This project aims to prepare conditions for the establishment of five Renewable Energy Communities (REC) in the municipality of Përmet with the primary goal of generating solar power to reduce current electricity costs for operating medium-sized irrigation pumps.
The pump stations are in the villages of Piskova, Pacomit, Kutal-Bodar, Qilarisht, and Kaludh. For several years, these stations have been pumping surface water from the Vjosa River at a capacity of around 40-80 liters/second. The pumps are two types:
- directly pumping water from Vjosa river to the farmers land and
- pumping water from Vjosa River to reservoir and irrigation is based on free flow.
Within the framework of this Smart Energy Municipalities project (SEMP) in Albania, necessary analyses and pre-feasibility studies will be conducted to rise the interest of donors and financial institutions to invest in improving and modernizing the irrigation system using renewable energy from Photovoltaic panels. Undoubtedly, such investments will help farmers to become into energy prosumers together with the municipality, and additionally will help the municipality to increase investments in other sectors.
