This first French investment in wind farms in Serbia was announced last summer, when the Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of the wind farm near Kikinda with French companies Akuo Energy and IEL Energie was signed during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron. Local subsidiary of French IEL Energie announced that the construction of Basaid wind farm near Kikinda is expected to start next year. Director of IEL OIE Balkan Renewable Energy Natasa Lazarevic said that Basaid wind farm will have 15 wind turbines with combined installed capacity of 85 MW. The company is expecting to obtain all the necessary approvals and permits and start the construction of the wind farm in 2021.
Basaid wind farm is the first, but not the only, investment of the French company IEL OIE Balkan Renewable Energy in renewable sources in Serbia. According to Lazarevic, parallel with this project, the company has been working for two years on a geothermal energy project, which involves a leading world energy company – French EDF, and pertains to finding potential locations in Serbia for the construction of geothermal power plants for the production of heating energy for supplying the system of remote heating for the purposes of industrial processes. She added that the feasibility study for 4 locations, Vranje, Subotica, Kikinda and Ruma, has been completed so far. Lazarevic said that the company is also looking into the potentials of solar energy in Serbia and eagerly awaits the announced amendments to the Law on Energy, which will enable the further development of renewable energy projects.
