Depleted European gas inventories could force buyers to compete with Asia for LNG during the 2027 refill season, keeping summer prices and procurement costs elevated. Stocks below roughly 20% at the end of March would increase the risk.
Renewable electricity producers in Serbia, Montenegro and other Western Balkan markets may not qualify for actual-emissions treatment on EU exports based on low-carbon generation alone. An illustrative scenario puts the six-month opportunity cost for a 130 MW onshore wind project at €8.9 million if it sells locally instead of accessing higher-priced EU markets.
EU electricity importers must declare embedded emissions and surrender CBAM certificates for power imported in 2026 by 30 September 2027. Certificate purchases begin in February 2027, making emissions evidence and the allocation of costs relevant to electricity contracts.
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.
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Southeast Europe faces a growing power-system flexibility shortage as grids, storage and dispatchable capacity lag behind project growth and rising volatility. Country-level pressures range from heavy imports in Serbia to negative prices in Croatia and faster battery deployment in Bulgaria.
Kosovo enters its highest-demand months with the 260 MW B1 unit still unavailable, increasing reliance on electricity imports. The operator has not set a return date as regional prices and interconnector availability remain key variables.
Austria's Verbund has signed a power-purchase agreement for the first project selected in Albania's first wind auction to reach construction readiness. Commercial operation is targeted for the first quarter of 2028.
Bulgaria’s operating battery fleet was reported at 6.23 GW by late October, while EBRD and Raiffeisen are financing a new 246 MW battery at Tenevo. The reported fleet and energy-flow figures require verification against underlying data.
Buyers took 34,000 of 35,000 wind guarantees of origin offered in North Macedonia’s first auction. The sale adds a price-discovery mechanism to the country’s existing administrative framework.