12.08.2026
On September 17, Energy Club will hold a forum in Kyiv called “Energy of Freedom: Sustainability and New Opportunities for the Energy Storage Market in Ukraine”. The focus is on the BESS market, which in Ukraine is moving from pilot projects to industrial scale.
Energy storage is becoming one of the key tools for increasing the flexibility and sustainability of the energy system. But for a BESS investor, it is not just equipment or a container with batteries. It is an asset whose value is formed through a business model, grid connection, technical configuration, EMS, market access, and quality of integration.
That is why the main question in the growing BESS market is not only: “Which equipment to choose?”, but also: “What are they actually investing in?”
One of the key speakers at the forum will be Vitaliy Nikolayenko, CEO of VOLTAGE Group – a company that has been implementing complex EPC projects in the field of renewable and traditional energy since 2009. In particular, VOLTAGE Group participated in the implementation of the largest BESS complex in Ukraine with a capacity of 200 MW and a capacity of 400 MWh, having performed a complex of works on a site with a capacity of 20 MW and a capacity of 40 MWh.
In an interview with Energy Club, Vitaliy Nikolayenko told how the Ukrainian market for energy storage installations has changed over the past year, why it is not enough to purchase modern equipment for a successful project, why connecting to the grid can determine the fate of the project, what mistakes investors most often make, and what the role of BESS can be in the new decentralized energy system of Ukraine.
– Mr. Vitaliy, in the year since the previous Energy Club forum, the BESS market has moved forward significantly. What changes do you consider most important for developers and investors?
– The most important change is that BESS is no longer just a supplement to generation and is becoming an independent energy and investment asset. As of May 2026, 33 energy storage facilities with a total capacity of 689.5 MW were operating in Ukraine. An important step was the launch in September 2025 of the largest BESS complex in Ukraine with a capacity of 200 MW and a capacity of 400 MWh. VOLTAGE Group joined its implementation as one of the partners of DTEK Renewables and performed a complex of works on a site with a capacity of 20 MW and a capacity of 40 MWh.
This is practical confirmation that the Ukrainian BESS market has already moved to an industrial scale.
The regulatory framework for storage systems and aggregators was formed over the previous years, and in 2025–2026 it continued to be improved. The previously held long-term auction of Ukrenergo for the purchase of 500 MW of fast reserves for a period of five years also gave investors a clearer signal about the demand for flexibility. For developers and investors, this means that today it is not enough to simply purchase a battery. At the initial stage, it is necessary to determine the business model, assess the site and connection possibilities, select market segments, select the BESS configuration and calculate the project’s economics.
– Today, there is a lot of talk about the construction of BESS. What, in your opinion, is the most difficult: finding financing, properly designing the facility or integrating it into the power system?
– All three components are connected, without one of them the project cannot be implemented. But I would highlight the most often underestimated stage of BESS implementation in Ukraine today – connection to the grid. It is necessary to confirm that the selected point has the necessary capacity, and the system will be able to take and return electricity in the modes provided for by the business model. The technical configuration, implementation deadlines, CAPEX and future profitability of the facility depend on this. Therefore, financing can only be attracted for a technically sound project with a confirmed connection and a realistic financial model. Currently, there are many cases where an already built BESS project is waiting for the connection to be implemented. Somewhere it is several months behind the main object, and somewhere in addition – an unplanned plus in CAPEX due to a poor-quality assessment of the technical specifications for the connection at the start of the project.
– You have repeatedly emphasized that the connection networks are often underestimated. Why is it that this stage often determines the fate of the entire project?
– BESS can only earn money when it has the opportunity toIt is necessary to take energy from the network and return it. Even the best battery will not provide the planned result if the connection point does not allow it to operate with the declared power in both directions.
Some Ukrainian substations and lines have limited throughput. Reconstruction of the substation or networks may be required, modernization of relay protection, automation, commercial metering and telemechanics. This affects the cost and implementation time. That is why the connection possibilities must be assessed before purchasing the site and equipment.
At the same time, the filling of the technical specifications has become significantly more complicated: there are such items that can be assessed by very “narrow” engineers, and for some, it is possible to say something affirmatively only after conducting complex regime calculations.
– At what stage does a project most often lose its chance for financing: due to miscalculations in the design, economy or network connection?
– Most often, this happens even before the design, when the financial model has already been calculated, and the connection possibilities remain an assumption. Without confirmed capacity, clear cost and connection terms, it is impossible to determine whether the asset will be able to operate according to the established scenario. The economy should not be based on a single source of income or peak prices of a separate period. To attract financing, several scenarios are needed that take into account degradation, efficiency, own needs, service and component replacement. A bank or investor does not finance a presentation with a high IRR, but a comprehensively prepared and technically confirmed project.
