Econergy Ltd, a leading European renewable energy independent power producer (IPP), has achieved its first commercial operation for the battery energy storage component of its Parau 1 co-located solar-plus-storage project in Bra?ov, Romania, marking the launch of Econergy’s co-location strategy in the country.
The 70 MW/141 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) was connected to the grid in early September, adding substantial flexibility to the project's existing 113 ha. 92 MW photovoltaic (PV) facility, which has been in commercial operation since 2024 and is capable of powering approximately 70 000 homes. The combined project now features 162 MW of installed capacity.
Wholly owned and operated by Econergy, Parau 1 represents a significant milestone and proof point in the company's evolving strategy and focus on integrating battery storage solutions at existing – and future – renewables projects. Integrating storage alongside generation opens new revenue streams for the project and is expected to add considerably to its economic value, the commercial case Econergy intends to replicate across its Romanian portfolio.
The BESS component features dedicated grid import capacity, enabling it to charge both from the adjacent solar plant and directly from the grid. This provides the project with enhanced operational flexibility, allowing it to optimise charging around market conditions – including periods when electricity prices are low or negative – and discharge when power prices are higher, enhancing the value and flexibility of the underlying solar asset.
With total construction costs of approximately €85 million, the project is being operated on a merchant basis, with projected revenues informed by electricity price forecasts from Econergy's own market consultants.
Eyal Podhorzer, CEO of Econergy, said: “Parau 1 is the first project where we have taken a solar plant already in operation and built storage around it, and it diversifies how that asset earns, layering storage revenues on top of solar generation already in place. This is what the move from developing renewables to operating them as an IPP looks like in practice. Romania is where we have the scale and the grid position to do this repeatedly, and with more than 1 GWh of storage under construction or ready for connection in the country, Parau 1 sets the pattern for what comes next.”
At Rate?ti, Econergy's flagship operational solar project, a planned 120 MW BESS addition will complement 155 MW of PV capacity. At Oradea, an 87 MW PV project connected in August 2025, the company is planning a 49 MW BESS addition, while a further storage addition is planned at the 60 MW Ovidiu solar project, currently under construction.
Econergy's total European development pipeline stands at approximately 13 GW across Romania, the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, and Greece, with storage accounting for roughly half of the total pipeline and approximately 60% of its advanced portfolio.
Joshua Murphy, Director of Energy Storage at Econergy, added: “Parau 1 is a great example of what becomes possible for owner-operators when storage is integrated to an existing renewable asset. It’s a technically challenging task to accomplish, but by combining solar generation with flexible, market-responsive storage, we are unlocking substantial value and flexibility from infrastructure that is already connected and operating.”
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