The rapid transformation of the international energy industry has been picking up steam over the past few years as a litany of nations aim to integrate more renewable energy projects that will simultaneously supply clean energy while drastically reducing emissions from the energy market. Europe has become the unofficial home of the renewable energy sector in recent years, and now, Montenegro has outlined a proposal for several new solar projects in and around the second-largest city in the nation, Nikšić.
A wave of investors has lined up for the necessary permits for their Montenegrin solar projects
The Montenegrin government has been fielding a wave of applications for new renewable energy projects from prospective investors and energy companies recently. So far, the nation’s power transmission system operator, CGES, has signed six connection agreements for solar power projects this year, which will add a total peak capacity of around 1.64 GW of clean energy.
The six contracts signed so far are with Sun Horizon, M Energy, Obnovljivi izvori energije, Solar Power, Agenos Energy, and EE Korita. But that is just the start of a surge of new solar power projects being proposed in the nation. France-based Qair intends to construct a photovoltaic plant in Nikšić with an estimated peak capacity of around 49.9 MW.
The new wave of solar power being proposed in Montenegro needs the approval of the EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency has approved three more large solar projects being proposed in Montenegro since the beginning of the year. All three projects received the necessary urban planning and technical conditions approval from the government. The state has been fostering a welcoming environment for international and domestic investors in recent months and years.
“Montenegro has everything it needs to become a regional leader in the production and export of clean energy.” – Admir Šahmanović, Minister of Energy and Mining in the Government of Montenegro
Montenegro’s second-largest city will be awash in solar power
The country’s second-largest city, Nikšić, will become the home of several new solar projects, if they pass muster with the state regulators, that is. Green Energy Provider aims to install a 100 MW facility in the eponymous village in Nikšić, along with another solar project in neighboring Krstač. Together, these solar projects will boast an annual output of approximately 148 GWh.
Another project that has been proposed in Nikšić is the project being led by Green Energy Investment, a company with the same ownership as Green Energy Provider, which plans to develop a 195 MW solar project in the cadastral municipality of Šipačno 2 in Nikšić. Documents relating to the project noted that the expected output would come in at around 263 GWh per year.
With the astonishing advancements in solar power technology that have emerged, the global solar market is set to continue its domination of the renewable energy market.
“Montenegro’s potential for generating energy from renewable sources is truly remarkable. Sun, wind, and water form a strong energy mix that must be harnessed in a sustainable and responsible way. Our policies are moving precisely in that direction.” – Admir Šahmanović, Minister of Energy and Mining in the Government of Montenegro
Montenegro is aiming to become a regional leader in the solar power market
The former Soviet bloc has been on an approving spree as of late, with several new solar projects being granted the necessary permits for construction and operations to begin. As some of the world’s largest financial institutions are standing at the ready to finance new solar projects in a litany of nations, the solar power market has never looked this good. Solar power is one of the most viable energy-generating methods that can drastically reduce emissions while still supplying the populace with essential electricity.
