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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’s IPTO connects to balancing energy platform PICASSO

The Independent Power Transmission Operator of Greece announced that it connected to PICASSO. It is the second transmission system operator or TSO in Southeastern Europe that joined the European platform, so now it can exchange balancing energy with its counterpart in Bulgaria. In addition, IPTO (or Admie, in Greek) has proposed the introduction of negative prices in the domestic balancing market.

The Platform for the International Coordination of Automated Frequency Restoration and Stable System Operation (PICASSO) optimizes balancing energy between control blocks in the Continental Europe synchronous area. Bulgaria’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) joined last month, but it was isolated as it didn’t share electrical borders with any other operational member. Neighboring Greece’s transmission system operator IPTO (or, in Greek, Admie), has just connected to the platform, so the two countries can now exchange balancing energy.

Denmark, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Italy are a geographically separate group within PICASSO. Lithuania’s Litgrid joined earlier this month.

Key step for common European energy market

By becoming the 14th operational member, IPTO made a key step in the process of formation of a resilient and efficient common European energy market, the statement adds. The PICASSO methodology and algorithm are intended primarily for the cross-border provision of secondary reserve so that the electricity grid’s operating frequency remains stable.

There are 29 TSOs from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity – ENTSO-E in the project. Additionally, North Macedonia’s MEPSO, which has electrical borders with both Bulgaria and Greece, is an observer in PICASSO. The platform doesn’t include the rest of the Western Balkans.

With the latest achievement, IPTO and ESO can jointly benefit from the automatic frequency restoration reserve (aFRR). Romania has been delaying its connection to PICASSO.

The platform collects and rates all available offers for balancing energy from aFRR according to their prices, placing them into a common merit order list – CMOL.

PICASSO helping reduce number of balancing price spike events

The new method for calculating cross-border marginal prices on PICASSO has greatly improved performance as the number of instances of electricity balancing price spikes dropped, according to European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). Integrating balancing markets across borders lowers costs and improves efficiency by allowing TSOs to activate cheaper balancing energy bids, the body explained.

In other relevant news, IPTO has proposed the introduction of negative prices in the balancing market in Greece of EUR 50 per MWh at most for one year, Energypress reported. The change would enter into force on allocation day April 10, ahead of Easter, a critical moment for grid stability.

The TSO said the limit should be boosted to EUR 15,000 per MWh after joining PICASSO.

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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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BiH, Montenegro ask EU to delay CBAM

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro requested at the meeting of the Energy Community Ministerial Council for the introduction of the CBAM cross-border CO2 tax, scheduled for January 1, 2026, to be postponed.

The rollout of payments within the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is going to affect companies in the region – in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo*, and Serbia.

The countries can be exempted from the CBAM on electricity. However, they are too slow in fulfilling the requirements. The results so far show there is no chance any of them can get an exception before January 1, 2026.

Staša Košarac (photo: Energy Community)

After the latest meeting of the Ministerial Council, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH Staša Košarac said his country has drafted a harmonized law on electricity for the transposition of the EU’s Third Energy Package. In his words, it was success enabled by the cooperation of the energy ministries of BiH’s both entities: the Republic of Srpska and Federation of BiH.

Košarac: We want to help businesses continue exporting without CO2 tax

The country also demonstrated good cooperation between the entity ministries by asking the Energy Community Secretariat to seek a postponement of the implementation of CBAM, Košarac noted, citing a specificity of activities carried out not only by BiH but also the other contracting parties.

He told Balkan Green Energy News the parties backed his proposal. BiH is asking to delay CBAM to allow domestic exporters to continue exporting to the EU without paying a carbon tax, Košarac added.

Mujović: Postponement until Montenegro completes electricity market coupling with the EU

Saša Mujović (photo: Energy Community)

Montenegrin Minister of Energy Saša Mujović confirmed for Balkan Green Energy News that he also requested a CBAM delay for a certain period.

The country is seeking an exemption from January 1, 2026, until it completes electricity market coupling with the EU, which is expected in the fourth quarter of that year, he explained.

Mujović added he supported an initiative for a longer postponement as well.

According to Vijesti, Mujović said his requests would be forwarded to the European Commission. He stressed that the ministry made and that it would continue to make efforts toward the implementation of the energy package – consisting of laws on renewables, energy, and cross-border exchange of electricity and gas – and coupling the domestic electricity market with the EU.

A postponement would save Montenegro EUR 350 million per year

With the current pace, Montenegro could finish coupling by the fourth quarter of 2026, according to Mujović. Starting the payments within CBAM on January 1, 2026, could be a huge financial burden for coal power plant Pljevlja, he said.

To achieve an exemption from CBAM, Montenegro and all other contracting parties must conduct market coupling with EU member states, so Mujović is asking for a postponement until the final quarter of 2026, when the market coupling could be completed.

He noted that a positive response from the EU would save the country EUR 350 million per year and enable Pljevlja to operate profitably.

Lorkowski: The European Commission will probably respond to the request

Artur Lorkovski (photo: Energy Community)

The secretariat’s director Artur Lorkowski confirmed that BiH minister Košarac raised the issue of a CBAM postponement. “But, CBAM isn’t our legislation. The Energy Community isn’t a proper address for that request. It was well noted by the representative of the European Commission,” he stressed.

Lorkowski assumes that follow-ups or an answer to the request are expected.

“It is the proposition of the BiH, as minister Košarac said”, he added.

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April 6, 2025
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Montenegro labels 15 energy projects as infrastructure priorities

The most valuable priority infrastructure projects in the energy sector of Montenegro are the Komarnica and Kruševo hydropower plants, the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor and the Ionian-Adriatic pipeline.

The Government of Montenegro has adopted a list of priority infrastructure projects for the energy sector to fulfill the final criteria of chapter 21 – Trans-European Network, of the country’s negotiations on the accession to the European Union.

The list consists of 15 projects with a total estimated value of around EUR 1.38 billion, according to the announcement.

The EU will use list to consider financial support from the Western Balkans Investment Framework

The list was updated in line with the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) methodology. In line with priorities defined at the state level, the list is for the European Commission to select projects for financial support from the scheme.

WBIF is the main mechanism for the EU’s financial support in the region in the period from 2024 to 2027, the government noted.

The following projects are on the list:

  • HPP Komarnica – EUR 315 million
  • Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline for natural gas (IAP) – EUR 210 million
  • interconnection Italy – Montenegro – Serbia – Bosnia and Herzegovina (Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor) – EUR 163 million
  • HPP Kruševo – EUR 160 million
  • energy efficiency in public and residential buildings – EUR 104 million
  • improving the quality of power supply in tourist regions – EUR 78 million
  • creation of conditions for the integration of renewables and the construction of a new power interconnection – EUR 73.6 million
  • solar power project Solari 10,000+ – EUR 66 million
  • Slano floating solar power plant – EUR 60 million
  • Krupac photovoltaic plant – EUR 40 million
  • smart grid and smart metering system for electricity distribution system operator CEDIS – EUR 35 million
  • A8 unit at HPP Perućica – EUR 24 million
  • smart grid program of electricity transmission system operator CGES – EUR 21 million
  • decarbonization – EUR 21 million
  • reconstruction of oil storage tanks – EUR 10 million.

Montenegro also has a list of priority infrastructure projects, including energy. It was introduced in 2018 and updated in the meantime.

Compared to the list from 2021, the Gvozd wind farm and the ecological reconstruction of the Pljevlja thermal power plant were erased, while the following projects were added: HPP Kruševo, Krupac solar power plant, decarbonization and the reconstruction of oil storage tanks.

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