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Municipiul Craiova is going to market for the design and execution of a battery energy storage system to work alongside a photovoltaic power plant in the city. The contract notice, published on 8th April 2026, aims to enhance renewable energy integration and optimise local energy operations, underlining how storage is becoming a standard component of municipal solar projects.
Storage at the heart of a municipal solar scheme
The Craiova tender covers both the design and execution of an electric energy storage system in batteries for a photovoltaic power plant in the municipality. By bundling design with construction, the authority is seeking a single supplier or consortium capable of taking the project from concept through to a functioning installation.
The stated purpose is to “enhance renewable energy integration and optimise energy operations”. In practice, battery energy storage systems (BESS) paired with solar plants allow operators to better match local production with local demand, mitigate fluctuations in solar output and use more of the electricity generated on site instead of curtailing it or relying on external sources.
Although the notice text is concise, the scope suggests a technically demanding contract. The successful bidder will need to ensure that the battery system interfaces correctly with the photovoltaic plant, complies with applicable electrical and safety standards, and supports the municipality’s wider operational objectives, whether that is cost management, resilience, or emissions reduction.
A wave of solar-plus-storage contracts
The Craiova project sits within a growing cluster of public procurements that combine photovoltaic generation with battery storage, often wrapped in a single contract covering both design and delivery.
In October 2025, Powiat Suski launched an energy storage systems project that mirrors many of the same aims. There, the contract covers designing and installing storage for photovoltaic installations across 100 residential houses and three public utility facilities, as part of a programme to enhance renewable energy use and environmental quality. Like Craiova, the county authority is using procurement to push storage into the fabric of local energy infrastructure.
Also in October 2025, TERMOFICARE ORADEA S.A. set out a design-and-build contract for a photovoltaic park in Oradea, again coupling technical documentation with on-site works. While that notice focuses on generation rather than storage, it points to the same appetite for turnkey solutions in the renewables space.
Smaller municipalities are following a similar path. In November 2025, Obec Bystřany tendered for the delivery and installation of a photovoltaic power plant with a battery storage system on the roof of a retirement home. That contract bundles documentation, assembly, staff training and the establishment of an energy management system, demonstrating how even single-building projects are now being equipped with storage and digital control.
On the commercial side, EUROLOGIS s.r.o. published a notice in November 2025 for the expansion of a photovoltaic power plant with a BESS, alongside energy management, lighting replacement and maintenance as part of an energy savings initiative. Here, storage is one element within a wider efficiency package, but the procurement logic is similar: one contract, multiple integrated technologies.
Larger energy players are also investing. Teplárny Brno, a.s. is seeking completion of a battery energy storage system project with defined output and capacity requirements, including preparation and approval of documentation. In December 2025, EDF power solutions went further with an EPC and O&M contract for a BESS with around 95MWh of storage capacity and 47.5MW of power, coupled with a long-term maintenance strategy. These notices show storage now features across the spectrum, from municipal sites to utility-scale assets.
From airports to housing: storage spreads across assets
The Craiova scheme is not the only local initiative pairing solar with storage. In the same city, REGIA AUTONOMA AEROPORTUL INTERNATIONAL CRAIOVA published a notice on 26th January 2026 for the design and execution of a photovoltaic power plant with storage capacity at Craiova International Airport, including high-efficiency panels, inverters and a SCADA monitoring system for green energy self-consumption.
Airports elsewhere are moving in the same direction. On 14th January 2026, S.N. AEROPORTUL INTERNATIONAL TIMISOARA TRAIAN VUIA S.A. issued a contract notice for the design, supply and construction of a solar energy production and storage facility with heat pumps, aiming to boost renewable capacity on site. Compania Nationala Aeroporturi Bucuresti SA followed in March 2026 with a contract for the design and execution of a photovoltaic park connected to the airport’s electric power plant.
Municipalities are also extending storage beyond single flagship sites. In March 2026, Gmina Żarki tendered for the construction of a photovoltaic farm with energy storage, including the necessary infrastructure and a transformer station. Obec Ludgeřovice, in April 2026, published a contract for the installation of photovoltaic power plants with battery storage at five locations, complete with engineering activities and personnel training.
Retrofitting storage to existing solar assets is also gaining ground. On 7th April 2026, Gmina Opinogóra Górna launched a contract for the installation and commissioning of energy storage systems for existing photovoltaic installations, covering both residential buildings and public utility facilities. The contract includes documentation, permits, legal procedures, training and service, indicating how storage is becoming a mainstream upgrade rather than an experimental add-on.
Even transport operators are turning to solar-plus-storage. Zakład Komunikacji Miejskiej Zawiercie sp. z o.o. closed 2025 with a notice for the design, supply and installation of photovoltaic systems with energy storage for a municipal transport company, including documentation, permits and training.
Whole-life delivery and flexible frameworks
One consistent theme is the preference for contracts that cover the full project lifecycle, from studies and design through to commissioning and, in some cases, long-term maintenance.
EDF power solutions’ December 2025 tender is framed as an engineering, procurement and construction contract with integrated operation and maintenance for a large BESS, backed by detailed execution plans and a long-term upkeep strategy. Holding Slovenske Elektrarne d.o.o. took a similar approach in March 2026 with its battery systems construction framework, which covers design, supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of outdoor storage systems, together with project documentation and building permits. Actual orders under that contract will depend on the contracting authority’s evolving needs, highlighting a desire for flexibility as storage use cases expand.
Medium-sized municipalities are echoing that whole-life mindset on the solar side. Municipiul Sibiu is seeking design and execution services, plus technical assistance and approvals, for a new photovoltaic park, while Județul Sibiu is procuring the design, supply and construction of a ground-mounted solar park, including studies, technical documentation, approvals and staff training.
Utilities and service providers are pursuing a similar pattern. APA SERVICE SA’s April 2026 tender for energy efficiency solutions combines the design, supply, installation and commissioning of photovoltaic systems with training for operating personnel. AQUAVAS SA Vaslui, in February 2026, went to market for the design and implementation of photovoltaic systems at five water infrastructure locations.
Against this backdrop, Craiova’s choice of a design-and-execution model for its battery project aligns with prevailing procurement practice. Authorities are looking for suppliers who can shoulder responsibility for integration risk and navigate permitting and technical interfaces, not just deliver equipment.
What to watch next
The Craiova storage tender underlines how quickly batteries are moving from pilot schemes into the core of public-sector energy planning. With airports, municipalities, utilities and transport operators all procuring storage in various forms, supply chains will be tested on their ability to deliver integrated, multi-technology projects at scale.
For the municipality itself, the outcome of the battery storage system procurement will shape how its photovoltaic plant operates and how far local solar generation can support broader energy objectives. Observers will be watching to see how the contract is structured in detail, how risks are allocated, and whether further phases follow as storage becomes embedded in local energy infrastructure.
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