North Macedonia seeks energy sector investment and battery storage upgrades

North Macedonia is entering a new investment cycle in its energy sector, focusing on modernization, storage, and regional connectivity. At the Macedonian-Austrian Business Forum, Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources Sanja Božinovska invited Austrian companies to participate in the country's energy transformation.

Key priority areas for cooperation include battery storage systems, hydrogen, geothermal potential, gasification, and grid modernization. Minister Božinovska highlighted that the government is working to build a modern system capable of securely receiving, storing, and transmitting renewable energy. She also noted ongoing infrastructure projects, such as gas interconnectors with Greece and Serbia.

In a related development, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering a loan of up to 33.1 million euros for the state-owned company Elektrani na Severna Makedonija (ESM). The funds are intended for the construction of the country's first large-scale independent battery energy storage system in Bitola. The project, estimated to cost 98 million euros in total, aims to provide 100 MW/400 MWh of capacity to increase the flexibility of the national energy grid and facilitate the integration of renewable sources.