​Poland’s utility-scale battery storage market is entering a transformative growth phase. Four capacity market auctions between 2022 and 2025 contracted an estimated 11 GW of physical battery capacity. A further 172 projects secured PLN 4.15 billion (€1 billion) in NFOŚiGW subsidies, with a 2028 commissioning deadline.

By 2030, Modo Energy estimates that utility-scale BESS operational capacity could reach 8-9 GW, up from just 28 MW today. This analysis examines the pipeline, the developers behind it, grid constraints on delivery, and the expected pace of buildout.

If you have any questions about this article, please contact the author at alex.kelham@modoenergy.com.

Key takeaways

Poland's four CM auctions allocated 5.1 GW of BESS capacity across delivery years 2027 to 2030, equivalent to at least 11 GW of physical capacity after applying the de-rating factor.

Modo Energy has mapped 89 projects totalling 12.5 GW from public sources.

PSE's transmission grid has zero available connection capacity at every substation for both 2026 and 2031.

397 BESS projects hold connection conditions totalling 82 GW, but only 66 (11.5 GW) have signed connection agreements.

The main sources of the pipeline

As of April 2026, Modo Energy has analysed 89 utility‑scale BESS projects with a combined capacity of 12.5 GW. The average project size is 140 MW, with a range from 28 MW to 400 MW, indicating a mix of smaller and large‑scale developments.

This pipeline can effectively be split into three groups:

CM-contracted projects with signed connection agreements.

CM-contracted projects without signed agreements.

Merchant-only and speculative projects, which represent the majority of the 82GW.

R.Power leads the developer rankings at 1.7 GW

Within Poland’s BESS pipeline, R.Power tops the rankings at 1.7 GW across nine projects. The Warsaw‑based IPP won 655 MW / 2.3 GWh in the 2024 auction and a further 1,012 MW / 4.0 GWh in the 2025 auction, cementing its position as the leading BESS developer in Poland.

International IPPs and Polish state-owned utilities dominate the pipeline. Greenvolt secured the single largest BESS allocation in any Polish CM round (1.2 GW, 2023 auction) and subsequently sold 300 MW to Northland Power.

Currently, 8 BESS projects have confirmed construction activity, representing the first wave of physical buildout.

Standalone BESS projects lead, but co-location is close behind

There are strong incentives to pursue co-location in Poland, including leveraging existing grid connection rights and mitigating curtailment risk on renewable assets. However, examining the pipeline, standalone projects hold a narrow lead in terms of total capacity.

Poland's high co-location share likely reflects the country's zero available connection capacity. Developers pairing BESS with existing or planned RES projects can leverage those connection rights rather than joining the back of a queue or risking refusal.

The balance is likely to shift further to colocation. The Grid Act (UC84) explicitly enables cable pooling (sharing grid connections between RES and storage). As connection capacity remains constrained, co-location may become the path of least resistance for developers seeking to connect new BESS capacity.

Where will we see batteries?

The pipeline spans all 16 voivodeships, though certain regions attracted higher concentrations of BESS development.

Wielkopolskie leads at 1.9 GW, driven by Mithra Energy's concentrated cluster of seven projects in Krotoszyn. Śląskie follows at 1.6 GW across multiple developers. Mazowieckie (1.4 GW) and Lubuskie (1.3 GW) round out the top four.

Grid constraints will limit the pace of delivery

Poland’s grid connection queue has ballooned to over 240GW across all technologies (150 GW RES, 90 GW storage), but only 33 GW is operational. Many of the projects are deemed “zombie” assets, which block capacity without making meaningful progress.

The Grid Act (UC84), currently awaiting passage, introduces collateral requirements and milestone deadlines to clear the backlog. Inactive projects will either have to progress or forfeit their connection rights.

As of January 2026, the realistic available capacity, which accounts for all existing 110 kV connection commitments, reads zero MW at every substation.

This does not mean that no projects can connect. Projects with signed connection agreements have reserved capacity. PSE's wykaz lists 397 BESS projects with connection conditions totalling 82 GW, but only 66 (11.5 GW) have signed agreements.

The pace of connection agreements accelerated sharply in 2025. Developers signed 42 of the 66 agreements (6.2 GW) in that year alone, most likely driven by developers securing grid access ahead of their CM delivery year.

Expected attrition will limit buildout

Even with CM contracts and signed connection agreements, not all contracted projects will reach commercial operation. Attrition is the share of projects that exit the pipeline due to permitting delays, financing gaps, grid connection issues, or developer withdrawal.

Typical attrition rates across European renewable energy and storage markets suggest 20-30% of contracted capacity will not deliver. Applying this to Poland's 11 GW CM pipeline gives an estimated 8-9 GW of installed capacity by 2030.

Conclusions

Poland's BESS market is transitioning from auctions to delivery. The combination of CM contracts, €1 billion in NFOŚiGW subsidies, and growing merchant opportunity sets the stage for 8-9 GW of capacity by 2030.

A new grid connection could prevent merchant-led BESS projects from closing; new legislation should help clear the queue.

2026 could see the first GW of operational BESS.

Wielkopolskie and Śląskie lead the regional pipeline, but capacity is distributed across all 16 voivodeships.