May 16 (Renewables Now) - As much as 37 companies from 13 countries have signed up to take part in Ecuador’s tender process through which the South American state will award concessions for 500 MW of new renewable energy capacity across the country.

Interested companies come from Argentina, Chile, China, Colombia, South Korea, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Spain, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic, Ecuador’s ministry of energy and mining said on Saturday.

The tender procedure, locally known as Bloque ERNC, started in December 2021, and is now at the stage where the bidders are preparing their offers. They will be competing for projects grouped in four sub-blocks, with 150 MW allocated for small-scale hydro, 200 MW for wind power, 120 MW for solar and 30 MW for biomass/biogas-based plants.

Projects with the lowest energy price will be selected until the capacity within each sub-block is completely absorbed. Promoters can develop new projects for this tender or pick some from the energy ministry’s portfolio, the ministry reiterated.

Opening of technical offers is due on October 28, followed by the opening of economic offers on December 28, 2022. The awards process is set to finalise on January 18, 2023, according to the new timetable.

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