Albania goes to work on solar photovoltaic panels

Will Albania have a solar power project?

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania received four applications for solar power projects with a combined capacity of 235 MW. A proposed unit in Fier, the country’s photovoltaics hub, would be the second-biggest in the country. Solar power accounts for 6% of electricity production in Albania.

Where is Albania's second largest photovoltaic plant?

The company laid the cornerstone late last year for the 100 MW solar power system in the west of Albania. The site is near the port city of Durrës. One other PV plant is planned for expansion to 100 MW. Now another project of the same size is racing for the position of the country’s second-largest photovoltaic facility.

Could a photovoltaic unit be the second-biggest in Albania?

A proposed unit in Fier, the country’s photovoltaics hub, would be the second-biggest in the country. Solar power accounts for 6% of electricity production in Albania. More than half of the photovoltaic output is from the Karavasta facility, the biggest of its kind in the Western Balkans. It has 140 MW in peak capacity.

How much electricity does a solar park generate in Albania?

The solar park just north of the port city of Durrës will generate electricity equivalent to the annual needs of 150,000 inhabitants. The two projects won 15-year contracts for difference (CfDs) at the first successful solar power auctions in Albania. Spitalla, of 100 MW in peak capacity, gets EUR 29.89 per MWh for electricity delivered from 70 MW.

How much does solar cost in Albania?

Albania ran a 300 MW solar tender last year. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy shortlisted nine bidders with an average price of €0.0513 ($0.054)/kWh offered across 283.9 MW of capacity allocated in July. The country had deployed 163 MW of solar by the end of 2023, according to figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Why did Albania's solar plants increase in production last year?

ATA’s report adds there was a fivefold increase in production from Albania’s solar plants last year, mainly from the efficiency of the Karavasta photovoltaic plant, a 140 MW site developed by Voltalia. Albania ran a 300 MW solar tender last year.