German renewable energy project developer WPD will invest 500 million euros ($578 million) to build a 415 MW wind farm in North Macedonia. The Virovi Wind Farm aims to help North Macedonia switch to renewable energy sources to meet its electricity needs.

The North Macedonian government also announced that Virovi is a "strategic project" to help the country's energy transition efforts. Virovi plans to develop in three phases at three different locations across the country. The project will be equipped with a total of 69 wind turbines. The construction of the wind farm is scheduled to start in 2024 and is expected to be completed within six years.

After completion, it can generate more than 1.3GWh of renewable energy per year, while reducing carbon emissions by approximately 310,000 tons. Wind power facilities will generate enough clean energy to power nearly 290,000 households in the area. The North Macedonian government stated that although it will not subsidize the project, it will grant any necessary permits without delay.

The government has set a goal of installing 1,500 megawatts of solar power generation capacity and about 700 megawatts of wind power generation capacity. Virovi is said to be Germany’s largest investment in North Macedonia and the country’s first major investment in the country’s green energy sector since its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. In addition to approving wind farms, the government also approved the European Energy Trade and Investment Group's energy financing team to build an 80-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility in the country. Keywords: international engineering news, foreign engineering project information

It is understood that these two projects both meet the legal requirements for strategic investment and are approved by the government to qualify for the bank guarantee required to complete the strategic investment process. The Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zayev once stated that by 2027, the country's total energy investment will reach 3.1 billion euros.Editor/Baohongying