Croatia

The Croatian energy regulator is seeking to allocate 88 MW of renewable energy generation capacity. The tender is part of the country’s plan to procure 2.26 GW of renewables including more than 1 GW of solar.

The 6.5 MW solar project will be built with PV modules supplied by Croatian manufacturer Solvis d.o.o.

The authorities plan to assign 2.26 GW of renewable energy capacity overall under the scheme, which will include other energy sources such as hydropower, wind, biomass, biogas, and geothermal energy. The government will provide projects it selects with a feed-in price premium, which will be paid for the power generated by the projects, on top of spot market prices.

Differing finance costs across the continent are likely to see wind-rich, high electricity demand nations such as Germany, France, Austria and Belgium forge ahead with renewables at the expense of countries with plenty of sun but where borrowing is expensive, according to a German study.

Parent company FlixMobility plans to test hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Europe.

Researchers have developed a high-resolution geospatial method of assessing the solar potential of all buildings in the EU and concluded rooftop PV could provide a quarter of the bloc’s electricity needs. The scientists say grid parity for rooftop solar has been reached outside eastern member states with cheap fossil fuel electricity.

After issuing its first call for renewable energy projects in February, power company HEP has now announced it will invest $23 million annually in solar until 2023, to add new capacity additions of 20 MW per year. The 350 MW plan is expected to be complete in 2030.

Interested developers of large-scale PV plants, with more than 2 MW capacity, have until the end of the year to send proposals. The expression of interest is for projects to be developed with the utility or to be sold to it.

More than a dozen European ministers of economic affairs have released a statement setting out the next steps to turn Europe into an industrial hub for large-scale cell production. The role of SMEs and competition was highlighted as ministers said European cells should provide innovation in terms of raw material use and sustainability, hinting at a pivot away from lithium-ion.

With Republika Srpska, one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, announcing a tender to build a 65 MW solar PV plant; Croatia planning a 6.5 MW solar PV installation, to be built on the Island of Cres; and Macedonia welcoming its first solar panel manufacturing plant, capable of producing 20 MW annually – it has been a busy period for the small solar markets in the Balkans.