Serbia’s Ministry of Mining and Energy has officially launched the country’s second renewables auction.

The ministry has confirmed the procurement exercise will aim to tender 124.8 MW of solar and 300 MW of wind at a maximum price of €72/MWh for solar projects and €79/MWh for wind projects, as previously set out by the Serbian government.

Unlike in the country’s first auction, a maximum capacity of 105 MW per auction participant has been set. This can be applied across one or multiple prospective projects. The ministry said in a statement that the change will “enable equal treatment of small producers and their projects compared to large producers.”

Another change in this auction will see chosen investors expected to offer capacity to a guaranteed supplier or end customer through a power purchase agreement of between three and 15 years.

“This means that we additionally encourage those investments that will ensure that the energy produced from domestic, clean sources is used for the needs of our citizens and the economy, improving the energy security of our country,” said Energy Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović.

She noted that the first auction secured 715 MW of projects and more than €1.1 billion of investment.

“After the success of last year's auction, this second step towards the fulfillment of the three-year plan of 1,300 MW represents an important signal to investors and all market participants about the country's commitment to increasing the capacity of wind and solar energy,” the minister said.

The second auction will take place electronically, with bids due by Feb. 5, 2025.

Serbia has announced the development of several large-scale solar projects this year, including a deal for 1 GW of solar across six sites and a 1 GW solar panel factory. In addition, work is now underway on state-owned utility Elektroprivreda Srbije’s first solar project.

Figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) show that Serbia had cumulatively deployed 137 MW of solar by the end of 2023.