April 6, 2025
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Greece plans 4.7 GW of commercial battery storage projects

The much-awaited ministerial decree for zero-subsidy standalone battery systems has been published in Greece.

So far, Greece has provided support to 900 MW of standalone storage projects under three previous auctions. The new plan, prepared by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, calls for installing 4,700 MW of standalone battery projects across the country, equal to the entire projected capacity until 2030 under the country’s National Climate and Energy Plan (NECP).

More specifically, 3,800 MW will be installed in the transmission network and 900 MW in the distribution network.

Investors will have up to 18 months to apply to the operator

There are also specific rules to avoid concentration and ensure a level playing field. For example, individual companies may apply for up to 250 MW of storage projects. In the distribution segment, this limit is set lower, at 50 MW. Including previous storage auctions and batteries that operate as part of renewable plants, each player may install up to 500 MW of total battery capacity by 2029.

The guarantee is set at EUR 200,000 per MW for the transmission grid and EUR 50,000 per MW for the distribution grid.

The ministry has also set a specific timeframe for the completion of projects. Investors will have up to 18 months to submit a declaration of intent to the operator. If this deadline is not observed or the anti-monopoly clause is violated, the letter of guarantee will be forfeited.

After the announcement, the market players expressed their satisfaction for getting a time frame extension, compared to the originally planned 14 months.

Curtailments rise further this year, storage needed urgently

Last year, Greece experienced 3.5% curtailments as a result of a rapid renewable energy rollout. Since the beginning of March, they have increased even further, according to the chairman of Hellenic Association of Photovoltaic Companies (HELAPCO), Sotiris Kapelos.

Kapelos: Curtailments reached 20% at the beginning of March

As he mentioned during a conference on Friday, 13 March, “last year we had 12% curtailments during the first days of March and now we are witnessing 20%.”

Batteries are expected to keep curtailments under 5% by 2030, as long as the projects are implemented.

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April 6, 2025
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PPC begins construction of 165 MW solar farm with BESS in Bulgaria

PPC Group is accelerating its expansion in the Balkans by laying the foundation stone for its Colosseum solar power project in Bulgaria. The facility will have 165 MW in peak capacity and include a battery energy storage system (BESS), the Greek state-controlled utility revealed. The company’s investment plan includes Italy, where it recently commissioned the first two solar parks.

Public Power Corp. – PPC Group said it commenced the construction of a photovoltaic plant in Stara Zagora in central Bulgaria. The project involves 260,000 bifacial solar panels with an expected annual power generation of more than 265 GWh. It is one of the biggest investments abroad for Greece’s government-controlled utility, which is expanding in Southeastern Europe and beyond.

The Colosseum solar park will have 165 MW in peak capacity and include a BESS facility of 25 MW in operating power and a capacity of 55 MWh. The liquid-cooled lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries will support the operation of the photovoltaic plant and contribute to the stability of the electricity system, the company added.

A 33/110 kV substation will be built on the site, the announcement reads. The solar power plant’s estimated output is equivalent to the electricity needs of more than 45,000 Bulgarian households.

PPC has 550 MW in project pipeline in Bulgaria

PPC Group runs an 18 MW wind farm called Garda in the country and another 550 MW in its renewables project pipeline. The company’s overall online green energy capacity is 5.5 GW.

According to its three-year strategic plan, by 2027, PPC Group will develop another 6.3 GW of renewables in Greece and the region. It revealed that more than 60% is under construction or ready for construction.

First PV units from strategic deal with Metlen in Italy came online in December

In December, PPC Group said it launched the operation of photovoltaic plants Carcarello and Luxenia, its first two facilities in Italy. They have 20 MW and 12 MW, respectively, in peak capacity. It translates to over 60 GWh of electricity per year in total from the two solar power units in central Italy.

