Slovenia seeks applications for payments to back renewables, high-efficiency cogeneration

The Slovenian Energy Agency has invited applications for incentives to support electricity production from renewable energy sources and high-efficiency cogeneration.

Eligible to receive incentives are new or reconstructed renewable energy facilities and combined heat and power (CHP) plants.

A total of EUR 10 million in funding is available under the public call for project proposals to enter the electricity support scheme.

Of the total, EUR 9 million is earmarked for the first round, to support new facilities, including EUR 7 million for hydropower, wind, solar, and eligible biogas projects, and EUR 2 million for renewable energy facilities and CHP plants whose operation is based on the purchase or production of fuels, raw materials for production biogas, or the use of geothermal energy, according to the public call.

The remaining EUR 1 million is set aside for the second round, in which projects that will compete for the funding will include reconstructed renewable energy and CHP facilities, wood biomass plants no longer eligible for support due to their age, and renewable energy and CHP plants that did not succeed in getting funding in the first round.

Investors are to offer the price in EUR/MWh of electricity produced by the facility in question. The price is not to exceed benchmark market costs of electricity generation by renewable energy facilities and CHP plants, with the lowest offered prices to be given priority.

The deadline for applications is February 11, 2019.

Support payments on decline

Slovenia paid EUR 143.5 million in incentives for electricity production by renewable energy and CHP plants in 2017, down 2% compared to 2016.

The supported electricity output of a total of 3,864 facilities reached 944.9 GWh in 2017, a decrease of 6% against 2016.

The support payments reached EUR 69.4 million in the first half of 2018, down 11% compared to H1 2017.

The support scheme is an EU-approved state aid instrument aimed at helping Slovenia reach the national renewable energy target of 25% by 2020. The share stood at about 21% at the end of 2016.