ABO Wind

IPTO preparing new formula for grid capacity availability

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Power grid operator IPTO is preparing revisions to a framework for incoming RES project applications, including, as the first major change, a new formula calculating available grid capacity, the operator’s deputy director Giannis Margaris (photo) has noted during an online update.

This new formula will factor in all offers made by the operator in the market as well as new RES projects, both in development and at the planning stage, Margaris pointed out.

IPTO expects to have finalized the formula within April, before presenting it to the energy ministry and then the market.

The operator is also preparing a tracking system that will enable investors to be updated, at any given moment, on the progress of their connection term applications, the IPTO deputy informed.

These upcoming changes come in the wake of a flood of group applications for small-scale RES projects, seeking direct links to the grid, as well as complaints by ABO Wind over IPTO’s delay in examining the company’s connection term applications.

Such objections serve as an opportunity for a reexamination of the grid entry framework, Margaris noted.

The problems that need to addressed concern the licensing and grid entry frameworks, not grid capacity, neither now nor until 2030, the IPTO deputy stressed.

RES applications continue at steady rate, 2.5 GW in June

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Production license applications concerning new RES projects have continued at a steady rate, while the balance between various technologies has remained unchanged, industry figures for June have shown.

Solar energy production license applications, numbering 126 of the overall 215 submitted in June, continued to hold the lion’s share and represented 2.1 GW of the 2.5 GW total.

As for wind energy, license applications for 76 projects with a total capacity of 384.71 MW were submitted in June. A total of 12 small-scale hydropower applications were made for a capacity of 10.03 MW. One cogeneration, or combined heat and power (CHP), application representing a capacity of 2 MW was made.

A total of 14 companies submitted multiple applications representing 119 projects with a capacity of 1,757.5 MW, of which 196.9 concern wind energy stations.

The 14 multiple applicants were: Juwi Hellas, New Solar Developments, Hellenic Petroleum Renewable Energy Sources, Egnatia Group, European Solar Farms Greece, Thessaloniki Energy Solar, Serres Power, Verde, Terna Energy, Siemens Gamesa, ABO Wind Hellas, Rensol Energy PV, Karatzis and Peloponnisiakos Anemos.

Applications submitted to RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, between December, 2018 and June represent a total capacity of 8 GW. They number over 1,000, placing pressure on the processing demands at RAE, authority official Dionysis Papahristou noted.

Germany’s ABO Wind enters local RES market via Creta Farms deal

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German company ABO Wind, one of Europe’s most experienced renewable energy project developers, has acquired 51 percent stakes in two local RES firms, Energiaki Thessalias and Farma Energiaki, via an agreement with charcuterie company Creta Farms, whose major shareholders, the siblings Emmanouil and Konstantinos Domazakis, also hold stakes in the two RES firms.

Energiaki Thessalias and Farma Energiaki took part in a RES auction held by RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, on July 2 to secure remuneration for solar energy project capacities. ABO Wind then entered the equity make-ups of the two RES firms with 51 percent stakes.

The Domazakis brothers held an 81 percent stake in Creta Farms and 50 percent each in Energiaki Thessalias and Farma Energiaki prior to the agreement with ABO Wind. The Creta Farms siblings now each hold 24.5 percent stakes in the group’s two RES firms. Energiaki Thessalias and Farma Energiaki already hold PV power production licenses.

ABO Wind has developed 650 projects – wind turbines, solar energy stations and biogas units – with a total of capacity of at least 1,400 MW. The German company employs 500 persons, is active in 18 countries around the world, and was founded 22 years ago.

Energiaki Thessalias and Farma Energiaki entered a category for PV projects of between one and 20 MW at last month’s RES auction. The two firms are behind four solar energy projects planned for development in mid-north Greece’s Trikala region. Three of these projects are each planned to have capacities of 9.89 MW and the fourth 8.3 MW.

The Domazakis brothers and ABO Wind, who have informed RES of the new equity line-ups at Energiaki Thessalias and Farma Energiaki, secured 37.97 MW of 52.92 MW offered by the auction’s 1-20 MW solar energy category. A total of 14 PV station projects took part in this auction category.

Energiaki Thessalias and Farma Energiaki secured prices of 62.97 and 62.99 euros per MWh from an auction starting price of 80 euros per MWh.