storage

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.

Romania is expanding Black Sea gas production while adding utility-scale solar and battery storage. Neptun Deep could nearly double domestic gas output and create export capacity for neighbouring markets.

Weak hydro production is increasing Montenegro’s import risks and the value of a diversified energy portfolio. Electricity exports to Italy were around 80% higher in Q3 2026 than a year earlier, according to Energy Community monitoring.

A 4 November assessment projects volatile European gas prices and persistent diesel tightness through winter 2026 to 2027. The conditional scenarios depend on weather, LNG availability, refinery operations and the recovery of disrupted oil flows.

Battery operators across Southeast Europe are increasingly buying solar-heavy midday electricity and shifting it for sale in later hours, with Bulgaria leading the trend. Serbia has begun recording negative day-ahead prices, which can provide a variable source of low-cost electricity for storage.

Credible grid access and manageable reinforcement obligations are becoming central to the value and financeability of battery storage projects in Serbia. EMS updated its connection-request lists on 4 November 2026, reflecting an increasingly active project pipeline.