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July 24, 2025
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North Macedonia, Kazancı sign memorandum on gas power plants

The Government of North Macedonia and Kazancı Holding have signed a memorandum of understanding that paves the way for a EUR 1 billion investment in the country’s energy sector.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Cemil Kazancı, President of the Board of Directors of Kazancı Holding.

In February, Mickoski announced that the company would invest EUR 1 billion in gas power plants, gas and heat distribution grids.

Now he stressed that the memorandum demonstrates the country’s determination and plan to secure its energy sovereignty and protect its economic interests.

Mickoski: We are reducing import dependence and the impact of external price and political risks

According to the government, the document creates the conditions for a project with a long-term impact on the country’s energy sector.

It consists of three segments: development of new power production facilities, construction of natural gas and heat distribution grids, and implementation of measures to increase gas supply security, Mickoski explained.

Photo: Government of North Macedonia

In his view, a domestic energy source and a stable energy distribution system represent security, predictability, and control over one of the country’s most vital systems.

By developing domestic production facilities, North Macedonia is reducing its reliance on imports and minimizing exposure to external price and political shocks, the prime minister added.

Kazancı: The project is already prepared

Cemil Kazancı recalled that discussions about the investment began a long time ago. The project, in his words, is already prepared. Now research will be conducted, after which the implementation of the EUR 1 billion endeavor will start, he claimed.

It will be a strategic center in the Balkans, according to Kazancı. He expressed confidence that the project would be implemented shortly.

The government has not disclosed details of the memorandum with the company, which operates in the energy sector through its Aksa brand.

Earlier, Prime Minister Mickoski said the two sides were considering cogeneration facilities of 500 MW in combined capacity. They would produce 4.1 TWh of electricity and 720 GWh of heat per year.

The construction of a distribution grid for gas and heat would enable gas and heat to be distributed to as many citizens as possible.

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July 24, 2025
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Nova Power & Gas to install 200 MW BESS in Romania

Amid a battery investment frenzy in Romania, Nova Power & Gas is about to build a battery energy storage system that would double the current total capacity in the country. In addition, the company is beginning the construction of a 150 MW gas power plant.

Nova Power & Gas claims it is currently the national leader in energy storage capacity, with 240 MWh already operational. According to the latest data published by Transelectrica, the current total battery energy storage capacity in Romania is 398.8 MWh.

Part of the Romanian E-Infra Group, Nova Power & Gas announced the launched of the largest battery energy storage project in Romania.

The installation in Florești, Cluj county, will have 200 MW in operational power and a capacity of 400 MWh, and is expected to become operational by the end of 2025, according to the firm.

The first phase of the gas power plant is scheduled to become operational by December 2026

Once completed, the facility will double Romania’s current total energy storage capacity, directly contributing to the stability of the national grid and the integration of renewable sources, the company added.

Apart from the BESS, Nova Power & Gas said it is starting to build a 150 MW gas-fired power plant in Câmpia Turzii, with the first phase set to come online by December 2026.

By 2028, the company plans to install one more gas power plant, of 200 MW, and energy storage systems of another 600 MW / 1,200 MWh overall.

Costea: Investments in gas plants to support balance and flexibility in the energy system

“Through these investments, we aim to maintain and strengthen our leadership in energy storage, while making substantial investments in gas-fired electricity generation to support balance and flexibility in the national energy system,” Septimiu Costea, CTO of Nova Power & Gas, stated.

The company is also active in the region, with subsidiaries in Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, and Moldova.

Contractors picked for two more investments over the last two weeks

Over the past two weeks, there were two major announcements regarding BESS investments.

Romanian engineering and technology company Simtel said it would install a 98.6 MW / 196.4 MWh system for Turkey-based Güriş.

Simtel noted that the size of the facility is significant, considering that the total battery energy storage capacity in Romania was 398.8 MWh at that moment.

Another firm, Visual Fan, plans to build a 65 MWh energy storage unit for Renovatio Trading in Toplița in Romania’s Harghita county.

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July 24, 2025
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IRENA: 91% of new renewables units are more cost-effective than fossil fuel alternatives

The fossil fuel age is crumbling, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. Renewables maintained their cost leadership in global power markets, the International Renewable Energy Agency said in an annual report. In 2024, onshore wind farms were the cheapest of all versus the lowest-cost fossil fuel alternatives, by 53% on average, while photovoltaic systems were 41% cheaper.

Onshore wind power was also the cheapest in levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) terms, followed by solar power. At the same time, 91% of newly commissioned utility-scale capacity was delivering power at a cost lower than for the cheapest electricity from new fossil fuel–fired units.

The Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2024 report confirmed the price advantage of renewables over fossil fuels, with cost declines driven by technological innovation, competitive supply chains and economies of scale, the International Renewable Energy Agency said. IRENA expects cost reductions to continue, but highlighted the short-term challenges.

Geopolitical shifts including trade tariffs, raw material bottlenecks, and evolving manufacturing dynamics, particularly in China, could temporarily raise costs.

Asia, Africa and South America, with stronger learning rates and high renewable potential, could see pronounced cost declines.

Higher costs are likely to persist in Europe and North America, driven by structural challenges such as permitting delays, limited grid capacity, and higher balance-of-system expenses, according to the update. In contrast, regions like Asia, Africa and South America, with stronger learning rates and high renewable potential, could see pronounced cost declines.

The organization pointed to the need for stable and predictable revenue frameworks to lower investment risk and attract capital.

“Clean energy is smart economics – and the world is following the money,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stressed. In his view, the fossil fuel age is crumbling.

Capital costs inflating LCOE in developing countries

Mitigating financing risk is central to scaling renewables in both mature and emerging markets. Instruments such as power purchase agreements (PPAs) play a pivotal role in accessing affordable finance, while inconsistent policy environments and opaque procurement processes undermine investor confidence, IRENA added.

In many developing countries of the Global South, high capital costs, influenced by macroeconomic conditions and perceived investment risks, significantly inflate the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of renewables.

Onshore wind power production cheapest by far of all kinds of electricity

In 2024, onshore wind farms were the cheapest of all versus the lowest-cost fossil fuel alternatives, by 53% on average, while photovoltaic facilities were 41% cheaper. Of note, the cost of battery energy storage systems (BESS) declined by 93% from 2010 to 2024, to USD 192 per kWh.

Onshore wind remained the most affordable source of new renewable electricity, with a global weighted average LCOE at USD 0.034 per kWh (USD 34 per MWh), followed by new solar, at USD 0.043 per kWh, and new hydropower plants, USD 0.057 per kWh.

Again per the levelized cost of electricity, 91% of newly commissioned utility-scale renewables capacity was delivering power at a lower cost than the most affordable new fossil fuel–based units.

That said, LCOE increased slightly for solar power, by 0.6%. Onshore wind power was 3% more expensive than in 2023, compared to 4% for offshore wind and 13% for the bioenergy segment. Meanwhile, costs declined for concentrated solar power (CSP), by 46%, followed by electricity from geothermal units, 16%, and hydropower, which slipped 2%.

Solar and wind energy prices have begun to stabilize, which is a natural sign of market maturity, the authors underscored.

Photo: Renewable energy LCOE 2010-2024, in United States dollars per kilowatt-hour (IRENA)

Clear path to affordable, secure, sustainable energy

The addition of 582 GW of renewables capacity in 2024 led to significant cost savings, avoiding fossil fuel use valued at about USD 57 billion, new data shows. Looking at all renewables in operation, the avoided fossil fuel costs in 2024 reached up to USD 467 billion, IRENA’s Director-General Francesco La Camera stated.

New renewable power outcompetes fossil fuels on cost, offering a clear path to affordable, secure and sustainable energy, he pointed out.

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July 24, 2025
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China-based Astronergy to build solar cell factory in western Turkey

Astronergy allocated USD 700 million for its second solar module factory in Turkey. It aims to start manufacturing photovoltaic wafers and cells in Balıkesir in the first phase. The company is part of Chint Group, headquartered in China.

Turkey’s industrial base for renewable energy equipment is expanding. The solar and wind power segment is serving the participants in government auctions, which have high domestic content requirements, and benefiting from manufacturing incentives. China-based firm Astronergy, which already operates a solar panel factory in Adana of 1 GW in annual capacity, decided to build another facility in western Turkey.

The investment in Balıkesir will be worth USD 700 million, the company’s Chairman in Turkey Ercüment Kaya told Anadolu Agency. Astronergy, part of Chint Group, aims to start building the factory by the end of the year.

In the first phase, the facility would manufacture solar wafers and cells and reach 3 GW per year. By 2028, when it is set to be fully operational, it would have 5 GW in capacity and produce photovoltaic modules as well, the official revealed.

The solar panel manufacturer is planning to export 80% of the devices that it manufactures in the second factory

The company would employ its TOPCon 4.0 cell technology. Astronergy counts on the government’s HIT-30 program for high technology, the report adds. Kaya said the manufacturer bought land in Balıkesir’s industrial zone and that it intends to export 80% of the devices, mostly to the American market and Southern Europe.

