Energix delivers Poland's first energy storage facility qualified to provide ancillary services
Nowe Czarnowo I, a 24 MW / 56 MWh battery energy storage facility owned by Energix, is the first installation in Poland to be qualified to provide ancillary services to the national power system. Service delivery for Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne, the Polish transmission system operator, will begin in September 2026. In parallel, Energix has started the qualification process for the twin facility Nowe Czarnowo II (25 MW / 71 MWh). Axpo is Energix's partner in the qualification process and in the commercial optimisation of both assets.
In brief
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Nowe Czarnowo I (24 MW / 56 MWh), owned by Energix, is the first energy storage facility in Poland qualified to provide ancillary services.
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Support for balancing the Polish power system starts in September 2026.
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Energix has launched the qualification process for a second facility at the same site – Nowe Czarnowo II (25 MW / 71 MWh).
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The qualification process and commercial optimisation are handled by Energix's partner, Axpo.
A pioneering project for the Polish market
Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne opened the balancing services market to energy storage, and Energix is the first owner of a utility-scale battery in Poland to complete the process. Going through it first required all parties involved to develop new practices, and it served as a practical test of the technical, commercial and regulatory solutions that will shape how energy storage participates in ancillary services. From September, Nowe Czarnowo I will support the balancing of the Polish power system, opening a new chapter for energy storage in the country.
"This significant achievement is the result of many months of work and confirms that utility-scale energy storage can play a key role in stabilising the power system in Poland. For Energix it is also an important step in our strategy of developing flexible assets that complement our renewable portfolio. From September, Nowe Czarnowo I will genuinely strengthen the flexibility and security of the national power system," said Dariusz Perkowski, Chief Energy Storage & Flexibility Officer at Energix Poland.
Flexibility for the national power system
Nowe Czarnowo I was built in the West Pomeranian voivodeship, next to the Krajnik substation and close to Energix's wind and solar farms. The battery responds to the current needs of the system:
it charges when there is surplus electricity and discharges into the grid when demand rises, providing the flexibility the system needs. Its location alongside Energix's own renewable assets allows the company to combine renewable generation with utility-scale storage.
Axpo, Energix's partner in the project, managed the qualification of Nowe Czarnowo I for ancillary services and is responsible for the day-to-day commercial optimisation of the facility.
Nowe Czarnowo II – the next stage
At the same time, Energix has begun the qualification of the twin facility Nowe Czarnowo II, with
25 MW of capacity and 71 MWh of storage. Once completed, both batteries at Nowe Czarnowo will support the operation of the national power system, and the experience gained during the first qualification shortens the path for the projects that follow.
"First-of-a-kind projects such as Nowe Czarnowo I and II build the knowledge, standards and trust the market needs to grow. In this kind of work a proven cooperation model, mutual trust and the ability to respond quickly to new challenges matter more than anything. That gives us a solid basis for our next investments," adds Dariusz Perkowski.