Photo: Vilius Kukanauskas from Pixabay
Wind farms with a capacity of 3,800 MW and solar power plants with a capacity of 12,500 MW are currently in various stages of development in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the indicative plan for the development of production 2026-2035, published by the Independent System Operator in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The goal of the ten-year plan is to provide information on projects initiated for the construction of new production capacities to be connected to the transmission system, according to the transmission system operator (TSO), Independent System Operator in Bosnia and Herzegovina (NOSBiH).
The plan is supposed to prioritize covering domestic consumption and capacity needs with domestic resources.
NOSBiH said investors continued in 2024 to apply with their renewable energy projects. The interest in grid connections wasn’t affected by the significant reduction in electricity purchase prices, especially for the hours when solar power plants typically produce, it added in the plan
A lack of transmission capacities could become an obstacle to the export of electricity
According to the register of the applications for grid connections, which Elektroprenos BiH manages, there are about 3,800 MW of proposed wind farms and 12,500 MW of photovoltaic facilities in various stages of development, NOSBiH underlined.
Results of an adequacy assessment showed that increasing production makes it possible to increase exports. BiH’s TSO warned that in such a scenario, the currently planned transmission capacity expansion wouldn’t be sufficient.
Another 100 MW of solar is seen coming online in BiH by the end of 2025
With the current production development plans, the system could be left without sufficient balancing capacities. NOSBiH therefore called for developing balancing capacities in parallel.
The document shows that four solar power plants of 206 MW in total were added last year to the transmission network in BiH: FNE Zvizdan (28.5 MW), SE Bileća (55 MW), FNE Hodovo (92.47 MW), and FNE Deling invest 1 (29.75 MW), together with one wind farm, VE Ivovik, of 84 MW. In February of this year, the Ivan Sedlo wind farm (25 MW) was also put online.
By the end of 2025, the start of trial operation of another five PV plants is expected, the plan showed. They would have 100 MW altogether: FNE Hodovo F1-F4 (11.96 MW), FNE Brotnjo (9.98 MW), FNE Polog 1-8 (7.99 MW), FNE Plavo Sunce 1-2 (40 MW) and FNE Livno 1-6 (27.6 MW).
Batteries can bridge the period until the transmission grid capacity becomes adequate
The plan anticipates a similar tempo of grid connections for 2026, too.
In that case, along with the integration of renewables into the distribution network and similar power plants coming online in neighboring countries, a congestion can appear in the transmission network, together with complications in operating the country’s transmission system from a regulatory point of view, NOSBiH said.
Battery energy storage systems can solve both potential issues in the medium term, until investments get the transmission grid to an adequate level, it suggested.
BiH needs battery capability of 225 MW and 450 MWh in total capacity
The company recalled that a year ago it produced a study, together with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), provisionally called Operational Models for Battery Energy Storage Systems in the Balancing Market of NOS BiH.
They estimated the need for additional balancing based on hour-by-hour production profiles for facilities of 1,500 MW in total photovoltaic capacity and 1,000 MW of wind. The authors said a combined 225 MW in battery operating power is required and an overall capacity of 450 MWh.
The study also explored revenue generation opportunities for BESS, particularly through participation in the ancillary services market.
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