Statkraft celebrates Albania’s first floating solar site entering commercial operations

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The Banja Reservoir is now home to both Statkraft’s 72MW hydropower asset and floating solar. Image: Statkraft

Statkraft has completed what it claims to be Albania’s first floating solar plant, energising a 500kW, first phase install at the base of a hydropower project on the country’s Banja reservoir.

With an installed capacity of 0.5MWp, the first unit is to be followed by three more, adding a further 1.5MWp to the project’s overall capacity. These are to be installed on the reservoir – which is also home to Statkraft’s 72MW hydropower plant – in the latter half of 2021.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Each unit consists of a floating ring and a thin membrane, an element that, alongside the cooling of the panels from the water below and the large area, the company said makes the concept unique.

The first of these units is made up of 1,536 panels covering 4,000 square meters, with a further 160 panels having been placed on land for comparison and documentation of the cooling effect of the floating panels.

The floating solar was developed in collaboration with Norwegian supplier Ocean Sun, which developed the technology for the asset, with the duo also bringing local contractor Doko on board.

The partnership between the two Norwegian firms was first announced in March 2019, with the total cost of the asset expected to be €2.3 million (US$2.8 million).

Rigela Gegprifti, Statkraft’s country head in Albania, said: “After the start of commercial operations of our Banja and Moglice hydropower plants, we are looking into further optimising these renewable assets.

“The Banja Floating Solar Plant is a concrete example for further integration of different resources of renewable energy.”

The volume of hydropower in the country, which represents around 95% of the country’s installed power capacity, alongside Albania boasting some of Europe’s highest number of sunshine hours per year makes it an attractive market for the development of floating solar.

A separate 12.9MW floating solar project is also currently under development in the country, with a €9.1 million loan provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to a special-purpose vehicle established by state-owned utility Korporata Elektroenergjitike Shqiptare in April.

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.
24 March 2026
Lisbon, Portugal
Returning for its 14th edition, Large Scale Solar Europe is the essential meeting point for solar leaders across Europe. The event brings together developers, IPPs, investors, and policymakers to address critical challenges and accelerate solar’s pivotal role in achieving Europe’s Net Zero by 2050 goals.

Read Next

October 2, 2025
Spanish waste management company Trabede and energy firm Greening Group will build a solar module recycling plant in Granada, Andalusia, Spain.
October 2, 2025
The European solar sector will lose around 5% of its jobs in 2025, the first contraction in employment for the sector in nearly a decade.
October 2, 2025
PV products using perovskite technology could assume a dominant position within the next ten years, according to module producer Qcells' CTO.
October 1, 2025
The insurance industry must adapt to evolving risks to head off a 'protection gap' that could undermine the global green energy transition.
October 1, 2025
Italy has released the results of its latest solar auction, which includes 273 expressions of interest for a combined capacity of 3,161MW.
October 1, 2025
Fortis Energy has secured a construction permit for a 270MW PV plant combined with a 72MWh battery energy storage system in Serbia.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland