In December 2018, Statkraft Renewables Albania filed a request to the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for a construction permit for a floating solar park, which was later obtained. Norwegian energy company Statkraft has completed and commissioned the first 500 kW of a 2 MW floating solar power plant project in Albania.
The first section of the plant was built with 1,536 solar panels, provided by an unnamed manufacturer, and floating membranes supplied by Norwegian company Ocean Sun.
According to Statkraft, the project is expected to continue its second implementation phase during the second half of 2021, when three more 500 kW floating units will be installed. Head of Statkraft Albania Rigela Gegprifti said that after the start of commercial operations of hydropower plants Banja and Moglice, the company will be looking into further optimizing these renewable assets, stating that the floating solar power plant on the Banja resevoir is a concrete example for further integration of different resources of renewable energy.
