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North Macedonia Gives Go Ahead To 21 MW Solar

The North Macedonian Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi said along with auctioned solar power capacity of 56 MW through 2 tenders, 16 MW of already installed capacity and 130 MW of other PV projects planned, the government will be able to fulfill its promise of having an installed solar capacity of 200 MW. (Photo Credit: Government of the Republic of Northern Macedonia)

Anu Bhambhani
  • A total of 21 MW of solar power capacity was selected by the North Macedonia government under an international auction concluded
  • This capacity will be set up on private land in 16 municipalities on 29 locations by 23 investors
  • Projects will be eligible for feed-in-tariffs and will be required to come online within 3 years

The Government of North Macedonia has approved establishment of 21 MW of solar power capacity on private land by entering into contracts with 23 investors. The country's Ministry of Economy said projects will be set up on 29 locations in 16 municipalities after these were selected via an auction process launched in August 2019.

Of the 44 bids submitted representing a combined capacity of 27 MW, finally the ministry chose to sign contracts for 21 MW. Projects were awarded in the following manner for various capacity ranges:

  • 800 kW in the form of 7 contracts for 0 kW to 200 kW
  • 4 MW in the form of 6 contracts for 201 kW to 500 kW
  • 2 MW in the form of 12 contracts for 501 kW to 1 MW
  • 16 MW in the form of 4 contracts for 1.001 MW to 3 MW

Selected investors have 3 years to complete and commission the projects for which they will receive feed-in-premium.

"I would also like to inform you that with this procedure for photovoltaics on private land and the one previously for the construction of 35 MW photovoltaic power plants on state land in Sveti Nikole and Makedonski Brod, we have successfully implemented a total of 56 MW of electricity that will be built in the country from renewable sources from these two tenders," said Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi.

For both 35 MW PV on state land and 21 MW on private land, North Macedonia will be paying a total of around €420 million annually depending on the production of electricity. The above projects along with a 20 MW PV facility planned for REK Bitola, and 16 MW installed so far in the country, the government is confident of achieving its solar power capacity target of 200 MW.

Bekteshi added that last year state owned utility ESM entered into a contract for the construction of a 10 MW PV power plant in TPP Oslomej by Girisim Electric, and in February 2020 a public call was announced for construction of a 100 MW PV project on a former coal mine site, which will deliver electricity to 20,000 families.