All permits issued in Romania for Europe’s biggest solar power plant

Rezolv Energy and Monsson received all approvals from local authorities for the construction of Dama Solar. The photovoltaic facility in western Romania will likely become the biggest in Europe, at 1.04 GW in peak capacity and with batteries.

The communes of Pilu and Grăniceri, in Arad province near the border with Hungary, ticked all the boxes for the start of construction of Dama Solar. The photovoltaic project launched by Monsson, for 1.04 GW, received the final documents in December, Grăniceri Mayor Petru Claudiu Bătrînuţ told Romanian state news agency Agerpres.

The investment envisages a battery energy storage system (BESS) with 500 MW in operating power. It would make the facility a hybrid power plant.

Dama Solar may supply server farm

Bătrînuţ said the investors expect the start of construction in the spring or summer. Earlier he pointed out that it may take one year to haul the equipment to the site.

The photovoltaic park, which would currently be the biggest in Europe, will attract several investments including a major data server farm, the commune chief added. He said it would consume part of the output from Dama Solar.

Project valued at EUR 1 billion

Monsson has sold the project in western Romania to Rezolv Energy, but stayed on board as support and, apparently, kept the land. Dama Solar is valued at EUR 800 million, plus EUR 200 million for the batteries. The location spans 1,064 hectares.

Notably, the developers reduced the envisaged number of solar panels and opted for stronger ones, while leaving the capacity unchanged, Bătrînuţ revealed.

Monsson earlier said the land was chosen due to developed infrastructure and potential for logistics. The project includes a vocational training center for solar power.

At least 1,000 will be required for construction and installation, while up to 200 will be permanently employed, according to the company. Monsson has also said it is developing two solar power projects in Chişinău-Criş and Macea in Arad, for a combined 800 MW.

Europe’s largest PV plant is Witznitz in Germany’s east. It has 650 MW in peak capacity. There is also an 850 MW cluster of 17 solar power units in Spain.

If the Asian part of Turkey is included, Konya Karapınar is at the top of the list. It has 1.3 GW in peak capacity and a 1 GW grid connection.

Dama Solar has struggled with complaints regarding environmental impact. Spanish Iberdrola is actually preparing a bigger project, Fernando Pessoa in Portugal. But it also suffered delays over environmental concerns and disputed permits. The capacity would amount to 1.2 GW.