Electricity

EU carbon-border rules could affect the prices and revenues available to renewable projects in Serbia, Montenegro and the wider Western Balkans. Lenders may need to distinguish between domestic sales, exports under default emissions treatment and exports meeting actual-emissions evidence requirements.

Battery storage can make renewable electricity more predictable for Serbian exporters and improve the commercial case for renewable projects. It does not reduce embedded emissions by itself or replace CBAM evidence requirements.

Around 2 GW of battery storage connection agreements were reported in Serbia in 2026, but the first standalone projects still need to establish a local financing template. EMS requires a construction bank guarantee before transmission-connected projects can advance to connection contracts.

North Macedonia is structuring its planned 100 MW / 400 MWh Bitola battery as strategic grid infrastructure, with an estimated cost of EUR 98 million. The EBRD is considering a sovereign-guaranteed loan of up to EUR 33.1 million, alongside other expected financing.

Serbia’s forecast power balance on 15 October required about 1,027 MW of scheduled net imports, while SEEPEX recorded 368.6 €/MWh at hour 20. Battery storage could reduce exposure to the most expensive deficit hours and improve trading flexibility, but would not eliminate the country’s energy shortfall or import dependence.

Serbian industrial companies must weigh owning batteries against buying flexibility as a service. The choice depends on whether factory-specific savings or market optimisation provides most of the battery’s value.