Gábor Czepek, State Secretary at Hungary’s Ministry of Energy, announced the construction of the country’s largest energy storage facility in Szolnok, central Hungary. Czepek highlighted Hungary’s reliance on solar energy, which, despite its growing share, is intermittent and dependent on weather conditions. This creates challenges for energy availability when needed most.
In light of these challenges, Hungary is actively investing in energy storage, with tenders worth 634 million euros aimed at advancing storage projects. Nearly 260 million euros is allocated for industrial storage solutions, while around 390 million euros will benefit businesses and households.
Czepek emphasized Hungary’s strong position in renewable energy, particularly in solar power, which has seen significant growth. Since 2022, the country’s solar energy capacity has doubled, and energy storage is also progressing rapidly. The goal is to double storage capacity by next year and increase it twentyfold by 2026, with a target of 1 GW by 2030.
The Szolnok energy storage project is central to improving Hungary’s energy supply, making it cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable. This, Czepek noted, will have a positive impact on daily life and enhance economic competitiveness.
In addition, Hungary’s Ministry of Energy announced that 2024 will mark a new phase in strengthening the country’s electricity network. A green energy program supporting network-connected storage was approved last year, with an 80 million euro public investment. This program will see the installation of storage facilities totaling 38 MW across 13 locations by summer 2025. The centerpiece of these efforts is the 20 MW storage facility in Szolnok, funded by a 37 million euro investment from the transmission system operator, MAVIR. Once completed, it will be Hungary’s largest energy storage facility.
