PV units dominate applications for RES auction in May

Solar energy projects dominated the number of applications submitted by RES investors for participation in an upcoming May 24 auction to offer tariff prices for PV and wind energy facilities, sources have informed.

Wind farm project applications appear to have been greatly outnumbered. Also, the level of applications concerning wind farm projects that failed to ensure tariffs at a preceding auction was particularly low. This category of projects was automatically entitled to participate in the May auction, to be staged by RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy.

The application deadline for the May auction expired yesterday. An official announcement has yet to be released as a result of pending contractual issues between RAE and CosmoOne, the provider of digital platforms used for these auctions.

The May auction, the final session to be held under current rules, concerns solar energy projects up to 20 MW and wind farms up to 50 MW. Tariffs for a maximum capacity of 350 MW will be offered.

In accordance with rules designed to help make these auctions competitive, participants will need to represent a total of 700 MW if this 350-MW capacity is to be offered in its entirety.

According to sources, wind farm applicants appear to represent a total capacity of approximately 300 MW, while the total capacity sum for PV projects is expected to be far higher.

A preliminary list of auction participants is scheduled for release on May 13, while the finalized list is expected May 20, once RAE has examined any possible objections.

 

Most older bids for RES certificates reconfirmed

RES project investors seeking producer certificates through applications submitted between September, 2018 and December, 2019 have turned up in big numbers to update and reconfirm their investment plans since the recent establishment of  new electronic platform established for this purpose, Dionyssis Papachristou, the PR head at RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, has told a virtual conference titled “Overcoming the Pandemic”.

A total of 1,415 of 1,500 original applications have been updated and confirmed by investors, the RAE official specified.

A major joint effort needed to be made by RAE with AADE, the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, and GSIS, the General Secteratriat for Information Systems, for the establishment of the online platform enabling updates of RES investment plan applications, the official pointed out.

A separate platform co-developed with Cosmo One for updates and reconfirmation of even older RES investment plans submitted until June, 2018 drew over 300 applications, Papachristou noted.

Overall, a large number of RES project applications are being submitted as a result of heightened investment interest, meaning that an explosion in the number of RES installations and project connections with networks should be anticipated over the next two to three years, the official said.