BiH has wind farms in pipeline with 2.2 GW in total capacity

Active wind power projects in various stages of development in Bosnia and Herzegovina may add up to 2.2 GW to the country’s electricity production capacity, on top of the two existing facilities with an overall 86.6 MW and the two wind farms under construction with a combined 114 MW.

Just in the past ten days, developers of wind farms in Bosnia and Herzegovina revealed progress in projects of an overall 1.37 GW that they intend to connect to the grid. Elektroprivreda HZ HB or EPHZHB, one of the three state-owned electricity producers, said it is preparing a tender for the documentation necessary for the construction of its Poklečani wind power plant.

It plans to build a 132 MW facility in Posušje municipality in the country’s south. After revision, the number of turbines was cut down to 20 from 36 while total capacity was boosted.

Elektroprivreda Bosne i Hercegovine (EPBiH), another government-controlled utility, announced it would start developing the Podveležje 2 wind power plant this year with a photovoltaic unit at the same location, but it didn’t disclose the planned capacities. According to earlier data, the wind park was seen at 24 MW.

EPHZHB’s project in Posušje is one of the largest in BiH

EPBiH added work is ongoing to prepare for the construction of the 60 MW Bitovnja wind power unit near Konjic in central BiH. The Council of Ministers of BiH, the country’s central government, has just started talks with Germany’s KfW Development Bank on a EUR 36 million loan for the 50 MW Vlašić project. The plan is to finance it with a matching loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and another EUR 3 million from own funds.

Suzlon schedules start of construction in Sarajevo Canton for August

Suzlon Wind Energy BiH has signed an amended concession agreement for its Ivan Sedlo wind power plant of 25 MW in Hadžići in the Sarajevo Canton. The subsidiary of Danish-based Suzlon Energy said it expects construction to start in August and to begin regular production in 2023.

Wpd Adria has presented the projects of wind farms Kruzi, Vaganj, Glamoč and Marino Brdo. The company, established by wpd from Germany, plans a total capacity of 1.07 GW. Of note, it is considering the possibility to expand the portfolio with 50 MW in Ravno, in the south of BiH.

Power system in BiH has room for up to 840 MW in wind farms

There are only two wind farms online in BiH. EPBiH completed the 50.6 MW Mesihovina system in 2018, while the Jelovača facility, with the capacity of 36 MW, was connected one year later.

The Independent System Operator in Bosnia and Herzegovina (NOSBiH) allowed last year for wind power plants of a maximum 840 MW in total to be connected to the grid, almost doubling the potential. EPBiH has almost finished its 48 MW Podveležje wind power plant near Mostar and, according to the schedule, it should start trial operation by the end of the month.

Wind power plant Grebak, under construction since December, is poised to become the largest in the country

The construction of the first wind power plant in the Republic of Srpska started in December near Nevesinje in Herzegovina. The privately-owned Grebak system will have 66 MW. The Republic of Srpska is one of the two entities that make up BiH, while the Federation of BiH is the other one.

Kamen-Dent intends to install string of wind farms in BiH

Investors in BiH advanced or just announced the development of 2.2 GW in wind farms in the past few years, excluding the existing ones and the two units that are being built. If the data is compared with NOSBiH’s ten-year plan through 2030, there is another 1.5 GW in more or less dormant projects.

The 51 MW Trusina project in the Republic of Srpska failed two years ago on missed deadlines

Among other latest entries, Kamen-Dent plans to build wind park Pakline-Ljubuša. Apart from the 260 MW project, one of the biggest ones in the country, the company based in Mostar is developing several others, including Pakline 2.

Of note, Ivicom was earlier studying the wind potential near Bihać, on a location called Teočak, aiming to eventually build a 40 MW wind power plant.