The production can meet the demand of almost 15,000 households. The contractor for Carcarello and Luxenia was Metlen, formerly known as Mytilineos. The projects are part of a region-wide strategic agreement for photovoltaics, for 2 GW. Another 160 MW of PV capacity is under construction in the country.

Greek state-controlled power utility is largest renewables producer in Romania

PPC Group is the largest renewable energy producer in Romania, operating 25 wind, photovoltaic and hydroelectric facilities as well as battery storage units.

Its subsidiary Reţele Electrice România invested EUR 240 million last year in the expansion and modernization of its electricity distribution network. The firm plans to increase the number of smart meters in the three regions that it serves to two million by the end of 2025.

Gas-hydrogen CHP plant in Kardia to be completed by end-2026

As for its home market, the Greek utility said in January that it started the construction of a high-efficiency combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The future gas facility of 17 units is within the site of the former Kardia coal-fired power plant in the Western Macedonia province.

The company expects to complete the EUR 80 million cogeneration investment by the end of next year. According to earlier updates, the facility will have 105.3 MW in power capacity and 66.5 MW for thermal energy.

The project envisages the use of a mixture of fossil gas and hydrogen. The group is building another gas plant in Alexandroupolis.

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April 6, 2025
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Greece awards 188.9 MW for subsidized battery storage in final auction

Greece’s third energy storage auction has been completed with nine projects selected.

It was the final auction where the state provides subsidies to build battery energy storage systems (BESS). A total of almost 800 MW in capability has been awarded through all three storage auctions.

In the latest bidding, nine projects with a four-hour storage duration have been selected for a total capacity of 188.9 MW.

HELLENiQ Energy and PPC are biggest winners

HELLENiQ Renewables and government-controlled Public Power Corp. (PPC) were the biggest winners, with two plants of 25 MW and one 50 MW plant, respectively. The rest of the list comprises Amber Energy (18 MW), Plain Solar (7.9 MW), Enercoplan (25 MW), Arkadia Storage (10 MW), Heliothema (10 MW) and Ardassa Energy (18 MW).

The facilities will be installed in the Western Macedonia region in northern Greece and in the municipalities of Megalopolis, Tripoli, Gortynia and Oichalia in the Peloponnese region. They are the country’s lignite regions, covered by the Just Transition Development Plan.

The investments will benefit from a public grant of EUR 200,000 per MW and they must now submit a letter of guarantee for EUR 35,000 per MW within the next three months.

Average price rises

As for the average price, it landed at EUR 52,589.16 per MW per year in the auction. The lowest offer was EUR 43,927 per MW, by HELLENiQ Renewables, while the highest was EUR 58,773 per MW, by Plain Solar.

The average prices in the first and second auctions were EUR 49,748 per MW and EUR 47,680 per MW.

It should be pointed out that from now on, new facilities in the sector will operate commercially and get income strictly from the market. The Ministry of Environment and Energy has already published a decree setting the rules for the installation of 4.7 GW of new battery systems until 2030.

Investors are getting ready for future auctions. They will submit their applications to the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Waste and Water (RAEWW or RAAEY). Only last month, applications in the segment reached almost 1.5 GW, showing an enormous interest.

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April 6, 2025
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Montenegro’s EPCG discussed BESS project with companies from US, China, Japan, region

Elektroprivreda Crne Gore, owned by the Government of Montenegro, has held discussions with several companies and financiers from the region, Europe, and the world about its project for battery energy storage systems.

Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) said in September that it started the preparations to install battery energy storage systems (BESS).

After the Board of Directors of EPCG adopted a project task proposal and initiated a procedure for the preparation of a feasibility study and project design, the first phase of the procurement is already underway, according to the company’s Elektroprivreda magazine. The tender includes battery systems with a capacity of up to 120 MWh per location, it revealed.

A study is under development with elements of a feasibility study, addressing specific technical characteristics, according to Zoran Miljanić, a member of the Board of Directors. He added that the company extensively scanned available market options.

