site.btaHigh-Tech Factory for Production of Battery Energy Storage Systems Opens in Sofia

A new high-tech factory for the production of battery energy storage systems of International Power Supply (IPS) was opened on Friday in the Hemus Industrial Park in Sofia, the press centre of the Innovation and Growth Ministry said.

Official guests of the event were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev, Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, former President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev (2012-2017), as well as representatives of local and international energy companies. 

"It is time to stop underestimating the Bulgarian industry and for it to become more visible and have self-confidence," Donchev noted. He emphasized that such new productions require highly qualified workers and more engineers. The factory opened its doors with an annual production capacity of 3 gigawatt hours (GWh), which will be expanded to 5 GWh by the end of 2026. A second, fully automated factory is in the design process, with a total production capacity of 15 GWh by the end of 2027. Thus, Bulgaria could produce up to 15% of Europe's expected needs.

The production investment has been designated as strategic for both Europe and Bulgaria, with net zero emissions. The EXERON X-BESS system is a new generation battery energy storage system, which has been developed to meet the growing demand for flexible solutions for grid stabilization and security of supply with a growing share of renewable energy in the electricity system. This innovation places IPS at the forefront of the energy transformation in Europe, the official announcement stated. 

The investment places Bulgaria among the countries with a key role in the European and global transformation towards clean energy. It will contribute to energy security, industrial sustainability and the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Europe. With the commissioning of the factory, the company positions the country on the European map of clean technologies and invests in a new industrial sector with significant potential for the creation of highly qualified jobs, skills development and technology export.