Only five green power units added this year

According to fresh data from the Energy Agency of the Republic of Macedonia, power plants that use renewable sources, excluding large hydropower, have total capacity of 117.8 MW, a comparably small share of total electricity generation, portal Build.mk reported. The 168 renewables units are equivalent to only one thermal power plant, TEC Oslomej in Kičevo, which has 125 MW.

The register of renewable energy capacities added five facilities in the first nine months of the year. Four are small hydropower systems and the remaining one, fuelled by biogas, is owned by Pelagonija Energy dooel. Combined, the new units are designed for the production of 377 GWh per year. Not a single photovoltaic plant was put in use so far this year. There are 102 in total, with only 16.72 MW installed power.

Procedures for land planning and obtaining construction permits are time consuming, according to renewable energy specialist Darko Janevski. He said there was popular belief, and at the same time misperception, that investment in renewables is all about obtaining an energy license, the feedin tariff and the status of preferential electricity producer.