More than 20 meetings were held

In his words, more than 20 meetings were held with various interested parties. They were BESS manufacturers, battery integrators, financiers, co-investors, and institutions offering technical assistance.

Representatives of companies from the United States, France, China, Japan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro participated in the discussions, he stressed. The meetings helped EPCG understand the issues related to the technical characteristics of batteries on the market, the availability of equipment, and the speed of delivery.

The aim is to choose the optimal solution for the company, Miljanić underlined.

The locations foreseen in the project task are hydropower plant Perućica, EPCG Željezara Nikšić, and thermal power plant Pljevlja. The plan is also to install a 5 MWh battery near the 5 MW Kapino Polje solar power plant, for which a project is under development.

Three locations are being considered

The locations were chosen because of free space for solar panels and the connections to the transmission network, which makes it easier and faster to install the batteries.

Miljanić emphasized that changes are possible after the study is finished but that the said options are primary.

In his words, in the first phase of development of the BESS technology, integrating batteries with photovoltaic plants seemed like a good model to balance their variable production.

However, amid the accelerated development of PCS (Power Conversion System), BMS (Battery Management System), and EMS (Energy Management System) solutions, battery projects are planned as independent and in different sizes – from residential to power distribution to industrial and large systems – connected to the transmission grid and with a capacity measured in the gigawatt-hour range.

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April 3, 2025
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Renewables equipment factory to contribute to just transition of coal region in Romania

Monsson Group is preparing to build a manufacturing facility in Petrila for renewable energy equipment, including robots that clean solar panels. The project received funding to contribute to the just transition of Romania’s coal region Jiu valley – Hunedoara.

An investment of nearly EUR 10 million in the first phase is underway in Transylvania, in the town of Petrila, economically devastated after the closure of a coal mine. The project is aimed at reviving the area with a factory for renewable energy equipment such as enclosures for battery energy storage systems, wiring and robots that clean photovoltaic panels.

Monsson Group revealed its facility would also manufacture gear for monitoring environmental parameters and tracking fauna in the area. The Sweden-based company has said 70% of the investment would be covered from Romania’s Just Transition Program which is in turn part of the European Union’s Just Transition Facility.

Romania is planning to prolong the operation of its coal power plants and mines for a smoother switch to renewable sources, in terms of electricity supply. However, such facilities are becoming less financially viable by the day all across the EU. Coal regions are facing economic blows from early shutdowns of power plants and mines.

First major private investment in Petrila

According to Monsson, the new factory would employ more than fifty people in the first phase. It expects to begin construction mid-year.

It is the first major private investment in Petrila, Mayor Vasile Jurca said. He said the project enables reskilling and sustainable development. The local authority provided the land for the factory. Romania has earmarked substantial funding for the construction of renewable energy equipment plants.

The second part of the plan is to install a 20 MWh battery energy storage system to provide system services to the national grid, followed by a 50 MWh unit.

Reskilling program underway

The group, which includes Wind Power Energy and its RenewAcad network of renewable energy training centers, established cooperation with the University of Petroșani in getting skilled workers. Monsson is one of the biggest renewable energy investors in the country.

Petrila is part of the Jiu Valley in Hunedoara county, Romania’s main coal region. It is located near Oltenia, the other coal complex, in the counties of Gorj and Dolj.

Notably, the Maritsa East 3 coal power plant in neighboring Bulgaria ceased operations yesterday again after it was briefly brought back online to maintain energy security.

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April 3, 2025
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Greek companies expand to Bulgaria with solar power investments

Greece’s government-controlled power utility PPC and Masdar’s subsidiary Terna Energy are separately building two photovoltaic plants in Bulgaria, worth an estimated EUR 190 million in total.

The biggest two renewable energy companies in Greece have taken over one major project each in neighboring Bulgaria, where domestic investors dominated the photovoltaics market until recently. Soon after government-controlled Public Power Corp. (PPC) said it began building a 165 MW solar power plant with batteries, Capital reported that Terna Energy plans to complete a 130 MW project by the end of next year.

