Kosovo to double its wind energy capacity

Kosovo is set to more than double its installed renewable energy capacity, with the construction of a 105MW wind farm in Bajgora.

The project got the go-ahead following the award of a loan for €58 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The loan will cover approximately half of the cost of construction, with private investors covering the remainder.

Currently, as much as 90% of Kosovo’s electricity comes from two ageing coal-fired power plants, which are said to be among the heaviest polluters in Europe.

In a statement, the EBRD said, “When complete, Bajgora will represent about 10% of the country’s installed capacity and avoid 247,000 tonnes of CO2 a year, making a significant contribution to climate change mitigation.”

The Bajgora wind farm will contribute towards Kosovo’s stated goal of achieving 400MW of renewable capacity by 2026 – with hydro-electric and solar power projects also anticipated.

That said, Kosovo announced earlier this year that it is moving forward with a project to build a new coal-fired plant.

If the project comes to fruition, the plant will generate approximately 500MW of energy, enough to meet almost half of the power requirements of the country.