March 27 (SeeNews) - ESCO Bulgaria, a former unit of Czech power utility CEZ, said on Monday it will develop, install and maintain two solar photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of 13,000 kWp at copper producer Aurubis Bulgaria.
ESCO Bulgaria, which is now part of Bulgarian diversified group Synthetica [BUL:SYN], will be in charge of the project's technical design, equipment delivery and assembly, commissioning and maintenance of the plants, the company said in a press release.
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In December last year, German parent company Aurubis said it will invest 20 million euro ($21.5 million) to expand the solar power generation capacity at its plant in Pirdop, western Bulgaria, from the existing 10 MW. The two new renewable power facilities will be installed in 2023 and 2024. They will ensure a total output of 17,000 MWh per year, equal to the energy needs of some 5,000 households.
Together with the Aurubis 1 solar park, which was commissioned at the end of 2021, the photovoltaic parks will cover around 6% of the current energy needs of the Aurubis Bulgaria plant, ESCO Bulgaria added. Aurubis 1 has an annual output of 11,700 MWh.
The first of the two new solar parks, Aurubis 2, will be located on the site of a reclaimed landfill at the plant whereas Aurubis 3 will be constructed at the technical site of the plant in Pirdop.
By 2030, Aurubis Bulgaria aims renewables to cover 20% of its overall energy needs at the multi-metal production site at Pirdop, the company has said.
($ = 0.9287 euro)
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