SUNOTEC began a new stage of international expansion with the awarding of the Mella project in the Dominican Republic , its first major milestone in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The initiative will combine solar photovoltaic generation and battery storage under a scheme that integrates electricity production, grid infrastructure and long-term asset management from the design stage.
“Mella is much more than a project for SUNOTEC. It is the beginning of a long-term commitment to the Dominican Republic and the entire region,” said Alejandro Ramos , Managing Director of SUNOTEC Iberia.
The company identified the Dominican market as one of the most promising in the region due to the growth in electricity demand, the investment environment, and the continuity of policies aimed at incorporating renewables and storage .
The award was made within the EDES-LPI-01-2025 tender, a process that marked a paradigm shift by requiring BESS systems as a mandatory condition for new renewable generation projects.
The tender received bids for 1655 MWp against a demand of 600 MW , reflecting high competition and the interest of international and local developers in entering the market.
Finally, the Electricity Distribution Companies awarded 325.69 MW of new renewable capacity , accompanied by storage equivalent to 50% of the contracted power.
The remaining demand was not awarded because the bids exceeded the reference price set in the tender.
Ramos explained that the result represents SUNOTEC's first step in building a long-term presence in Latin America and consolidating its commitment to the Dominican Republic.
Following the award, the distributors moved forward with signing the power purchase agreements. For SUNOTEC, the mandatory incorporation of batteries confirmed the direction that electrical systems with a high penetration of variable sources will have to follow.
“Storage is no longer simply an add-on to renewable generation; it is becoming a central element in the operation of modern electrical systems,” the executive warned.
European experience and local implementation
SUNOTEC identified the main differentiator of its proposal as the combination of its experience in advanced European markets and the decision to invest, partner and develop capabilities in the Dominican Republic .
The company was founded in 2012 and specializes in the design and construction of large-scale renewable energy infrastructure. Its global portfolio exceeds 680 photovoltaic installations and 15 GW of installed capacity .
The company also employs more than 2,000 professionals and maintains a corporate presence in Bulgaria, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain.
Ramos noted that the firm brings experience gained in some of the most advanced renewable markets in Europe, while building a local structure and long-term alliances in the Dominican Republic.
The strategy is not limited to the development of a single asset. SUNOTEC seeks to establish a stable operation and become a leading partner for future generation, storage, and grid infrastructure initiatives.
“Our ambition goes beyond simply owning a project. We want to become a trusted partner in the country’s energy transition,” remarked the Managing Director of SUNOTEC Iberia.
The Mella project will also serve as a first test of the company's ability to transfer its engineering, purchasing, construction, technological integration and asset management models to the Caribbean.
After the contracts are signed, the priority will be to meet the milestones planned within the competitive process and move from award to execution.
Over the next few months, SUNOTEC expects to define the acquisition strategy for the main equipment, finalize agreements with suppliers, complete engineering activities, and organize the local structure that will support the development.
The company will also finalize CAPEX and OPEX strategies, construction planning, and the necessary partnerships with key stakeholders.
“Our goal is clear: to deliver a high-quality asset safely, efficiently, and on time,” Ramos stated.
The company has not yet specified a definitive date for the commercial operation nor a final investment amount for Mella.
These variables will depend on the completion of the engineering tasks, the supply agreements, the financial structuring, and the final planning of the works.
Energy storage is one of the pillars of SUNOTEC's global business and is a central part of its photovoltaic portfolio.
The company reports more than 50 battery projects and a capacity exceeding 6 GWh , including stand-alone installations and hybrid solar-with-storage developments.
This track record positions the company among the largest BESS developers and operators in Southeast Europe.
“Battery storage is already a fundamental pillar of SUNOTEC’s global business,” the executive emphasized.
Mella represents the first extension of this experience to the Dominican Republic, where authorities seek to expand renewable penetration without compromising the reliability of the National Interconnected Electric System.
“The highest value is created when solar generation, battery storage, grid integration, and long-term asset management are designed together from the outset,” Ramos explained.
Under this approach, the company sees opportunities both in greenfield projects and in the incorporation of storage into solar parks that are already operational.
The strategy coincides with the upcoming processes that the Dominican Republic is preparing after the first award.
Authorities anticipated a new tender to contract the 300 MW that remained unawarded , in addition to another process aimed at incorporating 200 MW BESS into existing solar power plants .
The second scheme would allow for increased firm capacity and flexibility of the system without relying exclusively on the construction of new renewable energy parks.
