YESS Power integrates battery system with Novaci PV plant in North Macedonia

Turkey-based YESS Power has commissioned a 30 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) for Mey Energy. Co-located with the client’s Novaci solar park, it is the first grid-scale facility of its kind in North Macedonia and the region.

Istanbul-based Topkapı Endüstri’s brand YESS Power announced that it made an important step toward a more flexible, reliable and sustainable power system in the Western Balkans. It has commissioned the region’s first large-scale solar power and BESS facility, in cooperation with Cubenergy, headquartered in China, and in partnership with Mey Energy as the investor.

The new co-located battery storage system in North Macedonia has a 30 MW capability and a capacity of 60 MWh. It is integrated with Mey Energy’s Novaci solar power plant of 55 MW, completed in 2023. The photovoltaic system generates 85 GWh per year, according to project documentation.

In addition to breaking the ice regarding BESS technology in the region, the companies pulled a symbolic move for the energy transition in the Western Balkans. Namely, the hybrid power plant is in the municipality of Novaci, in the heart of the country’s coal industry.

It is next to the Suvodol open pit, part of the REK Bitola complex. The solar power plant was, for a short while, the biggest in the Western Balkans. Voltalia’s Karavasta in Albania is holding the top spot.

Co-located BESS coming along in other coal hub, too

Fortis Energy’s solar power plant Oslomej is the largest in North Macedonia. The company is also based in Istanbul. A year ago it said it would add batteries.

The PV facility is within REK Oslomej, the country’s other coal hub.

Zen Energy Group started the construction of a hybrid system of the same kind last year, near Negotino.

YESS Power to expand cooperation with Cubenergy

YESS Power is tasked with technical services and maintenance of the BESS. The company reiterated that the collaboration with Cubenergy serves as the foundation of a long-term technology partnership in the Turkish and Eastern European markets. It specializes in turnkey energy storage solutions for solar plants, industrial facilities, grid support and microgrids.

In its latest plan for the construction of power plants and energy storage systems, North Macedonia endorsed 77 projects for co-located batteries and nineteen proposals for standalone assets. Combined, they would amount to more than 2 GW in operating power and nearly 5 GWh of storage. It translates to as much as two and a half hours on average at full throttle, for charging and discharging.

The government valued them at EUR 1.98 billion.

In addition, the 61 small units from plans that several municipal authorities submitted would total 27.7 MW in operating power and 117.6 MWh in nominal capacity. A plan is adopted every year.