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April 25, 2025
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Turkey to manufacture green hydrogen, nuclear, CCS equipment

The 2030 Industry and Technology Strategy includes setting up industrial facilities in Turkey for nuclear energy, green hydrogen, battery storage and carbon capture and storage (CCS). The country is planning to establish a value chain for critical raw materials. The government vowed to support the development of semiconductor technology, autonomous and flying vehicles and cybersecurity solutions, alongside innovations for electric vehicles and solar and wind power.

With its recently unveiled 2030 Industry and Technology Strategy, Turkey announced the ambition to upgrade its industrial production to one of the most advanced in the world. As Russia’s Rosatom is completing the country’s first nuclear reactor in Akkuyu, the government is planning to develop its own technology in the segment.

The strategy involves setting up industrial clusters for equipment and infrastructure. Among the possible technologies are molten salt reactors. The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), Turkish Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Agency (TENMAK) and Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) are tasked with establishing a nuclear tech park.

Green hydrogen mostly needed for decarbonizing hard-to-abate industrial production

TÜBİTAK is responsible for developing domestic electrolyzers as well. The national hydrogen program is set to bring support for integrating the production of green hydrogen, storage, transportation and consumption. The last of the four is especially focused on energy-intensive industries such as steel, petrochemicals and fertilizers.

Another segment that would get incentives is the use of hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles including heavy vehicles. The strategy envisages setting up pilot zones for green hydrogen production, with electrolyzers powered by wind and solar energy.

Turkey has high ambitions for high-tech exports

Turkey has revealed the goal of tripling its high-tech exports to USD 30 billion by the end of the decade. It is part of an ambition to lift industrial exports to USD 400 billion from last year’s USD 247 billion. At the same time, the government’s target for the overall valuation of domestic tech startups is USD 100 billion.

The 2030 Industry and Technology Strategy has other chapters, too, like carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS or just CCS), access to critical raw materials, semiconductor and battery manufacturing and cybersecurity. Officials vowed to continue prioritizing domestic electric vehicles, but with investments in autonomous operation systems and even flying cars.

Cybersecurity solar and wind turbine technologies. Turkey apparently remains dedicated to expanding the industrial base for solar panels and wind turbines as well.

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April 25, 2025
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Terna Energy to make pumped storage, wind power hybrid in Amari in Crete

Greek renewable energy company Terna Energy, recently acquired by Masdar, made a step forward in its Amari hybrid power plant project in Crete.

The facility in the country’s largest island would comprise two wind farms with a total capacity of 81.6 MW and a pumped storage hydropower station, at the Amari dam reservoir, of 50 MW. The Ministry of Environment and Energy approved a construction site study, advancing the investment.

It should be noted that the project has been plagued by delays. The initial environmental license was published back in 2019. The total planned capacity has been reduced from 161.1 MW to 131.6 MW.

The pumped storage system would consist of two turbines and four pumps, the update shows. The sites for the wind farms are in the municipality of Sitia.

Terna Energy has said it would be the largest hybrid power plant in Europe, valuing the investment at EUR 280 million. Masdar’s subsidiary is also building its Amfilochia pumped storage hydropower plant in mainland Greece, which will have a capacity of 680 MW.

Investors mainly interested in standalone storage, not hybrids

Interest in hybrid power plants has been low in Greece, as there are only a few small investment proposals per licensing cycle.

But companies are keen on building standalone pumped hydropower units. In the April round, Freenergy submitted seven proposals of 80 MW apiece. It follows 14 applications in March by various groups, each for more than 100 MW.

Greek authorities are eager to facilitate the first standalone storage projects, including batteries. The country faced a grid overload issue during the Easter holiday, as electricity from photovoltaics far exceeded demand and it had to be heavily curtailed. The first storage installations are expected this year. The technology is seen gradually easing the curtailments and allowing further renewable energy penetration.

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April 25, 2025
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MORE puts 43.2 MW wind park in northern Greece into regular operation

Motor Oil Renewable Energy (MORE) received the operating license for its 43.2 MW wind power plant near the border with North Macedonia. The facility was in test operation since the fourth quarter of 2023.

MORE has 839 MW in renewable electricity plants in operation, aiming to reach 2 GW by 2030. There is already almost 3 GW in the project pipeline. The subsidiary of oil refiner Motor Oil Hellas recently received the operating license for its Kellas (Kella) wind park in Amyntaio in the Western Macedonia region.

