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Elektromreža Srbije – EMS, Serbia’s electricity transmission system operator (TSO), signed grid connection contracts for seven standalone battery storage projects. Only a few battery energy storage systems (BESS) have been installed so far in the Western Balkans.
A successful energy transition implies ample energy storage contributing to electricity grid stability and maintaining the balance between demand and supply. The battery technology is becoming as important as pumped storage hydropower and keeping water in hydropower reservoirs. While Bulgaria and Romania are already in Europe’s top tier in the segment, the neighboring Western Balkans region has stalled.
TSO Elektromreža Srbije today marked a milestone for the Serbian market by signing grid connection contracts for seven standalone projects. Their envisaged operating power totals 724 MW in grid injection mode and 730 MW for absorption, according to the update.
The state-owned company didn’t identify the projects and only revealed that they were from the fourth so-called interval for grid connection studies. It lasted from September 1 to December 31 of last year.
EMS processing 25 battery storage projects
There are 24 proposed units in the list of valid requests for conducting connection studies. They have durations of two to two and a half hours, or four hours. For instance, a 50 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) with a two-hour duration has a 100 MWh storage capacity. However, EMS didn’t clarify if some proposals are for energy storage facilities co-located with solar or wind power plants.
The projects are for systems of 20 MW to 200 MW in capability, with 4.54 GWh of capacity altogether.
The first contract was signed earlier for MKBDP Energy’s project Skladište električne energije (SEE) Jagodina, from the third interval. It is listed separately as being “in the connection process.” The BESS of 50 MW and 200 MWh would be connected to the 110 kV system.
North Macedonia, Albania hosting Western Balkans’ only grid-scale BESS facilities
The first battery system in North Macedonia was completed earlier this year, co-located with a solar power plant. The company, Fortis Energy, is planning a large photovoltaic system with BESS in Serbia, too. Another hybrid facility is under construction in North Macedonia. The first grid-scale battery system in Albania recently came online.
In October 2024, Serbia signed an agreement with the Hyundai Engineering – UGT Renewables consortium on building solar power plants with a total connection capacity of 1 GW (1.2 GW in peak terms), along with battery energy storage systems of up to 200 MW in overall capability and a capacity of 400 MWh. Construction is due to begin this year.
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