Serbia is revising its electricity market framework to align with updated energy legislation and evolving system requirements. The transmission system operator Elektromreža Srbije (EMS) and the Energy Agency have adopted amendments to the Electricity Market Code and related market rules, which entered into force in late December 2025. The changes redefine balancing responsibilities, refine the organisation of balancing markets and update the framework for ancillary services, including frequency containment and restoration reserves.
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Under the revised legal framework, Serbia is liberalising the ancillary services market. Multiple market participants, including energy storage operators and active buyers, will be able to provide balancing capacity and other services on market-based terms. Implementation is expected through new regulations and trading platforms to be introduced by mid-2026.
Amendments to the Energy Law introduce the concept of “active buyer” status. This enables end consumers and companies that generate or store electricity to participate directly in market activities, including flexibility services and power purchase agreements (PPAs). At the same time, traditional net metering for prosumers will be phased out by the end of 2026 and replaced with net billing arrangements, increasing the market orientation of distributed generation.
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Serbia continues to allocate new solar capacity through competitive auctions. Recent rounds awarded quotas for wind and solar projects supported by 15-year contracts for difference (CfDs), providing longer-term revenue visibility for investors. National targets and auction schedules aim to increase installed capacity significantly by 2027 and beyond.
Taken together, the regulatory changes create a more structured commercial environment for solar PV projects. Clearer balancing rules and liberalised ancillary services markets expand potential revenue streams, particularly where solar installations are combined with battery energy storage systems (BESS). The transition from net metering to net billing further encourages the market-based operation of distributed PV and storage assets.
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Overall, the updated framework strengthens conditions for solar PV deployment in Serbia while establishing a more defined role for battery storage in balancing and flexibility markets. This is based on official information from the Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia (AERS) and Elektromreža Srbije (EMS), as well as reports by regional specialist media. (mg)
