14.09.2026
An energy storage system for business is gradually ceasing to be an expensive “insurance policy” in case of power outages. A new model is emerging in Ukraine in which BESS can simultaneously ensure an enterprise’s energy independence, optimize costs, and generate additional income in the energy market.
This is exactly what participants of the Energy Club Forum “Energy of Freedom: Resilience and New Opportunities for the Energy Storage Systems Market in Ukraine” will discuss on September 17 in Kyiv. The discussion will focus not only on energy storage technologies, but also on how to turn them into an effective business tool: from state regulation and investment models to price arbitrage, balancing, and the practical experience of already implemented projects.
One of the forum’s speakers will be Olga Romaniuk, Chief Commercial Officer, CPG Energy. In her presentation “New Opportunities for Consumers: How Energy Storage Systems Ensure Autonomy and Savings for Business During Power Outages,” she will talk about how the role of energy storage is changing in an enterprise’s energy strategy.
For business, this is no longer merely a question of “what to do when the power goes out.” What is much more interesting is what to do with electricity when it is available, when it is cheaper, when there is a shortage of it, and how to learn to make money from this difference. It is precisely at the intersection of technology, trading, and economics that the new value of BESS is being formed today.
On the eve of the forum, Olga Romaniuk told Energy Club journalist Olena Karpachova in an interview how energy storage is changing the rules of the game for business, where its real economics lie today, what opportunities professional system management opens up, and why the future of the Ukrainian energy market may turn out to be much more dynamic than we are accustomed to thinking.
They also discussed why the future of Ukrainian energy lies in comprehensive solutions that combine generation, energy storage, and professional energy resource management, as well as what needs to change in the market so that the current BESS boom turns into a sustainable industry.
– Ms. Olga, how does a professional trader assess the potential of energy storage systems in Ukraine today? Have economically viable models for their operation in the market already emerged?
– As of today, energy storage systems (BESS/ESS) in Ukraine are no longer experimental models or technologies, but a highly profitable investment asset, and this is a future worth using already today. If such a comparison is appropriate, it is a “gold mine” that has only just begun to be mined. But I would like to add that such investment is not only economically beneficial, but also helps Ukraine’s energy system withstand peak loads and shelling.
– Price arbitrage is called one of the key sources of income for BESS. How promising is this model in Ukrainian realities and what factors have the greatest impact on its profitability?
– As of 2026, this model itself is a highly profitable standalone business.
– If we shift the focus to the manufacturing sector, ESS becomes the main factor of energy independence. Instead of burning expensive diesel during outages, an enterprise charges the battery at night or from its own solar panels during the day. Such optimization saves a company up to UAH 12–17 on every kWh compared with a generator, paying back the investment in 3–4 years.
– But for maximum profit, we use a revenue stacking strategy (combining revenue streams): when the system not only saves the enterprise’s own money, but during downtime also earns money on Ukrenergo’s balancing market. This turns an ordinary power bank into an autonomous, highly profitable business.
– How does the emergence of a large number of energy storage systems change the trader’s work? Can BESS significantly affect pricing and balance in the electricity market?
– We have witnessed a remarkable technological paradox. ESS acts on the energy market like a sedative: it turns a storm into calm. It balances the grid where there used to be chaos, but at the same time eliminates excessive volatility. This is an evolutionary leap: the market ceases to be a slot machine and becomes a predictable investment platform.
– How important are forecasting and high-quality market analysis becoming for the effective operation of BESS? Which specific data are of the greatest value today for making trading decisions?
– You have aptly pointed this out: today, high-quality forecasting and speed of response are fundamental factors of success in the market.
– You are absolutely right: managing a commercial ESS today is not an engineering task, but primarily a mathematical and IT task. A modern ESS is a trading robot that operates 24/7. It is impossible to single out one particular type of data, because they work only in combination. Imagine an equation with dozens of variables, where every second the following are updated: cloud cover and wind (forecast of RES generation), consumption schedules, emergency outages, and even import/export volumes with the EU, the system’s current state of charge (SoC), and its technical degradation curve (SoH).
– But if we talk about the greatest value, it is not the data themselves, but the speed at which they are processed.
– What risks for a BESS owner do you consider the most underestimated? Can an incorrect market operating strategy nullify the advantages of even a technologically high-quality project?
– You know, most investors are currently looking only at financial models and potential millions, while completely ignoring the “profitability killers.” Based on our experience, I can identify three of the most underestimated risks for a BESS owner.
– First, there is the physics of the battery. Failure to maintain a strict temperature regime leads to immediate cell degradation.
– Second, there are cyclic losses (round-trip efficiency). If you do not calculate how much energy is lost simply during charging and discharging the system (and this is a significant percentage), your math will never add up.
