CfD).

The group won the first renewable electricity auction in Kosovo* with a bid of EUR 48.88 per MWh.

Officials stressed at the time that Orllati is run by businesspeople from the Kosovar diaspora.

The investment in the PV facility is estimated at EUR 70 million

Artane Rizvanolli now said that the successful auction would be the first of many that Kosovo* is preparing.

Orllati Chief Financial Officer Destan Orllati stressed that the project, covering 117 hectares, is part of the country’s push to boost renewable energy production. In addition to the production of clean energy, it will create jobs and stimulate the regional economy, he asserted.

According to the ministry, the four companies plan to invest a total of EUR 70 million in the project.

The agreements were signed by Orllati Managing Director Avni Orllati, Holdigaz Chairman and Managing Director Philippe Petitpierre, Chief Executive Officer of Jaha Solar Fadil Hoxha, CEO of ZPV  Peter Zehendner, Director of Lindja Solar Luisa Helms and the CEO of KOSTT Evetar Zeqiri.

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* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
April 6, 2025
by in News

Kosovo* invites firms to qualify for 100 MW wind power auction

The Ministry of Economy of Kosovo* started the first phase of the first of two planned auctions for wind power. The target capacity for the first round is 50 MW to 100 MW, out of a total of 150 MW.

Qualified companies can submit documentation for the first wind power auction in Kosovo*. They will bid for power purchase agreements (PPAs) and contracts for difference (CfDs) with a duration of 15 years.

The Ministry of Economy said the target capacity in the first round is 50 MW to 100 MW. The auction plan envisages two auctions of an overall 150 MW.

At the presentation, officials announced that it is receiving prequalification documentation by February 20. The ministry aims to publish the list of eligible firms in March. The schedule showed that final bids would be opened in August and the winners declared in September.

Maximum bidding price is EUR 80.2 per MWh

Companies will be obligated to design, build, operate, maintain and decommission wind parks. The maximum price is EUR 80.2 per MWh and the lowest bid, submitted excluding value-added tax, shall win.

According to an earlier brochure, the accepted price will be adjusted every 12 months, based on the inflation rate for the sector.

The Law on Renewable Energy Sources stipulates that the contracts would be converted into CfDs twelve months after the establishment of a day-ahead electricity market price in Kosovo*, the document reads. In addition, balancing responsibility is limited to imbalance volumes greater than 10%. Curtailment is subject to financial compensation.

Kosovo* has extraordinary wind energy potential, Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli said. Around 17% of the territory has winds of above six meters per second, while in mountainous areas they reach eight meters per second, she added.

Wind capacity factors range between 28.2% and 32.2%, translating to as much as 2.82 GWh in annual output per 1 MW of installed capacity, the ministry said.

Wind power auction winners to establish public-private partnership with government

Other earlier documents reveal that individual wind projects would be run by special purpose vehicles (SPVs), firms where the government would have a share of up to 49%. The Ministry of Economy intends to use the funds from the International Monetary Fund’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in the development of the 150 MW. The purpose of the public-private partnership scheme is to reduce risk for private investors.

Applicants are required to provide a guarantee of EUR 7,000 per MW of proposed capacity. Winners will be obligated to submit guarantees of EUR 70,000 per MW.

Eligible companies have a net worth of at least EUR 30,000 over the last three calendar years and a minimum annual turnover of EUR 25,000 in the same period.

Kosovo* hosts just three wind power facilities: Selac, also known as Bajgora (104.1 MW), Kitka (32.4 MW) and Golesh (1.35 MW).

Of note, Millennium Challenge Account Kosovo has just invited qualified companies to respond to the prequalification call for a battery storage project. The government earlier said it was planning auctions for 950 MW including battery storage within two years.

The first solar power auction was completed in April.

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* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
April 6, 2025
by in News

Serbia allocates entire quota at second auctions, investors to install 645 MW of wind, solar

Serbia allocated the entire 424.8 MW quota in its second wind and solar power auction. According to the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the winning bids came from investors from China, the United States, France, and Serbia. They intend to install ten power plants with a total capacity of 645 MW.

The Ministry of Mining and Energy conducted the second round of renewable electricity auctions. Forty-one applications were submitted for market premiums, and 37 were declared valid. Both segments were oversubscribed. Investors in wind submitted bids for 444 MW, and the quota was 300 MW. For solar, they applied for premiums for 260 MW, compared to the available 124.8 MW.

The winners have the right to sign 15-year contracts for difference (CfDs).

Seven bids were declared valid for wind, and five filled the quota. Investors will build wind parks with an overall capacity of 468 MW, and premiums will be awarded for 300 MW, according to the proposed ranking list, published on the ministry’s website, which tracks renewable energy tender procedures. The maximum acceptable bid for wind farms was EUR 79 per MWh, and the investors offered from EUR 53.59 to EUR 68.25, according to the announcement.