Ramos stated that the company identifies opportunities both in new developments and in the integration of batteries into existing solar installations in different parts of the country.
During the Future Energy Summit Caribbean, authorities and private actors also anticipated a sustained policy of tenders for generation and storage.
Among the announcements highlighted were the preparation of processes that could incorporate more than 800 MWh BESS in the short term , along with a projection of close to 2000 MW of storage over the next few years .
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For SUNOTEC, these signs confirm that the Dominican market is migrating from a scheme focused on adding renewable capacity to one that also values flexibility, predictability, and responsiveness.
“The future of energy will not be measured exclusively in installed MW, but in the ability to supply reliable electricity when and where it is needed,” Ramos emphasized.
Lessons from the first tender
The EDES-LPI-01-2025 tender demonstrated that the country is willing to move towards a more sophisticated stage of its energy transition.
One of the main lessons learned for the company was that new power plants must be designed according to the needs of the electrical system and not as isolated assets.
“Future energy systems must be designed holistically,” said the Managing Director of SUNOTEC Iberia.
The obligation to incorporate storage led participants to jointly optimize generation, BESS capacity, connectivity, and the economic structure of the projects.
“Mandatory storage requirements are driving developers to think beyond generation and focus on delivering value to the grid and the energy system as a whole,” Ramos added.
SUNOTEC attributed the outcome of its proposal to a process of due diligence, technical optimization, and financial analysis that allowed it to develop a competitive offer.
The high oversupply also showed that upcoming processes could maintain a high level of competition and require further improvements in costs, design, and bankability.
As the market matures, the company expects future funding rounds to enable more room for innovation and optimization of hybrid solutions.
The expansion of energy storage will require a regulatory framework that recognizes all the services that batteries can provide to the electrical system.
The Dominican Republic made progress during 2026 in defining specific technical requirements for the design, safety, operation and connection of BESS systems.
In parallel, the authorities are working on a broader scheme that will allow monetization of services such as voltage control, reactive power supply, flexibility and other complementary services .
Developing these revenue streams will be crucial to improving the financial viability of projects and attracting capital to independent facilities.
The Government also launched a call for proposals to develop up to 1200 MWh of storage through private investment , while the Dominican Electricity Transmission Company advances in a process of institutional transformation.
This is in addition to new regulations to organize distributed generation and stricter requirements for the approval of solar and wind power plants.
The aim of these changes is to strengthen planning, avoid integration problems, and support renewable growth with network infrastructure and storage capacity.
New tenders on the radar
SUNOTEC maintains the execution of Mella as its top priority, although it confirmed its interest in analyzing upcoming competitive processes.
The company could participate under different structures, depending on the technical, financial and strategic conditions of each opportunity.
“We have been encouraged by the opportunities available in the Dominican Republic and are interested in evaluating future tenders,” Ramos anticipated.
The company is considering acting as a turnkey contractor, development partner, or investor when the project and contractual framework are appropriate.
Their preferred approach combines international experience with strong partnerships within the local market.
Ramos argued that sustainable success depends on the ability to generate value together with local actors, investors and communities.
This strategy seeks to avoid an entry model limited to the execution of works and instead build a platform of permanent activity.
SUNOTEC predicts that solar power generation will continue to expand over the next three to five years due to the competitiveness of the technology and the quality of the resource available in the country.
The Dominican market projects to reach close to 2 GW of solar capacity by 2027 , accompanied by at least 600 MW of BESS awarded or under development .
The expansion responds to increased demand, the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and the challenge of maintaining grid stability.
Investors are also changing their evaluation criteria and no longer consider only the nominal power of the assets.
According to SUNOTEC, interest is increasingly focused on projects capable of delivering predictable, manageable, and flexible energy.
“Over the next three to five years, we expect the Dominican Republic to become one of the leading renewable energy and storage markets in the Caribbean region,” Ramos projected.
The country occupies a central place within SUNOTEC's growth plan for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The company made the decision last year to build a long-term presence in the region and considers Mella to be the first major step in that strategy.
“The Dominican Republic is a strategic cornerstone of SUNOTEC’s expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the executive stated.
In addition to the inherent potential of the Dominican market, the company values its ability to serve as a starting point for expansion into other countries in the region.
“We see the Dominican Republic not only as an attractive market in itself, but also as a platform from which we can expand our activities in Latin America,” Ramos concluded.
SUNOTEC's roadmap combines technical expertise, investment capacity, systems integration, and local partnerships .
Mella will be the first test of that vision, as the company prepares for a long-term involvement in the next stage of the Dominican energy transition.