Sun-powered progress on Albania’s Adriatic coast
The Spitalla Solar Plant is a significant renewable energy project with a capacity of 100 megawatts. Located in the Durrës region on the Adriatic coast, this project aims to supply a substantial portion of its generated electricity to the public operator through a 15-year contract, with the remaining energy sold under long-term market contracts.
About
The project is currently in the permitting stage, with construction expected to be completed and the plant operational by 2024. This development follows the success of Voltalia’s previous project in Albania - the 140 MW Karavasta solar park-
Challenges:
The Spitalla Solar Plant project in Albania aims to address several key challenges:
- Albania’s energy supply is overly dependent on hydropower, which is increasingly unreliable due to climate variability, including droughts.
- The country faces environmental concerns linked to carbon emissions from non-renewable energy sources.
- There is an economic issue with limited local job opportunities and underdeveloped infrastructure in rural areas.
- There is a challenge of efficiently utilizing available land, particularly in balancing energy production with agricultural activities.
Solutions
The Spitalla solar park is expected to:
Play a key role in Albania’s efforts to diversify its energy mix and enhance energy security. By increasing renewable energy production, the project reduces reliance on fossil fuels, contributing to global efforts to combat climate change.
Support the local economic growth, particularly in rural areas, through job creation and infrastructure development.
Explore agrisolar opportunities, combining food production with solar energy generation, promoting efficient land use and supporting the agricultural economy.
Impacts
- The Spitalla Solar Plant project in Albania is a significant renewable energy initiative located in the municipality of Durrës, on the Adriatic coast. This project, led by the French company Voltalia, involves the construction of a 100 MW photovoltaic system over a 121-hectare area.
- Voltalia won the project through a competitive auction, where they offered an impressively low bid of EUR 29.89 per MWh for 70% of the electricity generated. This bid was notably lower than the ceiling price set by the Albanian government and significantly undercut the competing offers, including one from a Chinese consortium.
- The power generated from the plant will be sold under a 15-year power purchase agreement, with the remainder potentially being sold on the open market or through corporate power purchase agreements.