Construction of biggest solar park in Europe shall have start in South Serbia at the end of May. However, this project is being postponed by autumn, because investors don’t have appropriate location, explained Securum Equity partners in their statement. Ministry of Energy says that they have offered a list of locations whose surface is 10 times bigger than requested one.
Project of 1000MW, 1,28 billion EUR worth is one of the biggest in the world so it is symbolically named “One giga”. Solar panels won’t be at one, but several locations and three of them were mentioned first: Vranje, Dimitrovgrad and Pirot’s areas. Ministry of Energy says that they have accomplished their part of work.
Dejan Trifunovic, Deputy Minister of Energy, says that state delivered to investor a list with 30 thousand hectors’ surface in South and Central Serbia and that “further investment procedures” are expected.
“Investor should select mentioned parcels in detail now. I remind that there are 3 thousand hectares in the contract at the moment. State enabled insight in 30 thousand parcels and performed according certain criterions to investor so we expect further activities from investors”, Dejan Trifunovic, Deputy Minister of Energy, stresses.
Investor that has signed obligation contract with Serbian Government claims that they inspected all offered parcels.
Alessio Colussi, Director of “Securum Equity Partners” says that project is delaying because of problems that had shown up and that majority of 30 thousand hectares state had offered is unsuitable for solar panels.
“Terrain is not appropriate because of the position and land level. Unfortunately, only 135 hectares could be used for this project. We are interested for non used surface coal pits of Kolubara and Kostolac coal mines that we had visited on Ministry’s invitation”, Colussi explains.
Nonagricultural land is exclusively predicted for solar plant construction, but it needs to satisfy several criterions- from climatic to infrastructural criterions.
Serbia has ideal conditions for use of solar energy because of even 40% higher than Central European average. The best locations are on south of Serbia because there are the most sunny days.
“Securum Equity Partners” obligated not to ask for stimulating tariffs for produced electricity. 30 million EUR in budget is expected annually. Serbia can get three new factories for solar equipment production.
Source; MERZ/Serbia Energy
