Standalone BESS Development in Poland: Overview of the Development Pathway
Date of Publication: 12 June, 2026
Executive Summary
Standalone battery energy storage systems are becoming an important part of Poland’s energy infrastructure. As renewable generation continues to grow, storage assets are expected to support grid flexibility, system balancing and security of supply.
The development of a standalone BESS project in Poland follows a structured infrastructure-development pathway. In practice, this usually includes site identification, zoning and environmental review, grid connection application, and permitting.
The grid connection application is the most expensive development step, the longest lead-time item, and the stage where many projects fail.
In 2024, Polish grid operators issued more than 7,800 refusals to determine grid connection conditions. The total capacity covered by refusals was nearly 74 GW. For renewable energy sources, URE reported over 6,300 refusals, with a total requested capacity of nearly 42 GW. These figures show that grid access is one of the main constraints for new energy projects in Poland.
Key stages of development
The development pathway typically includes the following stages:
Site identification and early feasibility
The developer identifies suitable land and assesses whether the site can support a BESS project from a legal, technical and grid access perspective.
Zoning and planning basis
The developer confirms whether the site is covered by a local zoning plan or whether a zoning decision is required. This review should be completed early, as zoning can affect the project layout, permitting route, timing and ability to meet grid-related milestones.
Grid connection application
The developer submits an application for grid connection conditions to the relevant system operator. This is a central development step and usually requires a material advance payment. Following recent reforms, the advance payment toward the connection fee was increased to PLN 60 per kW of requested connection capacity, subject to a PLN 6 million cap.
Permitting and environmental review
The developer assesses whether an environmental decision is required and prepares the administrative documentation needed to move the project toward construction approval.
Building permit
Larger freestanding BESS projects will generally require a building permit. This step confirms that the project can be constructed in line with the approved design and applicable construction-law requirements.
Post-development phase
After the core development milestones have been completed, the project moves into the EPC and operational phase.
This includes construction, licensing, grid integration, technical testing, commissioning and ongoing operational compliance. These steps are essential to bring the asset online, but they come after the main development value has been created through land control, zoning, grid connection progress, permitting and building permit.
Timing to RTB
The development timeline depends on the site, grid availability, permitting complexity and administrative process. However, with an experienced developer and a well-selected project, a standalone BESS project in Poland can typically reach ready-to-build status within approximately 12 to 18 months from the start of structured development.
Practical implications
For developers and investors, the key issue is coordination. Land, zoning, grid connection, permitting, building permit and regulatory classification should be assessed together from the beginning of the development process.
Projects that manage grid strategy early are better positioned to progress toward ready-to-build status. They are also easier to assess from an investor perspective because the main development risks are more clearly defined.
References
National Contact Point for Renewable Energy Sources, Installation of an Electricity Storage System with a Capacity Exceeding 10 MW
National Contact Point for Renewable Energy Sources, Licence for Electricity Storage
National Contact Point for Renewable Energy Sources, Application for Issuance of Conditions for Connection to the Electricity Grid
URE, What to Do if an Energy Company Refuses Grid Connection
Interested to learn more? Contact us.
Shannon O’Connell
CEO & Co-Founder
shannon@storaenergy.pl
Michał Ogiński
Chief Development Officer
michal@storaenergy.pl
+48 507 418 331
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