Renalfa IPP switches on 25-MW battery in Bulgaria, more to come

Renalfa IPP, a Vienna-based developer and independent power producer, on Monday said it has commenced commercial operation of a 25-MW/55-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Bulgaria, marking the country’s largest operating BESS to date.

The project, co-located with a 33-MWp photovoltaic (PV) plant in Bulgaria’s southwestern town of Razlog, went online at the beginning of June. It is the company’s first utility-scale BESS.

“This co-located utility-scale battery marks the start of hybridisation of our over 1 GW portfolio of renewable assets in operation and in construction,” Renalfa IPP spokesperson Nick Antonov stated, adding that the developer will introduce similar solutions in the other wind and solar assets in the region, including Hungary and Romania.

“The main goal is to fully mitigate the PV profile risk of the generators,” he said.

The battery enables time shifting of solar peak production and arbitration on the electricity market. It is commercially managed by electricity trader KER Toki Power and uses technology provided by Hithium and Kehua. The project was designed, installed and integrated into the grid by Solarpro Technology, part of Renalfa Solarpro Group.

‍Renalfa IPP is a joint venture between Bulgarian-founded, Vienna-based Renalfa Solarpro Group GmbH and French infrastructure fund manager RGreen Invest.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!