On February 26, 2026, the Solar Energy Association of Ukraine (SEAU) held an open meeting of the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Committee jointly with VOLTAGE Group. The topic of the event was “Practical Experience in Implementing Energy Storage Systems. ‘Small’ Mistakes That Make a Big Difference”.
The meeting took place in an online conference format and brought together representatives of energy companies, investors, engineers, and developers of energy storage projects.
The session was moderated by Serhii Ruchko, Chair of the SEAU BESS Committee, while the speaker was Vitalii Nykolaienko, Managing Partner at VOLTAGE Group.
During the event, participants discussed practical case studies of energy storage system (ESS) projects implemented in Ukraine, key technical challenges, as well as typical mistakes made at the stages of design, installation, and operation that can significantly affect the economics and performance of such projects.
According to Vitalii Nykolaienko, the Ukrainian energy storage market has moved from discussions to real-world implementation. While only a few years ago the industry was primarily discussing the prospects of storage technologies, today it is already possible to talk about concrete projects and accumulated practical experience.
“A few years ago, we spoke about energy storage systems as the future of the power system. Today, we are already discussing the path that has been completed. The year 2025 can confidently be called the year of energy storage development in Ukraine, when the first significant volumes of such projects were integrated into the power system”, noted Vitalii Nykolaienko.
According to him, the market’s activation has been driven by several key factors: the declining cost of battery technologies, the emergence of economically viable financial models, and the gradual formation of the regulatory framework.
Among the key applications of energy storage systems currently developing in Ukraine, the expert highlighted:
- participation in ancillary services markets
- energy arbitrage on the electricity market
- industrial storage systems for self-consumption by enterprises
- integration of BESS with solar power plants
According to VOLTAGE Group, the company’s project portfolio already includes dozens of megawatts of energy storage capacity, including both standalone storage projects and hybrid solutions combined with solar generation.
During the presentation, several implemented projects were showcased, including facilities providing ancillary services and industrial storage systems designed to meet the internal energy needs of enterprises.
One example is a project implemented for the agro-industrial holding MHP: an energy storage system with a capacity of 2 MW and an energy capacity of 4 MWh, integrated with solar power plants at the company’s production facilities.
Within this model, excess solar generation is stored in the energy storage system and used during evening hours when electricity prices on the market increase. This approach helps improve the economic efficiency of investments in renewable generation.
Special attention during the meeting was also given to typical mistakes that can significantly affect project implementation.
According to the speaker, investors often underestimate the importance of grid connection, focusing mainly on the cost of the core equipment.
“Very often we see situations where an ESS or solar power plant is already installed, but the facility cannot operate because the external grid infrastructure is not ready. We call it a ‘Ferrari without a road’: the equipment exists, but it cannot deliver any value”, emphasized Vitalii Nykolaienko.
According to him, engineering mistakes or underestimation of grid infrastructure can lead to significant delays in commissioning projects and the loss of expected revenues.
The expert also warned against the common practice of purchasing equipment before the completion of technical project design, which can result in incompatibility between components or the need to change the project concept after investments have already been made.
During the discussion, participants also addressed the growing trend of integrating energy storage systems with new solar power plants.
According to Vitalii Nykolaienko, today almost all new solar projects are being considered by investors together with energy storage systems, as this allows optimization of generation economics and more efficient participation in the electricity market.
Participants also discussed technical requirements for equipment, the importance of using solutions from reliable manufacturers, and issues related to integrating energy storage systems into Ukraine’s power system.
The event concluded with an active Q&A session, during which participants discussed technical, economic, and regulatory aspects of implementing energy storage systems in Ukraine.
Summarizing the meeting, participants emphasized that sharing practical experience in the implementation of BESS projects is critically important for the development of this segment of the energy sector in Ukraine.
The Solar Energy Association of Ukraine continues to facilitate expert discussions and experience exchange among market participants, contributing to the development of solar generation and energy storage systems in Ukraine.
Please note that recordings of all SEAU meetings and webinars are available to SEAU members upon request. The recording of this meeting and the expert presentation will also be available in the upcoming issue of the Solar Digest.