Reported from CSPPLAZA: On November 11, Athens time, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is on a state visit to Greece, held talks with Greek Prime Minister Mizutakis in Athens.

After the talks, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Mizotakis witnessed the text exchange of the Greek MINOS 50MW CSP project financing cooperation agreement.

Chen Siqing, Chairman of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China(ICBC), Wang Jianping, Chairman of Energy China Group, Kevin Sara, Chairman of NurEnergie, UK, and Dimitris Bouras, CEO of Greek PRENETON Company, represent separately the project financing party, project EPC contractor, project developer, and local construction unit to exchange cooperation agreement text.

The agreement is clear that the MINOS 50MW CSP project in Crete, Greece will be developed by NurEnergie, UK.; the consortium formed by China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co.,Ltd and Zhejiang Supcon Solar Technology Co., Ltd. is the EPC contractor of the project; the local PRENETON company will participate in the construction of the project; ICBC will provide financing support for the project. The cooperation in the construction of this CSP project provides a demonstration for the cooperation between China, Greece and Britain under the “Belt and Road Initiative” initiative.

Renderings of MINOS 50MW CSP project

In the same period, the signing ceremony of the EPC contract for the MINOS 50MW CSP project was held in Athens, Greece.

Signing Ceremony of EPC Contract for MINOS 50MW CSP Project

The MINOS 50MW CSP project will be the first CSP project in Greece. The project is located in the southeast of Crete, Greece, with an installed capacity of 50MW and a 5-hour molten salt heat storage system. Once completed, it can provide high-quality clean electricity equivalent to 10% of local electricity demand every year. While meeting the increasing power demand of the local area, it is of great significance to greatly increase the proportion of local clean energy and protect the island's ecological environment and tourism resources. .

In addition, during the construction period, more than 500 jobs will be provided to the local area, and 50 long-term jobs will be created during the 25-year operation period. Therefore, the promotion of the MINOS 50MW CSP project has received much attention and support from the local government. Mizotakis described it as one of the ‘key green projects’ and as a “strategic investment”.