Agenda

As energy storage systems increasingly become a cornerstone of Europe’s energy transition, ensuring cybersecurity and compliance with evolving regulations is critical. This session will provide a balanced exploration of the challenges, opportunities, and practical steps for safeguarding energy storage systems while meeting regulatory requirements.

• What does compliance with NIS2 and NZIA entail?
• How does the EU Cybersecurity Act impact energy storage projects?
• What are the key risks associated with Energy Management Systems (EMS) and data flow?
• How do critical infrastructure designations and software exclusion rules shape project development?

Facing unprecedented challenges to its energy infrastructure, Ukraine has emerged as a hotspot for energy storage development, driven by the urgent need for grid resilience and recovery from attacks. With over half a gigawatt of BESS deployed in just one year, Ukraine’s energy storage market is flourishing, but what’s next for this rapidly evolving sector?

• Long-term ancillary service auctions have driven significant BESS deployment. How sustainable is this model for future growth?
• Dynamic grid connection legislation is reshaping the market. How are producers leveraging this to maximise efficiency?
• As Ukraine builds its energy infrastructure, how can BESS enhance grid stability and resilience amidst ongoing geopolitical challenges?

As platforms like PICASSO and MARI transform balancing markets across Europe, what impact are they having on revenue generation for energy storage operators? With market saturation driving concerns around revenue cannibalisation, we will explore the evolving energy storage revenue landscape and strategies to mitigate risks.

• How are PICASSO and MARI reshaping balancing markets and unlocking new revenue streams?
• What strategies can operators adopt to mitigate the risks of revenue cannibalisation in saturated markets?
• How are innovative hedging products, such as tolling agreements and spread hedges, ensuring financial stability for energy storage projects?
• What lessons can be learned from early adopters navigating these challenges?

With the rapid evolution of energy storage markets, how do real-world data and operational insights compare to traditional forecasting models? This session critically examines the practical realities of price trends, revenue cannibalisation, and market saturation, offering evidence-based insights for developers and investors.

• How frequently are zero and negative price hours occurring, and what are their implications for energy storage revenues?
• Are traditional forecasting models, such as those from Aurora and Baringa, underestimating market capacity and overestimating saturation risks?
• What operational lessons can be drawn from companies managing BESS and hybrid projects in Central and Eastern Europe?

Lithuania’s ambitious energy storage strategy is not only a response to its energy independence goals but also a testament to the critical role of technology and cybersecurity in modern energy systems. This session will focus on the technological advancements shaping Lithuania’s energy storage market, offering insights into the intersection of innovation and security.

• How are advanced energy storage technologies, such as Fluence’s “storage-as-a-transmission” model, contributing to grid stability and resilience in Lithuania?
• What role do local collaborations, such as Trina Solar with Stiemo, play in navigating Lithuania’s regulatory and cybersecurity landscape?

As aggregators manage portfolios across 9+ markets amid volatile pricing, AI-powered optimisation and advanced digital infrastructure have become essential for capturing revenue opportunities and maintaining competitive advantage. Examine how artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and operational excellence are reshaping energy storage, addressing the capabilities required to navigate today's complex, multi-market environment.

• How are AI and machine learning optimising revenue streams across multiple markets, and what digital infrastructure is needed to manage 9+ markets simultaneously?
• How do sophisticated digital tools help operators respond to rapid price fluctuations, and what operational capabilities separate leading operators from the rest?
• Beyond technology, what organisational capabilities, team structures, and partnerships are required to implement sophisticated operational systems and create competitive advantages?

Early storage projects in CEE have highlighted the importance of operational excellence, service quality, and risk mitigation. The evolving landscape of O&M, after-sales support, and quality assurance in energy storage presents several considerations for industry stakeholders.

• What lessons can be drawn from early CEE storage projects regarding asset performance, and how might these inform future procurement and operational approaches?
• How are suppliers adapting their service models to align with local requirements, and what considerations exist around establishing service infrastructure in the region?
• What factors should be considered regarding insurance, fire safety, and quality assurance frameworks throughout the project lifecycle from procurement to operation?

A deep dive into the practical challenges, revenue strategies, and operational insights from real-world hybrid energy projects in Central and Eastern Europe.

• Lessons learned from integrating BESS with solar and wind under dynamic grid conditions
• Proven strategies for optimising revenue streams in volatile electricity markets
• Market-specific insights into regulations, subsidies, and project performance in Poland, Romania, and Ukraine

As Poland's capacity market de-rating factors drop and the non-fossil flexibility scheme remains unclear, BESS projects face a fundamental question: how do you achieve bankability when merchant exposure is structural? This discussion explores practical revenue certainty strategies, evolving risk mitigation products, and structuring deals that work for both equity investors and lenders.

• Explore spread hedges, top-bottom hedges, and tolling agreements as energy traders enter battery markets
• Examine financing structures, junior debt challenges, and lender compliance requirements affecting return
• Address why financiers struggle with merchant alternatives and how to bridge the bankability gap

With the first generation of large-scale BESS projects now operational across Poland, Romania, and the Baltics, this session brings together operators and asset managers to share real performance data: actual dispatch patterns, achieved revenues, cannibalisation impacts, and operational lessons reshaping how the next generation of projects is being structured and financed.

• How do actual dispatch patterns and revenue stacks compare to pre-investment assumptions, and where have the largest deviations occurred?
• What evidence exists on cannibalisation speed, and what revenue diversification strategies are operators deploying in response?
• What operational lessons are changing procurement decisions, technology selection, and O&M structuring and how are lenders incorporating this into underwriting?