A new Croatian study on grid congestion and battery storage delivers an important signal for the regional energy market: battery energy storage systems are moving from a supporting option to a strategic infrastructure component for renewable integration, grid flexibility and system security. The study was commissioned by Obnovljivi izvori energije Hrvatske (OIEH) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and prepared by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb (FER), and the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar (EIHP). The full study is available here.
The document is highly relevant because it confirms that Croatia’s power system is entering a phase in which faster renewable deployment must be matched by stronger grid flexibility solutions. The analysis shows that growing solar and wind capacity is increasing structural pressure on the network, particularly due to the mismatch between generation in coastal and southern areas and consumption in continental Croatia. In that context, battery storage is identified as a key tool for reducing congestion, improving operational security, absorbing surplus renewable generation and supporting more efficient use of existing grid capacity. At the same time, the study makes clear that storage should be developed in parallel with transmission upgrades, not as a substitute for long-term grid reinforcement.
This is particularly important for the wider South East Europe region, where similar conditions are emerging: ambitious renewable targets, limited grid elasticity, long infrastructure timelines and rising need for flexible, bankable system solutions. The study therefore goes beyond technical analysis. It provides an evidence-based foundation for investment planning, regulatory reflection and implementation prioritisation in battery storage. It also underlines the relevance of strategic deployment at smaller scale, including distribution-related applications and local flexibility solutions that can support municipalities, industrial zones, energy communities and renewable-based local energy systems.
Green Sustainable Solutions sees this as a strong validation of the market direction. Small-scale and mid-scale battery systems can play a major role in unlocking local renewable projects, improving resilience and creating implementation-ready energy transition models for the region. GSS can contribute through project development, techno-economic assessment, regulatory and investment structuring, integration of batteries with solar, mobility and hydrogen concepts, and development of EU-funded pilots and scale-up initiatives. The next phase of the energy transition will not be defined only by new generation capacity, but by the ability to deploy practical flexibility assets where they create the highest system value.