– Can we already say that BESS in Ukraine is an independent investment product, and not just a supplement to solar or other generation?
– Yes, a standalone BESS can already operate as an independent investment asset without its own solar power plant. The system can buy electricity during low-price hours, sell it during peak hours, participate in the balancing market and provide ancillary services. But the battery itself is not yet a ready-made investment product. It becomes a project with a confirmed connection, a correctly selected ratio of MW and MWh, a control algorithm and access to several market segments. Well-prepared standalone projects can have a payback period of 3–4 years, but the result depends on price spreads, revenue structure, degradation and operating mode.
– What mistakes do customers most often make before the start of design, and how can they be avoided?
– The most common mistake is that they start the project with the selection of equipment. The customer sees an attractive price for the battery, and only then decides where to connect it and how to generate income.
The correct sequence is as follows: business model, site, network, technical configuration and equipment.
Also, power in MW and capacity in MWh are often confused, degradation, efficiency, temperature regime, service and warranty restrictions are not taken into account. This can be avoided by a pre-project audit with modeling of several scenarios, preliminary calculation of CAPEX and OPEX and analysis of permitting procedures. The cost of such preparation is much lower than the price of an error in the choice of site or system configuration.
– Voltage Group implements complex EPC projects. What technological solutions today have the greatest impact on the efficiency and durability of modern energy facilities?
– The greatest impact on the efficiency and durability of BESS has the quality of integration of the entire system. The result depends not only on the battery modules, but also on the correct operation of the PCS, transformers, substation, relay protection, automation, SCADA and control algorithms.
The key role is played by EMS, which we develop for a specific project business model. It analyzes market prices a day in advance, predicts optimal operating modes and manages the charge and discharge of the system. At the same time, the EMS monitors the charge level, network restrictions, temperature regimes and factors affecting battery degradation.
In addition to energy arbitrage, BESS can perform other important functions for the power system: peak shaving, frequency control and islanding. The reliability of the system is also affected by thermal control, fire safety, cyber security, SCADA monitoring and professional service. At VOLTAGE Group, we consider BESS as a single energy complex, not a set of separate components.
– Last year, you talked about the shortage of engineering personnel. How acute is this problem, and is it becoming one of the main limitations of the development of new energy?
– The problem has become more acute. The market lacks specialists who combine knowledge of high-voltage networks, relay protection, power electronics, BESS, EMS, SCADA and the electricity market. The storage system is no longer a separate electrical installation. It is a complex digital asset that must operate safely in the network and respond to market signals.
At VOLTAGE Group, we see a solution in cooperation with Vinnytsia Polytechnic University, paid internships, and involving young engineers in real-world projects.their projects and internal learning. AI can help with calculations and forecasting, but the responsibility for the safe operation of the facility remains with the engineer.
– The Ukrainian power system is rapidly decentralizing. What role do you see BESS playing in shaping the new architecture of the power system and the development of microgrids?
– BESS is a connecting link in the decentralized power system. The storage allows you to transfer energy over time, smooth peaks, maintain frequency and voltage, and compensate for imbalances. It does not replace generation, but makes it more manageable. In microgrids, BESS can combine solar power plants, cogeneration, the grid, and backup sources around an enterprise, community, or critical infrastructure facility. With the appropriate configuration, the system supports backup power, islanding, and safe recovery. The combination of such facilities creates flexibility closer to the consumer and reduces the load on the grid.
– What do you think needs to change today – in regulation, engineering and approaches to project implementation – so that in a few years we can talk about a successful market for energy storage systems in Ukraine?
– First of all, predictability is needed. An investor must understand the rules of the game on the DAM, the IDR, the balancing market and the ancillary services market for the entire investment return horizon. We also need transparent information about available capacity in the networks, understandable connection deadlines and uniform requirements for modeling, cyber protection, fire safety and testing.
The approach to project implementation must also change. Ukraine needs a market not for individual containers, but for reliable energy assets with a proven business model, an integrated EPC circuit, performance guarantees and professional O&M. To do this, the regulator, network operators, investors and engineers must work together at the initial stage of the project.
The energy storage market in Ukraine is already moving beyond individual pilot projects. BESS is gradually transforming into an independent energy asset capable of simultaneously serving the needs of business and the energy system.
At the same time, scaling this market will require more than just investments in equipment. Ukraine needs clear rules, predictable regulation, access to networks, competent engineering teams, and a comprehensive approach to project implementation – from the business model and technical audit to the operation of the finished facility.
These are the issues that will be the subject of a professional discussion at the Energy Club forum “Energy of Freedom: Sustainability and New Opportunities for the Energy Storage Market in Ukraine”, which will be held on September 17 in Kyiv.
