Solar Park Inaugurated at ELI-ALPS in Szeged

A HUF 2 billion solar park was inaugurated at the ELI-ALPS Laser Research Institute in Szeged (SE Hungary) on Tuesday.

Speaking at the ceremony, Energy Minister Csaba Lantos said the government had ploughed HUF 25 billion, so far, into infrastructure at ELI-ALPS and the University of Szeged's Science Park.

Hungary currently has 8,200 MW of solar power capacity in operation. From April to the end of September, when solar panels produce large amounts of electricity, the country has a surplus of electricity during the day. This year, Hungary was a net electricity exporter on 15 days. At the same time, there were 340 hours this year when the price of electricity was zero or negative, which is why it is necessary to build energy storage capacities, the minister said.

ELI-ALPS managing director Gábor Szabó said renewables meet 35% of the institute's energy needs at present, and that ratio could soon reach 50% with the optimisation of battery storage capacity.