The facility was in test operation since the fourth quarter of 2023. It has 43.2 MW in nominal capacity, while the maximum is 40 MW. The wind power plant, consisting of nine Nordex N-149 turbines, is near the border with North Macedonia.

The parent company financed the endeavor by buying a EUR 41.3 million bond that a project firm issued. In 2023 it refinanced it with EUR 47 million. MORE said that it recently also completed a wind farm in Phocis (Fokida). The combined capacity with the one in Amyntaio is 65 MW.

Partnership with Terna Energy for Greece’s first offshore wind park

The renewable energy company is planning floating and conventional wind farms as well. Its joint venture with Masdar’s Terna Energy, called Aioliki Provata Traianoupoleos, is developing a 400 MW project for a site on the Ionian Sea between Alexandroupolis and the island of Samothrace. It would be Greece’s first offshore wind power plant.

MORE’s solar power joint venture with PPC Renewables, the green energy branch of government-controlled Public Power Corp., has received final connection offers earlier this month for 882.4 MW. Six locations, for 742.4 MW altogether, are in the Kozani region, a 92 MW project is in Kilkis and another one, of 48 MW, is in Serres, all in northern Greece.

The idea is to sell the electricity to the Greek industry through bilateral power purchase agreements (PPAs), as well as to support farmers participating in the GAIA program, with a special tariff.

The two renewable energy companies already have final connection offers for 300 MW and they expect another 311 MW soon. Separately, PPC and Motor Oil are planning a 50 MW hydrogen production facility, as Hellenic Hydrogen.

MORE invested over EUR 1.6 billion in past two years

MORE said it invested over EUR 1.6 billion in the past two years. It entered a partnership in 2024 in Romania with Premier Energy for solar power plants with storage. MORE’s battery projects are underway in Greece, too.

GEK Terna and Motor Oil have built an 877 MW gas power plant in Komotini, in the region of East Macedonia and Thrace. The facility is about to enter regular operation, Energypress reported.

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April 25, 2025
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Zagreb on track to reach almost 20 MW of solar on public buildings

Zagreb operates solar power plants with a total capacity of 2.43 MW on public buildings, and an additional 16 MW is set to be installed on roofs, according to Mayor Tomislav Tomašević.

In 2021, the capital city of Croatia presented the Sunny Roofs program for the installation of photovoltaic plants with a combined capacity of 50 MW. Implementation began three years ago with the Solarization of Institutions of the City of Zagreb (SOLIZAG) project.

It was worth EUR 1,1 million. Within SOLIZAG, power plants were installed on eight city buildings – swimming pools Utrina, Svetice, and Jelkovec, kindergarten Trnsko, psychiatric hospital Sv. Ivan, homes for the elderly Trešnjevka 1 and 2 and waste management utility Čistoća. They have a total capacity of 1.6 MW.

The city currently has 2.43 MW of solar power plants in operation on public buildings

“In total, we currently have 2.43 MW of solar power plants in operation on public buildings owned by the City of Zagreb. It is three times the capacity we found in June 2021, only 0.7 MW,” Tomašević stated.

Currently, a total of 16 MW of solar power plants on city-owned buildings have been contracted or are in the process of being contracted. A firm has been selected for the design and construction of 10 MW of solar panels on approximately 200 city buildings, with implementation set to begin this year.

The mayor describes it as the largest investment in the solarization of public buildings in Zagreb’s history. In his view, it is a key step toward the goal of a more energy self-sufficient city.

Residents of Zagreb have a digital platform for assessing the solar potential of their roofs

In addition to the investments, commercial projects are being developed through the company Zagrebački Sunčani Krovovi. The PVMax project, supported by the North-West Croatia Regional Energy Agency (REGEA), is also underway for 41 MW in total on company buildings. So far, 6 MW has been installed.

Residents of Zagreb can assess the solar potential of their roof on a digital platform. It also calculates the cost-effectiveness.

Croatia’s capital is also participating in the Climate City Contract, which unites 100 cities committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2030. As part of the initiative, Zagreb is preparing a climate neutrality plan, expecting to adopt it this year.

Marking Earth Day, Mayor Tomašević visited one of the PV plants built within the SOLIZAG project, at the Svetice swimming pool complex. He was accompanied by his deputies Danijela Dolenec and Luka Korlaet.

Photo: City of Zagreb
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April 25, 2025
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Montenegro’s CEDIS to invest EUR 30 million in distribution grid

Montenegrin electricity distribution system operator CEDIS plans to invest EUR 30 million this year or EUR 6 million more than in 2024.

