From a "moonscape" to a solar power plant with energy storage batteries

A unique project. Thus, today, SUNOTEC and Elektrohold, united in the company Solaris Holding, define the solar power plant near Pernik (FEC) with a capacity of 32 MWp with an electricity storage facility (BESS) of 61 MWh. At the same time, as Kaloyan Velichkov, executive director of SUNOTEC, and Kiril Boshov, representative of Eurohold shareholders, commented at the opening of the hybrid project, "here it looked like a lunar landscape."

The plant and storage batteries are located on a waste dump of the city's former steel industry.

"It was difficult for me to keep my composure. It was scary," adds Velichkov, who has experience in building a number of difficult projects. According to him, the workers had to move 1 million cubic meters of land in order to build the current FEC plus BESS project near Pernik.

"We started Solaris (the company) as a joke. 15 months ago. But the best things are born in friendly conversations", Velichkov is categorical and unlocks another expectation - the upcoming opening of another park for the production of green energy in Ihtiman. This seems to be just the beginning - SUNOTEC has 23 more projects under the Solaris Holding company. Next year, 14 storage projects, which are a combination of smaller and larger BESS capabilities, are expected to be implemented. Another 9 projects are for solar plants plus energy storage facilities.

The mayor of the city, Stanimir Vladimirov, was also pleased with the opening of the solar plant with energy storage batteries near Pernik, who shared that plans are to build one of the largest industrial zones in Bulgaria near the photovoltaic park. His words are joined by the regional administration.

SUNOTEC is on the verge of implementing a sufficiently large energy storage project in a large Bulgarian city, the name of which the company does not wish to disclose at this stage. Four projects are also underway in Germany.

The hybrid project itself (FEC plus BESS) near Pernik is worth 33 million euros. Solaris Holding is grateful for the understanding from the German Varengold bank AG and DSK. The term for purchasing the solar park is 15 years, and the battery - 10 years.

"We decided to act and not wait for the Sustainability Plan," Velichkov opens the curtain a little more. He estimates that under the Recovery and Resilience Plan both before and now with 3,000 MWh pledged for batteries, there is an opportunity to implement storage of 5,000 MWh. In this regard, according to his words, Bulgaria is among the pioneers (without Great Britain, which is ahead) in Europe.

"In the Electrohold group, we strive to close the natural cycle from production through distribution to supply and sale of electrical energy to end customers. Inquiries for contracts for the supply of green energy are constantly increasing," explains Vladimir Dichev, Chief Commercial Director of Elektrohold Bulgaria. He is adamant that over the last 18 months the group has gained experience in the operation of such facilities. "We can safely say that we are no longer just a trading company, but also a manufacturing company," he adds, without hiding the company's ambition for the future.

Projects of this type do not encounter any problems with ESO. Moreover, the system operator tries to facilitate investors in such facilities. Velichkov is also positive about the regulatory framework and, in particular, the guarantee introduced by the Commission for Energy and Water Regulation, because according to him, this is how the network can be properly used.

The energy storage batteries combined with the photovoltaic park near Pernik are one of the most modern, although there is already a next more modern generation with a higher safety class. The choice of the energy storage technology operating at the photovoltaic park has not gone without controversy, but according to Ivan Chatalbashev, the communication system, which makes it possible to monitor the possibility of consumption, export and storage every 15 minutes, determined the choice. The batteries are envisaged to be used in three ways – through market arbitrage allowing energy storage, by providing balance to the system through down- and up-regulation, and by optimizing the balance in seasons of high price levels.

At the moment, batteries are much more attractive for investors, due to the fluctuations in the market and the view that the market can be balanced through these facilities, commented Velichkov. He specifies that SUNOTEC is a large company that tries to close the chain to the end customer.

"From the point of view of consumption, Germany is more predictable as a market, but from the point of view of development, Bulgaria offers greater accessibility," Velichkov makes a kind of parallel.