Government to finance 200 megawatt photovoltaic power stations


The Government of North Macedonia will finance 200 megawatt photovoltaic power stations in line with a new measure to promote the use of solar energy, taken under the new Law on Energy.

This measure that presented Sunday at a news conference aims at improving investment conditions and strengthening competitiveness in the energy sector, with an accent on supporting growing production of electricity from renewable sources.

So far, the Republic of North Macedonia has built a mere 18.4 MW of installed photovoltaic capacity, according to Deputy PM Koco Angjusev.

“It’s important that we start promoting this area. The idea is to build 200 megawatts, supported by the government. Support will include premium tariffs, suggesting that all investors in photovoltaic stations will be able to sell their electricity on the free market, while the state will support them with a so called premium – it’s functions in all Western European developed countries,” he told the news conference.

The premium, Angjushev added, will be also listed as one of the criteria of an upcoming tender, followed by an electronic auction with negative bidding.

“Anyone wanting to invest in a photovoltaic power stations, will be offered two models, and will be able to take part in an auction after having met technical criteria, which won’t be very strict, so as to allow as many investors as possible to participate,” the Deputy PM said.

He noted that the state would offer significant assistance to investors to provide building permits, cut red tape considering urbanization, land transformation, etc.

The government has picked two locations with state-owned land where solar parks will be built, namely Sveti Nikole, eastern North Macedonia, and Makedonski Brod, central North Macedonia. Such power stations can be also built on private land.