Photo: Balkan Green Energy News
Balkan Green Energy News has scheduled its Belgrade Energy Forum 2026 for May 11-12. As many as 500 participants are expected for the fourth edition of SEE’s premier B2B and B2G energy conference. Five energy ministers from Southeast Europe will speak at the event, with several more to confirm their attendance.
There is great interest in the BEF 2026 annual conference – a few sponsorship opportunities are still available. We strongly advise early registration for individual participants. Secure your spot at the region’s most important energy conference in 2026.
Belgrade Energy Forum 2026 is the central point for conversations defining the energy outlook in Southeast Europe through 2030 and beyond. Balkan Green Energy News will hold its flagship event for the fourth time on May 11 and 12, at Hyatt Regency Belgrade in Serbia’s capital city.
Visit the BEF 2026 registration page to book your place and join the discussions directing the energy policy trajectory, or become a sponsor. The capacities at the region’s biggest B2B and B2G energy conference are limited.
The official app will be available for download soon. It enables users to schedule B2B meetings at the event and customize their agendas.
Adapting to geopolitical challenges in energy security terms
Geopolitical tensions initiated with the war in Ukraine are continuing with yet another conflict in the Middle East, shaping a new reality in security terms and for the resilience of energy systems throughout the world, including Southeast Europe.
Turbulences in Europe and beyond are strongly affecting the SEE region’s energy sector. The security of supply and energy system resilience profoundly mold energy planning and strategies, with very often changes and necessary alignments.
Activities are shifting toward issues such as cybersecurity in energy, and the physical protection of assets. It all poses a test for the decarbonization trend, which could decelerate or, conversely, gain in priority, given that renewables lower the dependence on fossil fuels.
The uncertainties for the countries in the region are intensifying. The proposed sale of Gazprom-owned NIS in Serbia to Hungarian MOL must be resolved within a few weeks, amid sanctions that the United States imposed. Lukoil’s assets in Southeast Europe are in a similar situation.
At the same time, most of the region is burdened by costly and largely unreliable coal power production. Adding to the stress is the overarching emissions tax of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which the European Union imposed on imports of electricity and a group of commodities.
All the said challenges, and more, are imperative for discussion at the highest level at BEF 2026.
Highest-ranking officials, executives, experts to exchange views on energy landscape
The keynote speakers – Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović and Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski – are slated to address the audience at the opening ceremony.
Energy ministers from Western Balkan countries will speak at the headline panel discussion
Balkan Green Energy News has established institutional partnerships with energy ministries from Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and the Republic of Srpska, and chambers of commerce and industry associations: Advantage Austria, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (PKS), Foreign Investors Council (FIC), Italy’s Confindustria Serbia and the Japanese Business Alliance in Serbia (JBAS).
The headline panel will feature North Macedonian Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources Sanja Božinovska, Montenegrin Minister of Energy and Mining Admir Šahmanović, Minister of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Petar Đokić, and Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry of the Federation of BiH Vedran Lakić. Top officials from other countries in the region are expected soon to confirm their participation.
Their attendance promises high relevance of the must-attend event for the region’s top energy sector stakeholders.
The lineup includes prominent experts and the representatives of regulators, transmission system operators, electricity exchanges, power utilities and the banking sector.
SEE is scaling new frontier of flexibility
Many distinguished speakers, executives from the most important investors in the sector in Southeast Europe, will outline the perspective for ongoing and upcoming projects. Activities in the solar and wind power segments are in full swing in all corners of the region.
The momentum is turning from the electricity generation fleet toward covering it with next generation energy storage – both co-located and standalone battery facilities. Consequently, the technology became indispensable for a more efficient integration of renewable energy sources, power system stability and stronger profitability. Investments in battery energy storage systems or BESS are in their nascent stages in most of SEE, though gaining significant traction, led by Bulgaria and Romania.
An optimal battery capacity is, nevertheless, not the only critical element for full flexibility of the future energy and power systems. Participants at Belgrade Energy Forum will reflect on developments regarding the roles of natural gas, pumped storage hydropower, grids and sector coupling. Notably, artificial intelligence is becoming fundamental – for instance, for aggregation and balancing.
The keystone process for all stakeholders in the electricity sector in the Western Balkans to discuss is the work toward market coupling with the EU. It is the critical juncture for an energy union and regional synchronization, aimed at competitive pricing, to facilitate economic development through investments in new technologies.
Forum for decision makers
Belgrade Energy Forum is a pivotal networking hub. It has become the mandatory meeting point for anyone serious about the energy transition in the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe.
BEF 2026 is where policy meets investment. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to hear and speak to the leadership of grid operators and power utilities, institutional investors and lenders, and technology providers leading the charge.
BEF 2026 is where policy meets investment
Translating high-level conversations into tangible projects requires the industry’s vision and backing of its leadership. To that end, we would like to recognize our sponsors this year.
The forum is proud to continue its tradition of working with the most influential names in the energy sector. They are at the forefront of the investment wave sweeping Southeast Europe.
WV International, the gold sponsor, is one of the key developers proving that the Western Balkans can host world-class renewable energy sites. It specializes in large wind power and PV projects.
Digital frontrunners in BEF 2026 roster
Among the fastest-growing companies setting the pace in the digital sphere in the region is NGEN. It focuses on the implementation of BESS and energy management systems (EMS) to balance the power grid and optimize renewable energy usage. By integrating innovative software solutions with hardware infrastructure, the company enables both commercial entities and households to become active participants in the energy market.
Hitachi Energy is a technology sponsor, together with NGEN. The tech giant is working to inspire the next era of sustainable energy on a global scale, making electricity more accessible to all and empowering societies to thrive. A key partner in major projects in the region, including some of the largest solar power plants, it is also pioneering cutting-edge grids and transformers.
Silver sponsor Alteo is a Hungarian energy services firm pursuing a significant regional expansion. Its goal is to establish a 2 GW green electricity platform across Serbia, Croatia and Slovakia.
BEF 2026 will feature innovators like RatedPower, which joined as the first exhibitor to showcase its AI-driven software for designing and optimizing photovoltaic and BESS plants. Its presence highlights the growing role of digitalization in lowering the costs of investment in renewables and electricity.
Expert insight from infrastructure to finance
Blueprint Energy Solutions takes on the role of knowledge partner. Based in Vienna, the company provides technical insights into the energy sector transformation. It advises critical infrastructure operators and essential services providers, such as TSOs and DSOs, as well as other energy companies and regulators.
Forvis Mazars, the other knowledge partner of BEF 2026, provides professional services on a global scale in revision, transactional and tax advisory and consultations. It participates in modelling, structuring and financing several hundred projects per year including BESS.
One of the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturers, with four decades of experience in the industry, is in the bronze sponsor group. Nordex has reached a milestone of 1 GW of installed capacity across 16 wind farms in Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro.
Nordex, one of the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturers, is part of the bronze sponsor group
Renewable Energy Insurance Broker (REIB) kept its bronze sponsor slot. It is bringing expertise in risk management, in light of the region’s focus on project bankability and long-term operational stability. The company specializes in renewables and battery storage insurance, while investing in its own capacities.
Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar (EIHP) returns as a friend of the conference. The Croatian scientific and consultancy powerhouse provides deep technical modeling, particularly in hydrogen potential and grid flexibility, that informs the strategic decisions of TSOs and governments.
For further updates, follow the Belgrade Energy Forum website and Balkan Green Energy News.
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