Profine

Mar 7, 2023

Author: Darin Dingler. License: Creative Commons. Attribution 2.0 Generic March 7 (SeeNews) - Profine Energy, a subsidiary of Germany's Profine Group, is working on parallel projects to install grid-connected solar photovoltaic plants with battery storage in Serbia and Bosnia, with capacities of 450 MW and 100 MW respectively, the group's owner and CEO, Peter Mrosik, said on Tuesday. The ground-mounted solar array in Serbia will be near a planned carbon-free industrial park, to be built on an area of some 800 ha between Belgrade and Novi Sad, for an overall investment of more than 2 billion euro ($2.13 billion), Mrosik said at a news conference in Sofia, Bulgaria without specifying the source of the capital. The solar park will cover the energy needs of Profine itself and interested companies whose production facilities will be located in the industrial zone. These include an unspecified number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from the automotive sector. The energy consumption needs of Profine Group's 25 production facilities, together with those of its customers, add up to over 2.5 GW per year, according to Mrosik, so more renewable projects will be needed. Ultimately, Profine is looking at making use of the electricity generated from potential projects at its production sites across Europe. Last year, Profine Group established Profine Energy, a joint venture with German construction company Wirth Group which is a long-term partner and has experience in renewable project development. The goal is to develop solar, wind and biomass projects near the production facilities of Profine Group, which is a leading manufacturer of PVC profiles for windows and doors. In May 2022, Profine Group said it bought a 600,000 sq m land plot in Serbia situated between Belgrade and Novi Sad to build a production facility with a potential output capacity of at least 50,000 tonnes per year. The site will serve as a hub for the region of Southeastern Europe, Profine said at the time. For its renewable energy projects, Profine Energy is looking predominantly at opportunities in Southeastern Europe, with the likely speed of execution of potential projects to be the determining factor for choosing locations, Mrosik noted. Profine Energy is currently undertaking a feasibility and investment study for a potential floating solar park of at least 500 MW to be installed on the Ogosta reservoir near Montana, in northwestern Bulgaria. ($ = 0.9382 euro)