​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 37.4 MW today. NGEN's 9.4 MW Łozienica project, Poland's second utility-scale BESS installation, commissioned on 3 April 2026, joining Energix's 28 MW Nowe Czarnowo facility.

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. Project sizes range from 28 MW to 400 MW, with an average of 140 MW.

This pipeline can be effectively split into three groups: CM-contracted with signed agreements, CM-contracted without signed agreements, and merchant-only or speculative projects.

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, 9 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 large pipeline of co-location projects reflects the fact that, prior to UC84, cable pooling was restricted to RES installations. BESS could only connect under a shared connection as part of a hybrid RES project, making co-location with wind or solar a regulatory requirement.

The balance is likely to shift further to colocation. The Grid Act (UC84) has now been signed into law and explicitly enables cable pooling (sharing grid connections between RES and storage). The law also waives the grid impact study requirement when adding an installation to an existing connection, provided the connection capacity remains unchanged. 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 240 GW 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. These are stalled developments that hold grid connections or capacity rights but show little sign of advancing toward construction or operation.

​The Grid Act (UC84) was signed into law on 3 April 2026. It introduces collateral requirements and milestone deadlines to clear the backlog. Inactive projects will either have to progress or forfeit their connection rights. BESS and PV projects must obtain a final building permit within 30 months of signing a connection agreement; otherwise, the agreement expires, and the security is forfeited. A one-time 24-month extension is available at PLN 60/kW, capped at PLN 12 million. Existing projects qualify at 50% of the extension rate.

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. Under UC84's transition provisions, these early movers benefit from the lowest security rates (25% of standard). Developers who delayed now face significantly higher costs to maintain their position.

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 that 20-30% of contracted capacity will not be delivered. Applying this to Poland's 11 GW CM pipeline gives an estimated 8-9 GW of installed capacity by 2030.

​UC84 could add to project attrition rates. Automatic agreement expiry if the 30-month building permit milestone is missed, plus forfeiture of financial security. Projects that would previously have stalled but remained in the pipeline will now be formally removed.

​There is a further risk for projects that hold both CM contracts and NFOŚiGW subsidies. Polish Energy Storage Association (PSME) has flagged that the subsidy is offset against CM revenue, potentially reducing the net capacity market payment to zero while the 17-year delivery obligation remains. Developers who secured both instruments as a bankability package may find that one cancels the other.

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.

However, UC84 changes the cost structure for every project in this pipeline. The six-month vacatio legis means provisions enter force around October 2026. Developers with signed connection agreements are best positioned. Those holding conditions without agreements face an immediate capital call. The 82 GW of storage connection conditions will compress significantly as undercapitalised projects forfeit their positions.

Furthermore, new grid connections will be harder and more expensive to obtain for merchant-led BESS projects. The new legislation should help clear the queue but will also raise barriers to entry, particularly for developers in the 100-200 MW range, where per-MW security costs are disproportionately high.