Albania – Albania has issued its first tender for utility-scale onshore wind power facilities.
Individual projects with capacities ranging from 10 MW to 75 MW are eligible to apply. Several projects will be chosen; total tender capacity is 100 MW, which could be extended to 150 MW in the following months to meet the country’s renewable energy requirements. The successful bidders are likely to be announced in the first half of 2023.
The Albanian Ministry for Infrastructure and Energy is running the tender. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has been supporting the Albanian authorities in the introduction of competitive procurement processes for renewable energy projects.
Applications by 2022
Developers are encouraged to submit qualification proposals by the middle of June 2022. This will be followed by a request for proposals from successful candidates in the first phase. The start of the tender process signifies the beginning of a labor-intensive period for developers to meet the selection process’s strict technical, environmental, and social standards.
Bidders are asked to submit site proposals for wind power facility developments. A wind siting study has been created to assist them, containing suitable criteria for site selection as well as a preliminary high-level screening of no-go zones. Later this year, the Albanian Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy will host a conference for interested bidders to provide explanation and answer questions.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) is providing funding for the technical assistance that covers the new tender as well as regulatory work in the energy sector to facilitate the introduction of auctions.
