/12th January 2016, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCHTM/ The Albanian government announced that it would establish wind turbines in the Kurbin area, aiming to construct the first 36 MW wind farm in the country for wind energy generation. The Ministry of Energy and Industry proposed this plan approved by the government and featured at the Official Bulletin.
This first wind farm project in the country will be constructed within 8 months from the beginning of works. The construction company will have to report the performance of works at the Ministry of Energy and Industry. The Kurbin wind farm will have installed energy of 36 Megawatt, and it is expected to be active for the operation of 30 years.
Sources from the Albania Energy Association cite that “Based on the actual conditions of Albania, it is foreseen that 4% of the total amount of electric energy produced in-country (around 400 GWh/year) until 2025 to be produced from wind. It is assumed that a priority will be given to the buildings of 20 Wind Electro Central (WEC) near 20 pumping stations located along the Adriatic Sea, avoiding flooding protection as well. A considerable number of areas with high wind energy potentials are identified in the Seaside Lowland, near these 20 pumping stations are located (that looking for 30 GWh/year or 0.7% of the actual national electric energy production)”
Albania has already suitable electricity grid infrastructures to benefit from regional and international trade. It enjoys good access to European electricity grids, through transmission lines with Greece (400 kV) and Kosovo (220 KV). In March 2014, the Albanian and Kosovar governments agreed to have a unified common energy market, which will lead both countries to build a 400 kV interconnection line. This project is supported by the German bank Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KWF).
More information about Albanian wind power market you may read here: Western Balkans Wind Power Market: Outlook 2016÷2025
