Announcement Of The Second Renewable Energy Support Scheme ("MET'R") Tender In Hungary

• Published date: 08 July 2020
• Subject Matter: Energy and Natural Resources, Energy Law, Renewables
• Law Firm: Kinstellar
• Author: Mr Kristóf Ferenczi

On 18 June 2020 the Hungarian Ministry of Innovation and Technology ('Ministry') announced that the Ministry requested the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority ('HEPURA') to launch the second public tender procedure under the Hungarian Renewable Energy Support Scheme ('MET'R'). The actual launch of the second MET'R tender is expected in July 2020.

According to the Ministry's announcement, the total amount of subsidy to be distributed under the second MET'R tender is HUF 800 million per year and the limit for the distributed capacity rights will be 390 GWh/year.

The bidders will be entitled to apply for subsidies in the following categories:

• by power plants below 1 MW capacity where the limit for the distributed capacity is 40 GWh/year ('Small Category')
• by power plants between 1 MW and 49.99 MW capacity, where the limit for the distributed capacity is 350 GWh/year ('Large Category')

The subsidy available to bidders belonging to the same beneficial owner is maximized in 15 GWh/year in the Small Category and 175 GWh/year in the Large Category. Similarly to the first MET'R tender, the commercial operation of the beneficiary plants must start within 3 years of the date of issuance of the HEPURA's resolution on granting the MET'R entitlement.

Although the second MET'R tender is also declared as a technology-neutral tender (i.e. the tender is not limited to certain specific technology), considering the results of the...