– And, of course, there are regulatory changes – the rules of the game in our energy market may change faster than you complete the facility.
– And here we come to the answer to your second question. Equipment is only 50% of success. I am deeply convinced that an incorrect market operating strategy can completely “multiply by zero” the advantages of even a technologically flawless project.
– Are Ukrainian enterprises already ready to view energy storage as a commercial tool rather than merely insurance against outages? What could accelerate this transition?
– You know, we are currently going through a unique turning point in the mindset of Ukrainian business. Before our eyes, industrial energy storage systems (BESS) have ceased to be merely an “expensive fire extinguisher” for blackouts. Enterprises have finally seen in them a powerful commercial tool capable of generating profit every day, regardless of whether outages occur. And these are not simply my optimistic expectations – this is dry statistics that shocks our European colleagues.
– What models of interaction between a trader and a BESS owner can be the most effective? Can transferring commercial management of the system to a professional trader make such projects more attractive to business?
– Of course, transferring commercial management to a professional trader increases the efficiency of the system’s operation and shortens its payback period. The most effective cooperation model is Profit Share (profit sharing). This is a classic partnership arrangement in which the trader takes the system under management, extracts the maximum from the market through its algorithms, and we divide the net income according to a specified proportion. Here, the interests of both parties align 100%: the more the owner earns, the more the trader receives. This is a model for those who are willing to take risks for maximum profit.
– There are, of course, many cooperation models; which one to choose depends exclusively on the investor.
– How does the emergence of BESS change opportunities for electricity consumers? Can an enterprise simultaneously increase its energy independence and optimize electricity costs?
– We are now witnessing a real revolution in energy philosophy. The emergence of ESS completely breaks the old hierarchy in which an enterprise was merely a passive buyer who simply received electricity bills and had no choice whatsoever.
– Today, given the significant loss of thermal generation, thanks to ESS, businesses are massively turning into prosumers – that is, they are becoming both consumers and active market players. A modern plant or factory no longer adapts to shortages or schedules; on the contrary – they themselves dictate the terms. The presence of an energy storage system allows a company to maneuver flexibly: accumulate cheap resources when there is a surplus in the market, fully supply itself during peak hours, and optimize costs depending on tariff fluctuations. This is a fundamental change in roles: business receives not simply equipment for protection against blackouts, but absolute control over its energy independence and finances.
– CPG Energy works simultaneously with electricity and gas. Do you see potential for comprehensive energy solutions for business, where energy storage becomes part of a broader energy resource management strategy?
– Yes, a comprehensive energy resource management strategy that combines electricity supply, gas, and energy storage systems (BESS) has enormous potential for Ukrainian business. For CPG Energy, which already has expertise in both market segments, such an approach is a logical step in development and a powerful competitive advantage that creates a synergistic effect and makes it possible to address the main pain points of modern business: energy independence, cost optimization, and decarbonization.
– In your opinion, what needs to happen in the Ukrainian energy market in the coming years for BESS to move from individual pilot projects to a large-scale commercial segment?
– We have already made a phenomenal leap. Even despite the war and crisis, the launch of long-term auctions by Ukrenergo allowed Ukraine to enter the top 5 European markets by the volume of energy storage commissioned in 2025. This is a fact to be proud of.
– But let’s be frank: right now, we have only skimmed the “first cream.”
– For this market to become truly mature, large-scale, and commercial, we need to go through several fundamental transformations.
– First – the evolution of Price Caps. The market needs liberalization of price restrictions. As long as strict artificial limits exist, classic arbitrage will not be able to realize its full potential.
– Second – connection. The procedure for connecting to the grid must become fast, transparent, and financially accessible. An investor should not have to spend months or years on bureaucratic approvals.
– Third – the depth and guarantees of the ancillary services market.
– Fourth – it is the era of hybrids. The future belongs to comprehensive solutions, when a solar or wind power plant is built immediately in tandem with an energy storage system (PV+BESS / Wind+BESS). This transforms unstable “green” generation into firm and guaranteed capacity.
Only by completing this homework will we turn the current “golden boom” into a sustainable, highly efficient industry that will guarantee the country’s energy security for decades to come.”
Ukrainian energy can no longer afford the luxury of building the future according to old rules. Energy storage systems are gradually transforming from a technology that helps survive electricity shortages into one of the key instruments of the new energy market – flexible, decentralized, and much more controllable.
And if today BESS is still an investment solution for many businesses that requires courage, tomorrow it may become a basic element of competitiveness. Ukraine has a chance not simply to catch up with this trend, but to shape its own energy model in which energy storage will simultaneously serve business, the market, and the country’s resilience.
