Investors in Serbia are obtaining approvals for connecting their planned battery energy storage systems of an overall 2,021 MW and 5,899 MWh to the grid. The projects are for standalone batteries and ones that would be co-located with power plants.
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are rapidly expanding worldwide, and Southeast Europe is no exception. European Union member states in the region such as Bulgaria and Romania are making major strides, while the other countries are trying to catch up. For example, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
As of September 29, Serbia’s transmission system operator (TSO) Elektromreža Srbije (EMS) received a total of 12 applications for the development of connection studies for standalone BESS, Nebojša Vučinić, manager of the Development Division of EMS, told Balkan Green Energy News.
Two applications were submitted in January for the study development interval of March 1 to June 30, 2025, and ten more were received for the current interval, which lasts from September 1 to December 31. Out of the first two applications, the one from Green BESS KV is no longer valid, because the firm didn’t submit a bank guarantee.
EMS develops connection studies every year in two intervals.
The following companies are in the process of connecting standalone BESS:
- MKBDP Energy
- Green Land New Energy
- Green Mountain New Energy
- BP WPP
- Blue BESS KV
- Red BESS KV
- Yellow BESS KV
- ENLIGHTNES PV OPERATIONS
- ENLIGHTNES PV PARK
- Gridflex
As for the status of their applications, MKBDP Energy has submitted a bank guarantee, and the signing of the grid connection contract is expected.
For the other ten requests, the grid connection studies are underway. They are expected to be completed by December 31.
Standalone storage facilities are planned in Valjevo, Vranje, Subotica, Kovačica, Vršac, Leskovac, Kragujevac, Kruševac, Jagodina, and Ćuprija.
A total of 55 battery projects are in the connection procedure
The 11 standalone storage projects amount to 1,072.66 MW and 2,981.98 MWh altogether, Vučinić said.
The 44 storage facilities that would be co-located with power plants utilizing variable renewable energy sources would have 948.46 MW and 2,917.31 MWh, as stipulated in the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources.
All battery storage projects in the grid connection process amount to 2,021.12 MW and 5,899.29 MWh, Vučinić stressed.
MKBDP Energy’s project has advanced the most in the connection process
According to Vučinić, implementation of BESS projects depends on the progress that an investor achieves. Currently, MKBDP Energy’s investment has passed the most milestones in the connection process, he added.
EMS noted that the grid connection process for standalone battery storage is defined by the Law on Energy and bylaws.
The deployment of standalone batteries complements the integration of power plants running on variable renewable sources
The state-owned company sees no obstacles to integrating standalone BESS into the transmission system. The TSO expressed commitment to assisting investors while maintaining the safety of the entire power system’s operation.
EMS also called the increase in applications for standalone batteries a positive development.
The emergence of standalone batteries complements the integration of power plants utilizing variable renewable energy, and since a large number of such power plants are expected to be connected, the integration of standalone storage helps the power system’s flexibility and safety, Vučinić underlined.