Wallonia Resolves Regulatory Bottlenecks for BESS

The Walloon regional parliament in Belgium has adopted a crucial decree on October 14, 2026, to unblock battery access to grid-balancing contracts. The legislation resolves a persistent regulatory mismatch between the Transmission System Operator (Elia) and regional Distribution System Operators (DSOs) regarding grid-balancing data measurement.

Overcoming Data Measurement Hurdles

Previously, the regional regulator CWaPE had blocked new grid-balancing contracts because DSOs lacked the technical infrastructure to collect data at the sub-15-minute intervals required by Elia. The newly adopted decree empowers Elia and the DSOs to formally agree on data-management responsibilities. This regulatory alignment clears the path for battery storage operators to participate in essential grid-balancing markets, unlocking significant revenue streams and enhancing overall system flexibility.

Surge in Large-Scale BESS Construction

This regulatory breakthrough arrives at a critical time, as Belgium experiences a rapid acceleration in large-scale BESS project capacities. In September 2026, energy giant Engie announced the commencement of construction on its 74 MW/296 MWh Coo BESS, located in Wallonia’s Liège province. The facility is scheduled for commissioning in early 2028.

Simultaneously, Giga Storage has begun construction on a monumental 2.8 GWh BESS project elsewhere in Belgium. These developments highlight a robust pipeline and indicate that the Belgian market is scaling up rapidly to meet the growing demands of renewable energy integration.

"The new decree allows Elia and DSOs to agree on data-management responsibilities, effectively unblocking new grid-balancing contracts for battery operators."

With regulatory barriers removed and gigawatt-scale projects underway, Belgium is solidifying its role as a pivotal hub for energy storage innovation and deployment in Northwestern Europe.

Source: ESS News

This article was assisted by AI analysis. Please refer to the original source for official information.