Tenders

Argentina Launches 620 MW Renewable Energy Tender

Through RenMDI Renewable Energy Call, Argentina Seeks Wind, Solar, Biomass, Biogas & Small Hydroelectric Projects

Anu Bhambhani
  • Argentina is looking for 620 MW new renewable energy capacity to come online under RenMDI
  • It seeks to have 500 MW of this capacity come from biomass, solar PV with and without storage, and wind with storage technology
  • Another 120 MW will come from biomass, biogas, landfill biogas and small hydroelectric projects

The Argentinian Ministry of Economy has launched a call for 620 MW renewable energy capacity, under a new round called RenMDI to supply electricity to the wholesale electricity market management company CAMMESA, making it the 1st significantly large renewables tender the country has launched since 2019.

Of the total offered, 500 MW needs to be installed as biomass, solar PV with and without storage, and wind with storage technology. Remaining 120 MW is devoted to biomass not awarded in the 500 MW lot, biogas, landfill biogas and small hydroelectric projects.

According to the call published as Resolution 36/2023 in Argentina's official gazette, it is aimed at promoting small-scale projects that can offer stability to the networks, bring generation closer to demand centers thereby reducing electrical losses and promote regional development. These will also contribute to diversifying national electricity mix.

Contracts entered by CAMMESA with winning bidders will have a timeline of 15 years.

The government establishes that this call will not be covered under the guarantees offered by the Fund for the Development of Renewable Energies (FODER) that are granted to the beneficiaries of its RenovAr program rounds.

Launched in 2016, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) backed Argentina's Renewable Energy Auction (RenovAR) regime was aimed at installing 1 GW of new projects. According to the IFC, round 1, 1.5 and 2 led to the government awarding 147 projects representing over 4.4 GW of new capacity at competitive prices.

In 2019, Argentina held round 3 of RenovAR program awarding 259 MW renewable energy capacity with solar winning 96.75 MW while wind bagged the lowest winning bid (see 96.75 MW Solar Awarded Under RenovAR Round).

At the end of 2022, Argentina had 192 operational renewable energy projects representing over 5 GW of national electricity mix, including 47.57 MW grid connected to the Argentine Interconnection System (SADI) in 2022. Wind energy accounted for 73% of renewable electricity generation, followed by solar with 15% share.