Solar power plants awarded state market premiums in last year’s auctions are nearing the point where they will soon deliver their first green kilowatt-hours. However, the situation with wind farms is somewhat different. The auctions for allocating market premiums for renewable energy sources held in Serbia for the first time last year were positively evaluated by both investors and the government.
Sixteen investors applied for these auctions with a total capacity of 816.48 MW. Of this, 602.8 MW was offered to meet the quota, and the estimated investment value for all plants was 1.26 billion EUR, as reported by the Ministry of Mining and Energy at the time.
For solar power plants, the 50 MW quota at the first auctions was not fully met, with investor interest being significantly lower compared to wind farms. A quota of 25.2 MW was allocated to five solar power plants, which is half the quota that the Ministry of Mining and Energy had set for solar projects. The largest quota was awarded to Novo Selo Power (6.4 MW at a bid price of 89.8 EUR/MWh), followed by Hiperion Sol (4 MW at a bid price of 88.65 EUR/MWh) and Terra Solar (1.2 MW at a price of 89.8 EUR/MWh).
In February, it was announced that a second round of auctions for an additional 400 MW of renewable energy capacity would be organized in Serbia this year. However, this new process has not been conducted to date, and eKapija attempted to find out the current status of the winners from the previous auctions.
With a quota of 8 MW, B2 Nova Sun is the winner in the solar power category, as previously reported by eKapija. B2 Sunspot is also on the list with a quota of 5.6 MW. Both solar plants had their bids accepted at a price of 89.7 EUR/MWh. The B2 Nova Sun solar plant is being built in Nova Crnja, while B2 Sunspot is located in Kikinda. Both plants have obtained construction permits and signed turnkey construction contracts with MT-KOMEX.
Miloš Kostić, Director of MT-KOMEX, revealed the current progress to eKapija: “B2 Nova Sun was put into trial operation on August 1, and B2 Sunspot is in the final phase of connection. Construction is complete, and operations are expected to start in mid-September.”
For the second-place winners, Terra Solar and Novo Selo Power, the accepted bid price was 89.8 EUR/MWh. The solar plant Lebane Novo Selo was completed and put into trial operation on November 17 last year, as previously revealed to eKapija by General Director Nikola Oklobdžija. Out of the 8 MW, 6.4 MW were offered at the auction. The plant is located in Novo Selo in the municipality of Lebane, covering 11 hectares.
The SE IMT Knjaževac plant has also been completed and was put into trial operation at the beginning of this year. This small plant on the roof of the IMT Knjaževac factory has a capacity of 1.5 MW, with 1.2 MW offered at the auction at a price of 89.8 EUR/MWh.
The Margisol solar plant, for which Hiperion Sol made the lowest bid at the first auction (88.65 EUR/MWh), is completed. The plant, with an installed capacity of 4 MW, is located in the municipality of Ćuprija. “The construction of the Margisol solar plant is finished. Operations are planned to begin in September,” Hiperion Sol representatives told eKapija.
Regarding wind farms, we received an update from CWP, the winner of the first auctions, for the Vetrozelena project near Pančevo. Vetrozelena is a project initiated by CWP in Dolovo and Banatsko Novo Selo. In April last year, CWP partnered with the Chinese company PowerChina Resources to build the Vetrozelena wind farm. Vetrozelena won the largest quota of 210 MW with a bid of 64.48 EUR/MWh, which was the lowest price among wind farms.
According to CWP, the project is progressing as planned: “We continue intensive work on this key project, which is an important step in the development of renewable energy in Serbia. Vetrozelena is currently advancing according to plan. The phase of gathering bids for the construction of all project segments is underway, and we are carefully reviewing the available options and market conditions, as well as preparing for the construction start, planned for next year. Simultaneously, we are working on securing financing through project financing, which is crucial for the successful realization of the project,” CWP representatives said.
They add that the development of such projects is a complex and lengthy process involving careful planning and coordination with partners and relevant institutions. “The previous phases of the Vetrozelena project confirm its effectiveness. We will continue to adhere to all established deadlines in accordance with the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources, as prescribed for the Temporary Privileged Producer,” CWP stated.
The second-place project with a quota of 108.5 MW is Čibuk 2. Čibuk 2 will be built southeast of the existing Čibuk 1 wind farm, about 40 kilometers from Belgrade, in the municipality of Kovin. As previously announced, the plant is expected to start operations in 2025 and will produce 430,000 MWh annually, providing enough electricity to power about 100,000 homes. Čibuk 2 Wind Energy was awarded a quota of 108.5 MW at the first auctions with a bid price of 73.7 EUR/MWh.
The third-place winner of the auctions is the Pupin wind farm project. According to Miloš Colić, Director of New Energy Solutions, which oversees the project’s construction, the Pupin wind farm is expected to be fully completed next year, with the first megawatt-hours expected this year during the trial phase.
In fourth place is the project by Crni vrh power. At the auctions, Crni vrh power won a quota of a modest 13.5 MW with a bid price of 79 EUR/MWh, which is the highest bid price among all auction winners. The Crni vrh wind farm will be located at the border of Žagubica, Bor and Majdanpek. As previously reported, the investment value for this wind farm is estimated at around 100 million EUR.
