Can projects in CEE thrive without EU funding?
Absolutely. While EU funding has historically played an enabling role – especially for early BESS and grid-support projects – the landscape is rapidly changing. In many CEE countries, we already see robust development without subsidies.
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Do you have any examples?
Across Central and Eastern Europe, market dynamics vary widely. In the Baltic States, many large-scale projects have been financed entirely with private capital, and momentum increased further after the Baltics disconnected from the Russian grid in February 2025. In Poland, utility-scale PV has long been driven by PPA-based and merchant models. Bulgaria, despite offering almost no PV subsidies, consistently delivers around 1 GW of new capacity each year, driven purely by solid project economics. Non-EU markets such as Albania are expanding rapidly, fuelled by strong local demand and favourable economic conditions. Even in Ukraine, solar and battery storage projects continue to move forward under wartime conditions, supported by international donors, private investors and duty exemptions.
How do you explain the shift from subsidies to private financing?
Across Europe, policymakers have moved away from subsidising individual technologies and projects. Instead, states are focusing on creating a conducive environment for electricity systems. They are achieving this by reforming balancing energy markets, establishing capacity markets for battery storage systems, strengthening grid interconnections and placing greater emphasis on energy security and reliability. As a result, more photovoltaic and storage projects are now being developed by private companies that prefer financing through financial institutions rather than EU subsidies. This approach offers greater flexibility and helps to avoid the complexities of public tendering procedures.
Trinasolar’s Jirku Nemec: Market diversity drives solar potential in CEE
How do you see the PV and BESS market in CEE evolving over the next decade compared to other regions?
Over the next ten years, Central and Eastern Europe is set to move from a “catch-up” region to a frontrunner in innovative solar and energy storage models. Several forces are driving this shift, including REPowerEU targets, broader EU climate goals, heightened energy security needs following the war in Ukraine, rapid electrification and industrial decarbonisation, and ongoing grid modernisation with new capacity mechanisms supporting battery storage. Together, these trends are shifting the market from primarily residential installations towards commercial, industrial and utility-scale projects, with hybrid PV plus storage solutions playing an increasingly central role. BESS is emerging as essential infrastructure for grid stability, flexibility and curtailment mitigation.
How will policy shape this future in CEE?
We are witnessing a clear policy evolution across Europe. The region is moving away from direct, technology-specific subsidies and towards building an enabling market environment through reformed balancing markets, stronger interconnections and capacity markets designed to enhance flexibility. As a result, more PV and BESS projects in Central and Eastern Europe are now financed by private developers, PPA structures and financial institutions, giving the region greater resilience and momentum. Looking ahead, CEE is expected to become one of the world’s most dynamic solar and storage markets between 2025 and 2035, driven by robust demand, strategic policy frameworks and the growing need for flexible, reliable and secure energy systems.
Trinasolar’s Jirku Nemec: CEE is a strategic growth region
Interview by Manfred Gorgus
Katerina Jirku Nemec is Head of Eastern Europe at Trinasolar, where she drives regional business strategy, market development and commercial execution across the expanding Eastern European solar sector. In this role, she oversees end-to-end processes from market analysis and opportunity origination to contract negotiation, project execution and post-contract performance. With more than a decade of experience in the solar industry, Katerina brings expertise in market entry strategy, regulatory analysis and long-term commercial planning for complex, fast-growing markets.
