Project launched in Albania for production of battery energy storage systems

Vega Solar and Indian company Sainik Industries – Getsun Power agreed to build the first lithium ion battery factory in Albania. It would have 100 MW in annual capacity.

The energy transition implies vast solar and wind power capacity, but with energy storage systems that can keep unstable electricity production – which depends on wind and sunshine – in equilibrium with consumption. Hydropower makes up almost the entire domestic output in Albania, which helps balancing to a point, but it has no pumped storage hydropower plants.

Furthermore, the country is exposed to drought and often turns to emergency imports. Tirana-based Vega Solar, which develops, installs and maintains rooftop solar power plants, saw an opportunity to contribute to diversification with battery energy storage systems.

Factory seen for completion within two years

Chief Executive Officer Bruno Papaj said the firm signed a memorandum of understanding with an Indian investor on the construction of Albania’s first lithium ion battery plant. The facility is planned to come online within two years, with 100 MW in annual capacity.

Sainik Industries – Getsun Power, based in Uttar Pradesh, revealed that both partners would have an equal share in the joint venture. The project will include the production of inverters, according to the Indian battery producer’s update.

The deal was agreed at an Indian-Albanian business forum in New Delhi. Vega Solar, founded six years ago, earlier said it would pursue large renewables investments. The companies didn’t provide any other details.

Lithium still ruling battery technology

As for the rest of the region that Balkan Green Energy News covers, there is still very little battery production capacity, but several major projects are underway. They include mining investment proposals.

Lithium carbonate remains the predominant raw material for the production of batteries for electric vehicles as well as for storage within the electric power system and for solar power for self-consumption. Still, its market prices have been stagnating for the past few months around the levels held before mid-2021. That’s when they started to surge, reaching a peak after little more than a year later and reversing course.

The main producers are currently hesitating to proceed developing some lithium mines or they are exiting such projects altogether. In the meantime, alternative solutions are slowly emerging. They are based on, for example, sodium or calcium, and even gravitation.