The collaboration between Masdar, Taaleri Energia and the German development finance institution DEG to develop the largest utility-scale commercial wind project in Serbia is set to start production early next year
?ibuk 1 in Dolovo, situated 50km outside the capital Belgrade, has completed the construction of 33 overhead pylons allowing for the energisation of the wind farm?s substation, its connection to existing transmission lines 11km away, and the handover of the transmission operation building to its operator.
Comprising 57 wind turbines supplied by GE Renewable Energy, the 158MW wind farm is expected to provide electricity to 113,000 homes and displace more than 370,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. To date, 52 of the wind turbines have been fully assembled.
Vetroelektrane Balkana (WEBG), the project company behind ?ibuk 1, is wholly-owned by Tesla Wind, a JV between Masdar (60 per cent), Taaleri Energia (30 per cent) and DEG (10 per cent).
Ahmed Al Awadi, general manager at Tesla Wind, said, ??ibuk 1 is a prime example of how Masdar, together with Taaleri and DEG, is advancing the development of commercially viable solutions in renewable energy around the world backed by our extensive technical expertise and experience.?
The power purchase agreement (PPA) for ?ibuk 1 was signed in October 2016. Serbia has pledged to produce 27 per cent of its domestic power needs from renewable energy sources by 2020, reducing the country?s dependence on coal-fired power generation in line with European Union regulations.
On completion, ?ibuk 1 is set to be Masdar?s fourth wind farm in Europe after the 630MW London Array, currently the world?s largest offshore wind farm in operation, the 402MW Dudgeon offshore wind farm in England and the 30MW Hywind Scotland, the world?s first commercial-scale floating wind project, which is situated off the coast of Aberdeenshire.
Masdar is a leading developer and operator of utility-scale, grid-tied projects, small-scale applications providing energy access to communities away from the electricity grid and carbon abatement projects. Masdar?s renewable energy projects are located in the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, the UK, Spain, Serbia and Montenegro.
