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The Moldovan government is preparing to launch the country’s first renewables auctions, which will seek to procure 105 MW of wind and 60 MW of solar projects. The tenders will take place between April and July.
Moldovas Ministry of Energy has published the timetable for large-scale renewable energy tenders. The procurement exercises will kick off on April 9 and bids will be received for at least three months.
The maximum capacity for PV project particitaing in the auction will be 1 MW. The tender will procure a total of 60 MW of solar projects.
“We absolutely expect new tenders. By the end of the year, we will know the results of these auctions. Afterwards, we are considering organizing the next round of RES auctions since the Vulcanesti – Chisinau 400 kV line will be operational by the end of 2025,” Carolina Novac, secretary of state for Moldovas Energy Ministry, told pv magazine.
The total capacity for wind projects is almost twice that for PV projects. Novac explains that the decision on capacity allocation was made considering the overlap of different incentive schemes as well as some structural reasons.
“Firstly, we have already allocated feed-in-tariffs to 120 MW of ground-mounted PV and additionally to 15 MW of rooftop PV,” said Novac. “Secondly, we also know that winds capacity factor, that is its energy output, is higher than the PV one. We also look at the principle of the highest efficiency for utilisation of land and, in Moldova, 98% of land is arable with some of the best soil in the world. And thirdly, wind energy delivers electricity in the evening as well, and we know that the load peak is usually the highest around dinner time.”
The Ministry expects big renewables producers and developers to participate in the tenders. The secretary of state says the most promising bidders will be companies that are already established in Moldova, have experience in the sector, and have already kickstarted the process to obtain required permits.
Broader context
“The first-ever tenders for fixed-price power plants will allow for the construction of large wind and photovoltaic parks, reduce dependence on imported energy, decarbonize the economy, and create new jobs,” said the Moldovan government.
The country has long been exposed to gas supply shock risks, as Russia traditionally supplied all gas consumed in Moldova via Ukraine. Last year, Moldova started its six-year-long energy sector reform program, receiving the support of international, mostly European, institutions like Frances Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also offered support. |
