The City of Pančevo launched an international tender for the purchase of solar panels and steel construction with the assembly of technological equipment on the project ‘Banat Sun 4 All’, the municipal portal reported.

The deadline for submission of tenders is October 17. The prior information notice was published on May 25. Tenderers must provide a tender guarantee of EUR 3,000. A mandatory information meeting and site visit will be held on September 8 in the city of Pančevo.

The subject of the procurement is the delivery, installation and commissioning of the solar system composed of a set of solar panels and related equipment in Kotež heating plant and related substations. The solar system should be integrated into the existing system for hot water in the facility in order to provide additional energy from the renewable source.

Total value of the project is EUR 855,000, where Pančevo was awarded EUR 675,000. The local authority participates with just over EUR 100,000. JKP Grejanje utility supplies heating to 3,000 households and has been suffering losses of EUR 200,000 per year. The steel structure and the construction of solar panels will be placed on an area of 906 square metres.

Authorities in the city, located northeast of Serbian capital Belgrade, are the lead partner in the pilot project for promotion and implementation of solar energy for water heating, which is funded by the European Union through the Romania – Republic of Serbia IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme. The City of Pančevo and the Municipality of Lugoj, the partner from Romania, have applied for funding of this project in 2011. According to the city portal, the project is in accordance with the local development strategy for 2014-2020.