These are the winning bidders: Matrix Power, owned by French developer Akuo Energy, Windvision Windfarm A, Windvision Windfarm B, Crni Vrh Power, owned by Chinese companies Shanghai Electric Power & Energy Development Limited and CMC Capital, and Jasikovo, owned by Serbian citizens.

The crowd was much bigger for the solar segment. Five projects won the right to market premiums. A total of 30 applications were valid. The quota was 124.8 MW, and the selected investors are set to install photovoltaic plants with 177 MW in combined capacity, the ministry’s proposed ranking list shows.

It said that the investors offered prices from EUR 50.9 to EUR 59 per MWh. The ceiling for electricity from photovoltaic plants was EUR 72. The following firms had winning bids: Vemi Biogas, Kobra Global, Solarina, Mona Green Energy 2, and Brankov Solar. The 150 MW Solarina project is the only large one, while Brankov Solar is an agrisolar one.

Solarina is owned by CWP Europe, and Mona Green Energy 2 by Serbia’s Mona Holding. The three other firms are owned by Serbian citizens.

The ministry noted that the total planned investments of the winning bids is EUR 782 million.

Đedović Handanović: All produced electricity will be offtaken by Serbia’s utility EPS

Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović said the second round of auctions was highly successful in capacity and offered prices. Importantly, all electricity from the power plants that get the premiums will go to state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) and be used to supply domestic businesses and households.

“The offered prices are very competitive, i.e. EUR 50.9 per MWh for solar and EUR 53.5 per MWh for wind, which is significantly below the market levels. According to our incentives model, this means we don’t expect power plants will be subsidized but that they will return windfall profit to the state as long as market prices are higher than those offered by the auction winners,” she stated.

The confirmation of good conditions for investment in Serbia

Đedović Handanović stressed that the high interest by investors is a confirmation of good conditions for investments in Serbia.

“In addition to domestic investors, the winners of these auctions are also investors from China, the USA, and France. It demonstrates that Serbia is globally recognized as a good destination for investment, which will be very significant in achieving our strategic goals in the energy transition process,” she said.

In 2023, the Government of Serbia adopted the incentives plan for renewables for a three-year period through 2025. It said it would award market premiums for 1.3 GW. The first round of auctions was conducted in 2023. The selected projects, for 715 MW in total capacity, are all supposed to be connected to the grid by the end of next year.

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April 6, 2025
by in News

EDP Renewables inaugurates two wind power plants in Greece

EDP Renewables declared its two new wind farms in Central Greece and Thessaly open, adding almost 70 MW to the transmission grid. The country expanded its wind power capacity by only 125 MW last year.

EDP and its subsidiary EDP Renewables held an inauguration ceremony for two wind parks in Greece. It secured government support for both in 2019 at renewable energy auctions, through 20-year contracts for difference (CfD). At the time, the Portugal-based utility expected to begin commercial operations in 2022.

The two facilities have almost 70 MW in combined capacity connected to the transmission grid. The expected annual output is 143 GWh. It is equivalent to the electricity needs of more than 37,000 Greek households. EDP Renewables estimated carbon dioxide emissions savings to be over 102,000 tons per year.

Greece increased its wind power capacity by only 125 MW last year.

EDP Renewables relies on 20-year CfDs in its wind power investments in Greece

The event was held at the Xironomi site in Boeotia (also Beotia and Viotia) in the region of Central Greece. The wind farm has a capacity of 36 MW and the CfD is for 33 MW.

The other facility is Chalcodonio. It is located in the Magnesia regional unit in Thessaly. The 33.6 MW wind farm project has won a 30 MW contract for difference.

“Greece is emerging as a regional leader in renewable energy, as its abundant wind and solar resources offer enormous potential. The country’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 55% by 2030, in line with EU targets, makes it an attractive market for clean energy investments,” said Country Manager of EDP Renewables Dionysios Andronas.

Company has four facilities online

The company has 150 MW online in Greece in four wind parks, positioning it among the top 10 operators in the segment, according to the announcement.

Last year EDP Renewables commissioned its Erimia wind power plant of 35 MW and an estimated annual production of 71 GWh. It entered the Greek market in 2018 with two 20-year CfDs.

The company later reached an agreement with infrastructure group Ellaktor for the joint development of onshore wind projects.

EDP plans 3 GW of renewable energy capacity per year, focusing on wind and solar power as well as energy storage. In its business plan for the period 2023-2026, the company earmarked EUR 12 billion for investments on a global scale.

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