[Ingisht]10GWh: Bulgaria's BESS Energy Storage Market Becomes Highly Attractive

The rapid development of Bulgaria's photovoltaic (PV) industry is the primary reason for the rise of the BESS market. As of the end of 2024, the country's cumulative PV installed capacity has reached 4.57 GW, and this figure continues to climb. At the end of 2024, Bulgaria's 3 GWh standalone energy storage project tender was oversubscribed by four times, reflecting strong interest from all parties in the country's energy storage projects.

I. Policy Timeline: From Strategic Vision to Full Implementation

The rise of Bulgaria's BESS market is rooted in its well-considered policy framework. At its core is the "RESTORE" project under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

In 2024, Bulgaria revised its Energy Law and Electricity Trading Rules, formally recognizing energy storage facilities as independent market participants. This legislative update eliminated regulatory barriers to BESS deployment and provided a legal basis for their participation in electricity trading and grid balancing services.

In 2025, the country launched the first round of the "RESTORE" plan tender. The success of this round exceeded expectations, receiving far more applications than anticipated. Ultimately, the government approved a total of nearly 10 GWh of energy storage projects (82 projects, totaling 9,712.89 MWh) and provided up to 600 million euros in public funding support.

In the second half of 2025, given the tremendous success of the first round and the strong market demand, Bulgaria has begun preparing the "RESTORE 2" plan, aiming to add an additional 1.9 GWh of energy storage capacity, with installations planned to be completed by mid-2026. These policies not only provide financial support but, more importantly, establish a predictable regulatory framework that significantly reduces investment risks and clears the way for the large-scale launch of the market.

II. Market Drivers: Addressing the Real Need for "PV Price Cannibalization"

Bulgaria's PV installed capacity has exceeded 4 GW, leading to a global market pain point: excess electricity and plummeting prices during peak solar generation periods (usually around midday), known as "price cannibalization."

Data Basis: According to market observations, Bulgaria's daytime electricity prices can drop to negative values in certain periods, directly eroding the return on investment for PV power stations.

Project Case: The Malko Tarnovo project developed by Trakia MT (Sigenergy 10 MW / 20 MWh energy storage project), whose owner explicitly stated that deploying energy storage is to ensure long-term profitability of assets through energy arbitrage (charging at low prices and discharging at high prices) and providing grid services. As Galina Peycheva-Miteva, owner of Trakia MT's Malko Tarnovo project, said: "Currently, Bulgaria's electricity prices may be negative between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., meaning we essentially have no income during the optimal PV production periods."

This case clearly demonstrates that BESS is no longer optional but essential for stable returns on PV projects.

III. Market Dynamics: Project Implementation and Supply Chain Collaborative Development

Bulgaria's BESS market has moved from the planning stage into the fast lane of actual project deployment and supply chain construction.

Milestone Project: With government support, the BESS project in Lovech officially commenced operations in the first half of 2025. This project boasts a massive capacity of 124.1 MW/496.4 MWh, not only serving as a benchmark for the industry in Bulgaria but also becoming the largest energy storage facility in the EU to date.

Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov stated: "This is the first step toward achieving 10,000 MWh of operational battery capacity nationwide next year." This factual breakthrough powerfully demonstrates Bulgaria's construction capabilities and scale potential in the market. International Giants' Participation: Industry reports show that global leading energy storage solution providers have entered the Bulgarian market on a large scale. Sungrow will supply 1 GWh of energy storage systems to Sunterra RE for its PV parks in Bulgaria. (These will be installed at three locations, including Sunterra's 208 MW Kaloyanovo project and 201 MW Galabovo project in Plovdiv Province. Sunterra Re also owns multiple solar parks, including the 208 MW Dalgo Pole project, 201.4 MW Galabovo project, 115 MW Karlovo project, and 9.6 MW Pleven project.) Meanwhile, several well-known companies from China, Europe, and elsewhere, such as Jinko ESS Europe, Deye, and AlphaESS, are actively expanding their energy storage businesses in the country.

Rise of Local Manufacturing: The deep development of the market has also attracted local enterprises to invest in manufacturing. International Power Supply (IPS) has broken ground on its second BESS production plant in the suburbs of Sofia.

This move signals that Bulgaria aims not only to become an energy storage application market but also a part of the supply chain, further enhancing its regional influence. Bulgaria's BESS market is no longer just "setting sail" but is advancing at high speed.

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