The segment appears saturated, given the lack of energy storage capacities in Bulgaria to balance high PV output at times of abundant sunshine. Permits that the Sustainable Energy Development Agency (SEDA) issued show 4 GW in overall installed solar power capacity. Nevertheless, Executive Director of Electricity System Operator (ESO) Angelin Tsachev estimated there is as much as 5 GW, the media outlet noted.

In its annual statistics update, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) said Bulgaria hosted 3.9 GW of PV capacity at the end of 2024.

Terna Energy bought out initial developer one year ago

Terna Energy became a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. (Masdar) last year. The Greek company entered the ownership of the project firm Bio PD Solar Energy for the 130 MW facility three years ago with a 25% stake.

In mid-2024, Terna Energy Overseas Ltd., registered in Cyprus, became the sole owner. It invested some EUR 25 million and bought out Helios Construction Project. According to the article, the previous parent company is associated with businessman Ahmed Dogan. He was the founder and long-time leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party, representing Muslim minorities.

Both projects are on municipal land

The project spanning more than 200 hectares was initially planned at 180 MW. The lot is on municipal land in Kameno in eastern Bulgaria.

According to the news website, the investment amounts to EUR 92 million. The location near the village of Vratitsa isn’t subject to an environmental impact assessment study except for the intended construction of a 33/110 kV substation.

Terna Energy said its former affiliate Terna, part of the GEK Terna conglomerate, is building the solar power plant in Burgas province.

New hybrid power plant in Bulgaria is part of PPC’s regional expansion

PPC is building its PV plant in the Chirpan municipality in Stara Zagora province. Having included a battery energy storage system in the project, and given the power links with its assets in Romania and Greece, the company is counting on a strategic advantage in the market with the new hybrid facility. PPC is pursuing major expansion in the region, including Italy.

The investment is valued at EUR 97 million, of which the energy storage segment accounts for EUR 10.2 million to EUR 12.8 million, the article adds.

The Colosseum site consists of 11 municipal properties formerly designated as agricultural land, on 200 hectares altogether. PPC bought the project from Enery. The company is headquartered in Austria and active in the renewables sector in Romania as well.

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April 2, 2025
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Germany looks into underground heat storage to decarbonize heating

Germany is increasingly looking into geothermal energy storage as a way of decarbonizing its heating sector. The technology allows storing heated water in underground caverns and using it for warming homes and public and private buildings during winter, according to a report by Clean Energy Wire.

This thermal energy storage system, called Geotes, promises “the almost universal availability of cheap and practically inexhaustible storage capacities,” according to Peter Ruschhaupt from the think tank Future Cleantech Architects (FCA), German business daily Handelsblatt reported.

The process involves heating water and injecting it into underground caverns, where heat can be retained for months by the surrounding rock. The warm water can then be pumped back to the surface and used for district heating.

Heat can be retained underground for months

The cost of drilling is the main challenge in ensuring that the process is economically viable, but once the caverns are ready, the technology can be very cost effective, as heat can be stored for an entire season, according to Ruschhaupt.

Such systems already exist in northern Europe

One such research project is currently underway in former coal mines in Germany’s Ruhr valley, the daily wrote. In the Netherlands and Scandinavia, “there are already thousands of Geotes systems,” said Ruschhaupt.

According to the German geothermal association, geothermal energy could cover 40% of the country’s heating needs, Clean Energy Wire wrote, noting that Germany is seeking to phase out fossil-run heating boilers and requiring cities to prepare municipal heat plans by mid-2028 at the latest.

In Serbia, the district heating company in Novi Sad is developing a thermal energy storage project, as part of an innovative hybrid system that would combine solar collectors, seasonal thermal storage, and heat pumps. The investment is aimed at decarbonizing the Serbian city’s district heating and helping balance the power system.

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