Early this year, 75 solar panel manufacturers operated in Turkey. Put together, their annual capacity was 44.5 GW. Three were making solar cells and their overall capacity was 6.1 GW per year.

The country is also strong in other technologies, like for geothermal power plants.

The government recently declared a 2035 target for solar and wind of 120 GW in total. Turkey hosts some 23 GW in photovoltaic capacity.

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July 23, 2025
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Rolls-Royce SMR to start works with ČEZ on small modular reactors

Rolls-Royce SMR and Czech utility ČEZ have signed an early works agreement. It paves the way for site-specific work on their small modular reactor project at the Temelín nuclear power plant.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala have signed a deal to work together to seize SMR export opportunities, support highly skilled jobs, boost economic growth and deliver clean, homegrown energy in both countries. It was followed by an early works agreement between Rolls-Royce SMR and ČEZ as a step forward in their strategic partnership for up to 3 GW of low-carbon energy in the Czech Republic.

ČEZ has acquired 20% of Rolls-Royce SMR

The two companies said that now they can launch site-specific work on their small modular reactor project at the Temelín nuclear power plant. Last year ČEZ selected Rolls-Royce SMR as its preferred SMR technology partner and agreed to purchase 20% of the company based in the United Kingdom. After that, they declared the transaction complete in early March.

“We are proud to be working alongside ČEZ to deliver a programme that will bring significant industrial and economic benefits to both our nations, while helping to meet critical energy security and decarbonisation goals,” Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce SMR Chris Cholerton said.

Czech Republic’s first SMR to be deployed in mid-2030s

ČEZ will closely cooperate with Rolls-Royce SMR on preparing the construction of the country’s first small modular reactor, expected to be built at the site of the Temelín nuclear power plant in the mid-2030s, according to the Czech utility’s board member Tomáš Pleskač, who is at the helm of its New Energy Division.

Modular reactors represent a significant opportunity for the country’s economy and are an essential part of the ongoing energy transformation, he added and stressed that the cooperation offers a unique opportunity for growth and prosperity in the field of nuclear energy.

Additional opportunities at ČEZ’s Tušimice nuclear plant

The activities would initially be focused on the site of ČEZ’s Temelín nuclear plant in the South Bohemian region, the update reveals. The companies pointed to additional deployment opportunities at the location of ČEZ’s Tušimice nuclear plant, in the Ústí nad Labem region.

The early works would include regulatory approvals and licensing and environmental assessments. Rolls-Royce SMR is designing units of 470 MW, set to operate for 60 years.

Temelín is near the city of České Budějovice. It is the largest power station in Czechia, housing two VVER 1000 reactors.

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July 23, 2025
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Meet VIREAS: new AI-powered virtual assistant for energy

Croatia’s Regional Energy Agency North has launched VIREAS – a virtual energy assistant powered by artificial intelligence.

VIREAS answers users’ questions about energy renovation and renewable energy sources in real time, provides recommendations tailored to users’ homes and needs, helps identify opportunities to save energy and reduce costs, and explains technical concepts in simple terms, the Regional Energy Agency North (REA North) said.

The VIREAS app is an interactive platform that enables users to engage with an AI assistant on various topics related to energy efficiency and renewable energy.

VIREAS is designed for those who want to save energy and use renewables

The idea behind the chatbot is to help owners of houses and buildings improve energy efficiency or install facilities for the use of renewable energy sources. For example, it assists in renovating the facade, replacing the heating system, or installing a heat pump or solar power plant.

It enables faster, easier, and more secure decision-making processes related to energy renovation, without the need for expert knowledge, the agency claimed.

VIREAS can be used both by people with very little knowledge and by experts

Using VIREAS is simple and user-friendly for everyone, whether you have very little knowledge or you are an expert, according to REA North.

In addition to technical recommendations, VIREAS informs users about available subsidies and public calls from the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund or FZOEU, making it easier to access public funds and further reduce investment costs.

The agency warned that VIREAS doesn’t replace a project designer or a certified energy consultant

REA North underlined that VIREAS uses official sources of information. It includes public calls launched by FZOEU, technical rules on thermal protection and heating and cooling systems, and energy certification rulebooks.

The agency stressed that although its chatbot provides useful information and tips, it doesn’t replace a project designer or authorized energy consultant. REA North advised citizens to consult experts to make a final decision and for the preparation of project documentation.

The design of the chatbot was co-financed by the BauNOW project under the Interreg Euro-MED program.

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