Largest battery storage system in Balkans commissioned in Bulgaria

A BESS facility of 124.1 MW in operating power was inaugurated in Lovech in Bulgaria. Located next to a photovoltaic park within Balkan Industrial Park, it is part of the country’s first closed licensed power distribution system.

The Bulgarian city of Lovech, northeast of Sofia, hosts the strongest battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Balkans. The Ministry of Energy even said the new facility, with a capability of 124.1 MW and 496.4 MWh in capacity, is the biggest in the European Union.

It is located in the local industrial zone, which also features a photovoltaic park of 106.2 MW in peak capacity, with an 86.2 MW connection. The energy systems are part of Bulgaria’s first and only closed licensed distribution network.

Balkan Industrial Zone, with the solar power plant and BESS facility, is controlled by brothers Kiril and Georgi Domuschiev. The two entrepreneurs intend to charge the batteries when the price of electricity is low and use them in peak periods.

Developer won subsidy at tender for standalone energy storage systems

The investment in the energy storage facility, worth EUR 75 million, was conducted by Advance Green Energy. Notably, last month, at the RESTORE tender for standalone BESS, the company won a EUR 29.6 million government subsidy, while securing EUR 45.5 million itself, including a loan from Citi.

The construction took only six months. The facility, which is marking a new stage in Bulgaria’s infrastructure development, consists of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) devices in 16 modules.

Lovech Mayor Stratsimir Petkov claimed the BESS is the fifth-biggest in the world. He said it would contribute to the development of the industrial park.

Minister Stankov wants 10 GWh of batteries online by end of next year

At the inauguration, Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov stressed that the investment is a step toward reaching 10 GWh in operating battery storage capacity by the end of next year. He added it is significant for flexibility, predictability and balancing of the electricity system in Bulgaria.

“The facility, built from 111 battery containers on the territory of Lovech, will help Bulgaria’s energy system remain the most stable in the region. We are the pillar in the Balkans and in Southeastern Europe that balances electricity systems and we have proven this with actions,” the minister stated. BESS guarantee system security and price stability for households and businesses, providing affordable energy, Stankov asserted.

The solar park of two units, operating since May 2023, is one of the biggest in Bulgaria. The investment was worth EUR 51.2 million. The PV system spans almost 72 hectares, while the industrial park has 131.5 hectares.

In another recent update relevant for the future of the country’s energy storage sector, Stankov revealed there is a third pumped storage hydropower project under development. The sites are in the Rhodope mountains.