Net metering introduced in Albania

Albania’s Ministry of Energy and Industry has announced final approval of its net metering scheme for renewable energy.

Now in force, the program is expected to drive the installation of around 200 MW of rooftop PV capacity in the form of systems with a generation capacity of up to 500 kW.

Eligible projects will be entitled to net metering tariffs equal to electricity market prices with surplus power calculated by utility OSHEE on a monthly basis and final payments at the end of each year.

First push for rooftop solar

Albania’s PV push has been centered on large scale projects for the last two years, in particular a 50 MW auction and an incentive scheme for projects no larger than 2 MW. Neither scheme, however, has not resulted, so far, in significant deployment of installed capacity.

According to the latest statistics published by the International Renewable Energy Agency, Albania had installed just 1 MW of solar by the end of last year. In the first half of this year, three small solar parks with a capacity of up to 2 MW were grid connected.

Another 50 MW of utility scale solar should be operational this year or next. That will come in the form of the 50 MW solar park linked to the aforementioned auction which India Power plans to build on the Akërni salt flats, near Vlorë. The project, which the Albanian government assigned through a tender in November, will sell power to a local distributor at €59.90/MWh (€0.0599/kWh) for 15 years.

The authorities are expected to tender a new 50 MW section of the project in the months ahead.