Wind power project of 234 MW declared strategic investment in Albania

Biopower Green Energy and Marseglia Group got a strategic investment status in Albania for a EUR 244 million project for two wind farms. The firms intend to install wind turbines with a combined capacity of 234 MW.

According to data obtained from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy and the Energy Regulatory Authority (ERE), there is 373.1 MW in total in active wind power projects in Albania, Monitor.al reported. Data excludes plans in ERE’s registry that have long been idle. Albania doesn’t have a single wind turbine installed yet.

The Albanian Investment Development Agency decided last year to declare a twin wind park project of 234 MW in total a strategic investment. Developers with the status get access to support programs and administrative assistance, particularly with land expropriation.

Developers of a strategic investment get access to support programs and administrative assistance

The project’s developers are Biopower Green Energy and Marseglia Group. The site is in Lezhë in the country’s northwest, near the Adriatic Sea.

Lezhë wind power project was launched in 2008

The EUR 244 million project would consist of 39 turbines, earlier reports said. Marseglia, based in Verona, Italy, launched it in 2008.

It meets the employment criteria required by the legislation on strategic investments, as the companies expect to employ 350 people during implementation and the wind park’s operation, the document said.

One unit is envisaged to have 114 MW and the other one’s planned capacity is 120 MW

Units BPGE1 (114 MW) and BPGE2 (120 MW) should be built on ridges of two mountains, taking up a total of 100 hectares. The first one is envisaged to be installed near Shengjin at an altitude of between 241 and 545 meters. The latter would be next to the coast at 200 to 350 meters above sea level.

EU Green Energy’s wind project can compete at upcoming auction

The second-biggest project in the pipeline is owned by a firm called EU Green Energy. The wind farm in Dropull, in the country’s south, is seen at 69.3 MW.

The remaining part of the list consists of five projects with 10 MW each and six others with the capacity of just 3 MW apiece. The sites for all but one of the smaller ones are in Karaburun peninsula near Vlorë, in Albania’s southern part.

The procedure for projects with up to 3 MW is much easier as they only require a green light from the ministry. According to current regulation, they would be entitled to EUR 76 per MWh.

Albania is preparing a wind power auction for 100 MW in total

The government is also working on an unnamed offshore wind power project. It is preparing a wind power auction for next year with a quota of 100 MW, which could rise to 150 MW. Eligible projects are between 10 MW and 75 MW.

As for solar power, there is 1.23 GW in the pipeline in Albania, the same media outlet reported.