Albanian company AGA-SOLAR has applied for a permit to construct a photovoltaic park in Darzeze e Re near Fier, according to the energy ministry.
The park, when constructed, will have a capacity of up to 150 MW. The project’s cost has not been disclosed, and no further details have been given.
In March, the Albanian government signed a contract to construct and operate a 100MW solar park in Spitalle near Durres. The company involved is the French firm Voltalia. The company is also preparing to construct a 140MW park in Karavasta, a tender won in May 2020.
Currently, Albania produces most of its electricity through hydropower plants. The government has been repeatedly warned that HPP is not sustainable in the short or long term, and they should look to wind and solar as alternatives. Furthermore, Albania does not have the capacity to store HPP power and instead sells it, meaning it has to buy back fossil fuel power during peak times such as winter, at a premium for customers.
In June, Albania’s first floating solar plant was connected to the grid but promptly sunk just a couple of weeks later.
Built by two Norwegian companies, Statkraft and the Ocean Sun, the 2-megawat solar plant was launched on the Banja reservoir, where Stakraft also operates a 72-megawatt hydropower plant.
The solar plant covered 4,000 square meters and comprised of four floating units and some 1,600 solar panels.
According to Ocean Sun, there was an incident with the ‘floater’—the large floating ring attached to a membrane. This, in turn, is attached to barges which help to keep it afloat. The company reported “severe damage” resulting in its partial submersion.
