Wind energy is one of the key renewable energy sources in Serbia and the wider region, with significant potential for further development. Serbia possesses favorable wind conditions, particularly in Vojvodina, eastern Serbia, and mountainous areas, where average wind speeds enable efficient electricity generation.
The Alibunar 1 and Alibunar 2 wind farms will soon become important to Serbia’s energy sector, delivering as much as 480 gigawatt-hours of green energy annually. These projects, led by SANY Renewable Energy, were developed in cooperation with Norwegian company Emergy and Dutch company WV-International, which has long-standing experience in the renewable energy sector in Serbia. We spoke with Neda Lazendić, Director of WV-International in Serbia, about the construction plans, the importance of these wind farms, and future investments.
IN FOCUS:
- EBRD – Driving Serbia’s Green Transition and Sustainable Development
- Challenges and Opportunities for Montenegro on the Path to a Circular Economy
- BiH on the Path to a Circular Economy
Q: Alibunar 1 and 2 wind farms were ranked highly in the Renewable energy auctions. Could you tell us more about these projects?
A: Yes, it’s true that our projects, Alibunar 1 and Alibunar 2, ranked second and third, respectively, on thefinal list of wind farms in the second round of renewable energy auctions organized by the Ministry of Mining and Energy of Serbia. The planned installed capacity of Alibunar 1 is 96.6 MW, and for Alibunar 2 it is 71.4 MW. These facilities will significantly contribute to increasing the capacity of green energy in Serbia’s energy mix.
Q: Who is currently behind these projects, and how were they developed?
A: The projects are majority-owned by SANY Renewable Energy, a global leader in wind turbine manufacturing based in China. They were developed in partnership with Norwegian developer Emergy, while WV-International, a Dutch company and one of the pioneers of renewable energy in Serbia, played a key role in their development, which began back in 2013.
Q: When does the construction of the wind farms begin, and which turbine model will be used?
A: We are currently in the pre-construction phase, with the start of works planned for the fourth quarter of this year. As for the turbines, we will use the SANY S168 model, manufactured by SANY Renewable Energy, with a capacity of 4.2 MW.
Q: How will the electricity be sold after construction is completed?
A: After the construction is completed and the farms are connected to the transmission grid, 100 percent of the planned production will be sold to Elektroprivreda Srbije AD (EPS). We already have a signed Pre-Contract with EPS for electricity sales over a period of 15 years.
Q: How much will the wind farms contribute to electricity production in Serbia?
A: Once operational, Alibunar 1 and Alibunar 2 will produce approximately 480 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. This will significantly contribute to increasing the share of clean and green energy in the country’s overall energy mix and to the decarbonization of the energy mix of Elektroprivreda Srbije AD.
Q: Is WV-International planning new projects in Serbia?
A: Yes, WV-International and Emergy are continuing the development of wind farms with a total capacity of 571 MW within the Banat project complex. Additionally, we are working on the development of a 125 MW hybrid power plant that will combine wind and solar energy.
Interview by Milena Maglovski
The inteview was published in the Energy portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY
