Romania targets 5 GW of installed BESS capacity by 2026

Romania aims to have at least 2.5 GW of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in operation by next year and to surpass 5 GW of capacity by 2026 under a plan that is seen to help it cope with high energy prices.

The ambitious goals were announced by Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja, in line with recommendations and analyses by domestic transmission system operator Transelectrica. The latter has estimated the need for at least 4 GW of energy storage capacity for the Balkan country.

The Minister called for new investments in the BESS sector as a major priority for the national energy industry, highlighting that non-refundable grants were made available in the past year. Specifically, Romania allocated EUR 80 million (USD 87m) under its National Recovery and Resilience Plan for an energy storage programme expected to award 1.8 GW of capacity. Submitted projects as part of the scheme are being assessed and contracts are due to be signed in September.

Additionally, up to EUR 300 million will be disbursed through the EU Modernization Fund in 2024 and 2025 to facilitate the deployment of at least 3 GW of new energy storage capacity, Burduja said.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.088)

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