The increase in investments demonstrates greater ambitions year after year and that grid works are becoming more intensive and demanding, according to CEDIS.

The country’s distribution system operator (DSO) said it would increase capacity for the integration of new users, improve voltage conditions, strengthen reliability and security of power supply, and reduce losses.

The investments include projects planned to be started this year as well as ones already in motion, such as the modernization of six 35/10 kV substations.

CEDIS is building two substations

CEDIS pointed to several significant endeavors within the primary grid. The most significant ones are the construction of 35/10 kV substations Tivat 3 and Rijeka Crnojevića, and the modernization of the systems Buljarica-Kufin (110/35 kV) and Podgorica 7 (110/10 kV).

Seven 35/10 kV substations are up for reconstruction – Tuzi, Unač, Ptič, Andrijevica, Velika Plaža 1, Velika Plaža 2 and Čanj. The plan includes procuring new equipment for existing 35 kV transmission lines, worth about EUR 1.4 million.

The company is introducing SCADA and ADMS systems

CEDIS will use a EUR 35 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to roll out SCADA and ADMS systems, and to purchase smart meters.

The company highlighted SCADA and ADMS as a key step towards the modernization of the distribution network and the improvement of reliability, efficiency, and security of the power system.

Investments envisaged by the project Decarbonization of the Energy Sector of Montenegro, financed with a loan from the World Bank, are kicking off this year. Its subproject for increasing the operational efficiency of the power distribution grid comprises the reconstruction and modernization of substations, and improvement in the visibility of the distribution network.

EUR 5 million for energy infrastructure on Jaz-Tivat Boulevard

One of the largest investments is the installation of power infrastructure within the construction of the Jaz-Tivat Boulevard. The investment is estimated at EUR 5 million.

Projects within the secondary distribution grid are the construction of 268 substations of 10/0.4 kV, modernization of 10 kV transmission lines, and reconstruction of existing 10/0.4 kV substations. The planned works are valued at more than EUR 6 million.

CEDIS is continuing with the revitalization of the middle- and low-voltage grid. It earmarked EUR 9 million for this year for the purpose. The project is for the renewal of four 10 kV transmission lines and 52 substations of 10/0.4 kV and replacing 1,500 poles.

The installation of new meters and the relocation of measuring points will also be continued. The plan is to start phase 4 of the advanced metering management (AMM) project. The investment is estimated at EUR 12 million.

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April 25, 2025
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Constitutional Court of Bulgaria annuls exemptions for renewables on agricultural land

The Constitutional Court of Bulgaria scrapped a legal provision that enabled investors to build agrivoltaic facilities on high-grade agricultural land without changing its purpose, and one that simplified the procedure of changing the purpose to build renewable energy plants intended for non-agricultural needs.

Authorities can’t simplify procedures for renewable energy plants at the expense of agricultural land, a limited and non-renewable resource, according to the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria. The judges scrapped controversial measures aimed at promoting agrivoltaic and green energy facilities.

President Rumen Radev challenged them a year and a half ago, after the National Assembly changed the Agricultural Land Protection Act. He argued that it increases the risk of uncontrolled land conversion. The amendments have also affected energy legislation.

The court said the country’s constitution obligates the government to protect the environment and biodiversity and ensure the rational use of natural resources. Arable land is only for agricultural purposes and changes are allowed only exceptionally, if there is proven need and in line with the procedure determined by law, it added.

Agrisolar exemption lacked clear, precise criterion

It is unacceptable for basic legal provisions to be introduced in a bylaw to fill gaps in the law, the ruling reads.

The Constitutional Court annulled the exemption for agrivoltaic (agrisolar) projects from the obligation to change the purpose of the land. The definition of the concept in a bylaw, that it allows unhindered use of agricultural land, is insufficient for an exception, judges explained. They said a clear and precise criterion is required.

The other legal provision that the court scrapped was the simplification of the procedure to repurpose agricultural land for investments in renewable energy plants for non-agricultural purposes. Radev has disputed another similar measure, but parliament deleted it from the law in the meantime, so the Constitutional Court rejected his complaint.

Notably, investors now face higher expenses.

Upon Radev’s complaint, lawmakers reinstated rule protecting higher-quality arable land

In 2013, the president also moved to overturn allowing wind, solar, hydropower and geothermal and bioenergy facilities on agricultural land graded 5 to 10.

But lawmakers soon limited the scope to grades 7-10, like before, so the panel rejected his request to determine the constitutionality of the original rule.

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