The EU’s third cross-border solar tender offers a share of €54.9 million ($63.8 million) in solar-plus-storage projects in selected Bulgarian districts and ground-mounted solar projects in Finland, with financing from Luxembourg. The deadline for registration is September 1.
The European Commission has opened a new call for proposals for ground-mounted solar energy projects to be developed through cooperation between contributing and recipient EU Member States.
It is the third cross-border solar tender announced under the EU Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism (RENEWFM). Projects in Bulgaria and Finland are eligible, with a total amount of €54.9 million ($63.8 million) in investment support. Luxembourg, as a contributing Member State, provides the financing.
Eligibility Criteria states that the funding round will support ground-mounted solar projects co-located with battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Bulgaria, which are located in the districts of Pernik, Kyustendik or Stara Zagora, as well as ground-mounted solar projects in Finland, somewhere other than the Åland region.
Support in Finland is limited to 400 MW. No upper capacity limit has been set in Bulgaria, although a project’s solar and storage units must have the same grid access point.
Each project must be a minimum of 10 MW and a maximum of 100 MW. The selected facilities have until March 1, 2029 to begin commercial operations.
The European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure and Environment (CINEA), which is managing the tender, is organizing a virtual information day on April 17 to present ranking criteria and rules for grant payments.
Potential bidders have until September 1, 2026 to submit applications. Grant agreements are scheduled for singing in June 2027.
The EU’s first cross-border solar tender has been launched April 2023with Luxembourg financing the projects and Finland hosting. The funding call closed in May 2024 when CINEA signed grant agreements with seven solar projects in Finland with a combined capacity of 212.99 MW.
A second tender was launched in July 2024which covers solar energy in Finland and onshore wind energy in Estonia, with Luxembourg again providing the financing. In May last year, grant agreements were signed for seven solar energy projects and two wind projects, with a total capacity of 445.65 MW.
Bulgaria installed 1.4 GW of solar energy last year, bringing its total capacity to just under 6 GW. Finland added 227 MW of utility-scale solar power last year, a calendar year record for the country.
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