Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company– Masdar and Finnish renewable energy fund manager Taaleri Energia have inaugurated the 154-megawatt (MW) Čibuk 2 wind farm in Serbia, creating the largest wind power hub in Serbia and the Western Balkans.
Located in the South Banat region, about 40 kilometres from
Belgrade, Čibuk 2 operates alongside the 158MW Čibuk 1 wind farm.
The two facilities have a combined capacity of 312MW and can
generate enough electricity to supply around 178,800 households.
Together, they represent more than €500 million ($577 million) in foreign
direct investment in Serbia’s energy infrastructure.
The inauguration ceremony in Belgrade was attended by
Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović, UAE
Ambassador to Serbia Almenhali, Finland’s Deputy Ambassador Elina Ollila, and
representatives of Masdar and Taaleri Energia.
Čibuk 2 is expected to strengthen Serbia’s energy security
by providing domestically generated renewable electricity and reducing exposure
to fluctuations in fuel prices.
The project forms part of Masdar’s wider Serbian development
pipeline of more than 200MW across solar, wind and battery storage projects.
The wind farm comprises 22 Nordex turbines and is expected
to generate up to 336,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean electricity annually,
enough to power approximately 80,000 homes.
It is also projected to avoid around 311,200 tonnes of
carbon dioxide emissions each year.
During construction, more than 1,000 people were involved
across the workforce, subcontractors and project management teams, with most
workers coming from the South Banat region.
The project is equally owned by Masdar and Taaleri Energia
and was developed in partnership with New Energy Solutions.
Serbia is targeting significant growth in renewable energy,
with plans to add around 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of new wind and solar capacity by
2030 and raise renewables’ share of electricity generation to 45 per cent over
the same period.
Masdar said its global renewable energy portfolio now
exceeds 65GW across solar, onshore and offshore wind, battery storage and
hybrid technologies.
The company is targeting 100GW of renewable energy capacity
by 2030 as it expands investments in strategic markets.
Dubravka Đedović Handanović, Minister of Mining and Energy,
Republic of Serbia commented: “The completion of Wind Park Čibuk 2 makes a
significant contribution to Serbia’s efforts to decarbonize its energy system
while increasing its energy independence. The two wind power plants developed
by Masdar in Serbia, with a total installed capacity of 312 MW, currently
account for around 25 per cent of Serbia’s combined wind and solar power
capacity. Over the years, Masdar’s presence has been a major driver in the
development of wind energy capacity in Serbia. Wind Park Čibuk 1 marked an
early phase in the development of Serbia’s wind energy capacity, while Čibuk 2
is a standout project in a more mature and dynamic phase of the market. Masdar
has proved to be a reliable partner in the renewable energy sector. We hope to
continue our cooperation on new projects in the future and to further
strengthen our efforts to achieve the sustainable decarbonization of Serbia’s
energy sector.”
Mohamed Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer, Masdar
commented: “Today marks a significant milestone for Masdar’s presence in Serbia
and demonstrates our ability to deliver complex projects at speed and at
competitive cost. Alongside our partners here in Serbia, we are providing the
high-quality energy infrastructure needed to strengthen energy security and
drive sustainable economic growth. With over 300MW now installed at the Čibuk
hub and a strong pipeline for growth in Serbia, we are creating a platform for
greater expansion across the wider region and Central and Eastern Europe.”
Kai Rintala, Managing Director, Taaleri Energia commented: “Čibuk 2 reflects Taaleri Energia's long-term commitment to the region. With Čibuk 1 and Čibuk 2 now operating together as the largest wind hub in Serbia and the Western Balkans, we have shown that our dedicated investment expertise and disciplined project execution bring lasting value to local communities and to Serbia's energy transition. The experience we have built here underpins our ambition to grow a broader portfolio across Eastern Europe, and we look forward to developing our capabilities further in the years ahead.” -OGN/TradeArabia News Service
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