As stated in a press release, the company remains committed to its vision of further strengthening its leadership role in the energy transition underway in Southeastern Europe. It continues to enhance its green portfolio with the construction of a new photovoltaic station, "Colosseum," located in the Stara Zagora region of central Bulgaria, with a capacity of 165 MWp.
Additionally, the neighboring energy storage station, with a nominal capacity of 25 MW and an installed capacity of 55 MWh, is expected to be completed simultaneously with the photovoltaic station. This storage facility will support the operation of the photovoltaic station and contribute to the stability of the electricity grid.
The interconnection of the new project to the neighboring country’s electricity system will be achieved through a new 33/110 kV substation, located at the project's boundaries. The construction of the new photovoltaic station will utilize 260,000 state-of-the-art bifacial solar panels. The energy storage station will employ innovative LFP liquid-cooled batteries, maximizing both energy efficiency and safety during operation.
The estimated annual energy production from the project is expected to exceed 265 GWh, which will meet the energy needs of over 45,000 households. The operation of the project is also expected to prevent the emission of approximately 133,000 tons of CO2 per year.
The new 165 MW photovoltaic park will be added to the existing 18 MW capacity of the Garda wind park, already operational in Bulgaria under the DEI Group.
In total, the DEI Group, in addition to its 208 MW of renewable energy projects already operational or under construction, has an additional 550 MW of renewable energy projects at various stages of development in Bulgaria.
Konstantinos Mavros, Deputy CEO of RES at the DEI Group and CEO of DEI Renewables, highlighted: "Just weeks after the commencement of photovoltaic operations in Italy, the dynamic expansion of the DEI Group in the Bulgarian energy market clearly demonstrates the Group's strategy to become a dominant energy player in the broader Southeast European region. The project we are launching in Bulgaria offers a comprehensive solution, not only generating energy but also addressing the intermittency of the technology through the storage unit being developed simultaneously."
DEI Group Expands Its Presence in Southeast Europe
The DEI Group is making significant strides in the development of new renewable energy projects, with new wind and photovoltaic stations continually being added to its existing projects, which already have an installed capacity of approximately 5.5 GW. According to the three-year strategic plan, by 2027, the DEI Group will develop an additional 6.3 GW of renewable energy capacity in Greece and Southeast Europe, with the goal of reaching an installed capacity of 11.8 GW by 2027. Currently, more than 60% of these renewable energy projects are under construction or ready for construction.
In Italy, by the end of 2024, the DEI Group announced the commencement of operations for two new photovoltaic stations, Carcarello and Luxenia, with a combined installed capacity of 32 MW. The estimated annual energy production from the two stations is expected to exceed 60 GWh, enough to cover the energy needs of nearly 15,000 households and avoid the emission of approximately 37,200 tons of CO2.
In Romania, the DEI Group has doubled its renewable energy capacity and is now the largest renewable energy producer in the country, with 25 wind, photovoltaic, and hydropower projects in operation, as well as battery storage units, totaling an installed capacity of 1.3 GW.
