Albania Launches First Onshore Wind Tender

TIRANA, June 22

Albanian authorities launched the first wind power plant tender in an attempt to reduce high dependence on hydropower and to diversify the clean energy portfolio. Developers will be able to submit projects for a bidding window between 10MW and 75MW capacity, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced on Monday. Meanwhile, the total rendered capacity will equal 100MW and it may be increased to 150 MW in the coming months.

According to the EBRD, bids are due mid-June 2022, with Albanian authorities due to announce successful projects by the first half of 2023.
The bid will be run by the Albanian Ministry for Infrastructure and Energy. Interested bidders are required to propose sites for wind power plant developments. Moreover, interested investors can use a wind siting study that includes suitability criteria for the selection of sites, as well as a preliminary high-level screening of no-go areas.
Further on, the Ministry will hold a conference later in 2021 to provide more details to prospective bidders and answer their questions.

The tender procedure is supported financially and technically by EBRD and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
“The launch of the wind tender is an important milestone in attracting private-sector competition to the renewable energy sector in Albania, which is a critical step in transitioning to a diversified low-carbon economy,” Françoise Salame Guex from the Infrastructure Financing Division, SECO Switzerland said.

Source: EBRD
Photo by Gustavo Quepón on Unsplash