A Major Milestone for Romanian Storage
Romania has officially surpassed 1 GW of utility-scale battery energy storage capacity, marking a significant milestone in the country's energy transition. This rapid expansion is exemplified by developer Econergy, which has just launched commercial operations for a fully merchant 70 MW / 141 MWh BESS at its Părău 1 project in Brașov.
Hybridization and Merchant Strategies
The Părău 1 BESS is strategically paired with an existing 92 MW solar plant, creating a 162 MW hybrid site across 113 hectares. The €85 million project is fully owned by the developer and features dedicated grid-import capacity. This setup allows the system to charge during periods of low or negative electricity pricing and capture clipped solar generation, effectively hedging the asset.
While operating a large battery on a purely merchant basis in Romania offers limited revenue protection, the ability to charge from the grid to capitalize on negative pricing windows provides an additional revenue stream that standalone solar cannot offer.
Financial Performance and Future Pipeline
For the Părău 1 project, Econergy reported costs of €21.3 million and expects storage revenues of €9.7 million. This yields an EBITDA profit of €7.9 million, implying a return on capital outlay in just over three years.
The rapid payback period underscores the immense commercial viability of merchant BESS projects in Romania's evolving electricity market.
Looking ahead, Econergy has secured €229 million in EBRD-backed financing for the Părău 2 project, which will pair a 342 MW solar plant with a 150 MW battery system. Furthermore, the developer currently has over 1 GWh of storage capacity under construction or ready for grid connection across Romania, including projects at Rătești, Oradea, and Ovidiu.
Source: PV Magazine
This article was assisted by AI analysis. Please refer to the original source for official information.