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