1100% growth in one year: Bulgaria is among the EU leaders in installed batteries

Bulgaria is among the leaders in the European Union in terms of newly installed battery energy storage capacity. This is shown by data from SolarPower Europe for 2025, cited by the Association for the Production, Storage, and Trade of Electricity (APSTE). According to the report, in just one year, our country has recorded over 1100% growth, ranking it among the fastest-growing markets in Europe.

Thus, from about 200 MWh of installed capacity in 2024, by the end of last year it reached nearly 2500 MWh. It is expected to increase four to five times this year, with over 10,000 MWh of batteries currently being built in the country, financed by the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan (NRSP).

The development in Bulgaria is taking place against the backdrop of a record year for the EU, in which over 27 gigawatt hours of new batteries were installed, or 45% more than in the previous year. Bulgaria ranks third after Germany and Italy, with a 9% market share in 2025.

The total energy storage capacity in Europe is now ten times greater than in 2021. SolarPower Europe analyses indicate that by 2030, this capacity must increase tenfold again to ensure the stability of electricity systems and accelerate the transition to clean energy.

This pace clearly shows that batteries are no longer exotic or a technology of the future. They are a key element of today's energy sector", commented Nikola Gazdov, chairman of APSTE.

The first gigafactory

In 2025, our country marked another strategic achievement – Europe's first gigafactory for battery systems began operating in Bulgaria, receiving strategic status under the European regulation for zero-emission industries. This places us among the few countries in the EU that are simultaneously implementing and producing key technologies for the energy transition.

Bulgarian construction and engineering companies also reported a successful year. A Bulgarian company is the leading integrator of large solar power plants and industrial batteries in Europe, and together with dozens of other domestic companies, it implements projects throughout Europe, establishing Bulgaria as a benchmark for quality and expertise in the sector.

For countries like Bulgaria, the energy transition is primarily an economic issue, not an abstract climate goal. Electricity from renewable sources is extremely cheap. This makes the industry more competitive, attracts investment, and retains jobs", Gazdov emphasizes.

According to him, RES have another key advantage, namely improving energy security.

How batteries lower electricity bills

Solar energy is already a key factor in the country's energy mix. In the warm months, between March and September, it provides up to and over 70% of electricity consumption during daylight hours.

Batteries allow cheap electricity from the sun to be stored during the day and used in the evening when it is most in demand and most expensive. This means lower bills during the evening peak – both for households and industry", explains Gazdov.

Serious risk to RES

However, the Bulgarian association points to one risk to the future development of RES and batteries – state product fees for future recycling. According to the business, the amount of fees in Bulgaria is between 5 and 10 times higher than in other European countries, giving examples:

• €460/ton for photovoltaic panels in Bulgaria, compared to €40/ton in the Netherlands;
• €2,800/ton for lithium-ion batteries, compared to €600/ton in Hungary and €300/ton in Romania.

As a result, solar panels are up to 35% more expensive, and batteries are nearly 20% more expensive.

According to data from the Ministry of Environment and Water, Bulgaria does not have the infrastructure to recycle these technologies, and the product fee is punitive in nature, with no connection to actual future costs. This creates a paradox in which businesses pay high fees today, with no guarantee of actual recycling in 15 – 30 years and no mechanism for accountability and control.

Bulgaria is at a decisive moment in its energy transformation," summarizes the chairman of APSTE.

According to him, our country has real potential to be a major balancer in the region. "To maintain and strengthen this position, we need predictable rules, reasonable regulations, and policies that encourage – rather than make more expensive—clean energy", he comments.

Translated with DeepL.