Moldova’s Ministry of Energy has officially launched its first renewables tender for the construction of up to 165 MW of solar and wind projects. The auction seeks to procure 60 MW of solar and 105 MW of wind, as outlined in plans first announced in January.
Interested investors are allowed to submit multiple bids for different projects, but the proposed solar projects must have installed capacities between 1 MW and 60 MW, while the wind projects can be between 4 MW and 105 MW.
The successful applicants will receive a fixed price guaranteed for a period of 15 years for the electricity. The guaranteed fixed price will be determined during the auction procedure, but cannot exceed the ceiling price set by the National Agency for Energy Regulations, of MDL 1.67 ($0.095)/kWh for solar and MDL 1.5/kWh for wind.
The government said on its website that the contracts will be awarded to investors who offer the lowest price against the set ceiling price. The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2025.
“Through this auction, we aim to offer local and international companies the opportunity to invest in the Republic of Moldova,” said Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov. “The beauty of this process is that everyone benefits – we offer business opportunities, we contribute to the decarbonization of the energy sector and the increase of the country's energy independence, and, through competition, we bring the most affordable prices to the final consumer.”
The Ministry of Energy said it expects the share of electricity from renewable sources in Moldova to rise from 10% at the end of 2023 to 16.6% after the commissioned power plants from the auction are operational. The country aims for a 30% share of renewable energy by 2030.
The auction follows the introduction of a new approval process for power plants above 20 MW, aimed at making the construction and commissioning documentation process more efficient and transparent.
Moldova had 87 MW of cumulative installed solar capacity by the end of 2023, up from 60 MW a year earlier, according to figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
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