Solarplaza Seminar BESS Czechia

Thursday 19 November 2026

08:30

Registration & welcome coffee

09:15

Opening words

presentation

15 min.

Santiago Guillon Margozzini

Solarplaza

Session 1

Market opportunities

09:30

Europe's BESS landscape: how energy storage is scaling across markets

presentation

20 min.

Overview of Europe's BESS deployment trends, current installed capacity, and growth forecasts
Key regional markets driving expansion
Comparison of standalone vs. co-located storage projects

09:50

BESS in Czechia: market outlook and the regulatory framework shaping deployment

presentation

20 min.

Overview of the current state of the Czech BESS market
Near-term deployment outlook
Policy and regulatory framework: permitting, licensing, grid access, and market participation rules

Jan Fousek

Czech Energy Storage Association (AKU-BAT)

10:10

B.E.S.S. practices: Lessons from the frontline of storage deployment

panel

35 min.

Barriers Czechia must overcome to accelerate storage deployment
Perspectives on investor risk, returns, and market maturity
Key execution risks developers face on the ground

10:45

Morning networking break

Session 2

Technology

11:30

Understanding BESS technology: from lithium-ion systems to supplier landscapes

presentation

20 min.

Introduction to battery energy storage technologies (with a focus on lithium-ion systems)
Key technical differences between standalone and co-located storage configurations, and short-, medium-, and long-duration energy storage
Explanation of the BESS supply chain and an overview of leading global players active in today’s market

11:50

BESS system design in practice: sizing, cycling and operational considerations

presentation

20 min.

Core BESS design principles, including system sizing and power-to-energy ratios
Charge and discharge strategies, cycling profiles, and their impact on performance and lifetime
Key engineering considerations and common design trade-offs

Grzegorz Kozioł

Hithium

12:10

Case study: Sourcing and constructing BESS in the real world

presentation

20 min.

Choosing the right technology for the right business case
Key considerations when selecting technology suppliers and system components
Lessons learned from EPC coordination, integration, and commissioning

12:30

Ask me anything!

panel

15 min.

Audience Q&A with speakers

12:45

Networking lunch break

Session 3

Financing & revenues

13:45

Project financing for BESS: how storage projects reach financial close in Czechia

presentation

20 min.

What makes a BESS project bankable?
Overview of financing options available in the Czech market
Key considerations when structuring a BESS project and navigating the path to financial close

Martin Lesenar

Komercni Banka (KB)

Martin Lesenar

Energy Finance Specialist

Komercni Banka (KB)

Martin Lesenar is an Energy Finance Specialist with more than 10 years of experience in the Czech banking sector, focusing on the financing and evaluation of energy infrastructure projects. Throughout his career, he has worked with several leading financial institutions, building extensive expertise across both conventional and renewable energy technologies. He currently serves as an Energy Finance Specialist at Komerční banka, where he is responsible for the assessment and structuring of financing solutions for a diverse range of energy assets, including hydropower plants, wind farms, solar PV installations, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and large-scale waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities. His expertise includes project finance, credit risk assessment, financial modelling, and the evaluation of complex energy investments. With a strong focus on the energy transition, Martin supports the development of sustainable and innovative financing solutions that enable the deployment of renewable generation and energy storage projects across the energy sector.

14:05

How BESS generates revenue: offtake contracts, merchant, ancillary services and beyond

presentation

20 min.

Overview of the main revenue streams for BESS
How BESS accesses and operates in frequency services and balancing markets
Key factors influencing revenue predictability and risk

Martina Kaplanová

Aurora Energy Research

14:25

Case study: The BESS business case

presentation

20 min.

CAPEX and operating cost considerations
Expected project returns and investment hurdles
Key sensitivities affecting profitability

Hugo Agstner

ECO STOR

Hugo Agstner

Commercial Manager

ECO STOR

Hugo is a Commercial Manager at ECO STOR GmbH, where he is primarily responsible for the interface between commercial activities and investment analysis. His responsibilities include developing innovative business models, conducting market and investment analyses, and identifying and engaging strategic partners to successfully market battery energy storage solutions. In addition, he designs pricing and contractual structures, negotiates with optimisers, utilities, trading houses and aggregators, and ensures that regulatory requirements are incorporated into commercially viable business models and investment decisions. Before joining ECO STOR, Hugo spent two years as a Project Manager at Blue Elephant Energy GmbH, where he was responsible for developing photovoltaic projects and coordinating project developers in Italy. He also co-founded and served as Managing Director of TA Renewables GmbH, focusing on the development of PV projects in the Czech Republic. Hugo studied Industrial Engineering and Management, specialising in energy markets and energy technology, at the Technical University of Munich. His master's thesis examined the strategic importance of battery storage systems for independent power producers (IPPs).

14:45

Ask me anything!

panel

15 min.

Audience Q&A with speakers

Martin Lesenar

Komercni Banka (KB)

Martin Lesenar

Energy Finance Specialist

Komercni Banka (KB)

Martina Kaplanová

Aurora Energy Research

Hugo Agstner

ECO STOR

Hugo Agstner

Commercial Manager

ECO STOR

15:00

Afternoon networking break

Session 4

BESS in operation

15:45

Operating and optimizing a BESS asset: performance, monitoring and control

presentation

20 min.

Key aspects of BESS operations, including monitoring, dispatch, and performance management
How optimization strategies influence revenues, battery health, and asset lifetime
Common operational challenges and best practices for managing BESS assets over time

16:05

Energy market trading with BESS: strategies and practical considerations

presentation

20 min.

The role of traders, aggregators, and algorithms in maximizing BESS value
How trading strategies differ between day-ahead, intraday, and balancing markets for BESS
The impact of liquidity and price volatility on BESS trading outcomes

Martin Pich

MND

16:25

Case study: Owning and operating BESS assets

presentation

20 min.

Operational challenges from managing BESS assets
How asset owners work with traders, aggregators, and optimization platforms
Practical takeaways for future BESS portfolios

16:45

Ask me anything!

panel

15 min.

Audience Q&A with speakers

17:00

Closing remarks

presentation

15 min.

Santiago Guillon Margozzini

Solarplaza

17:15

Networking drinks

Solarplaza Seminar | BESS Czechia

Opening words

Market opportunities

Europe's BESS landscape: how energy storage is scaling across markets

BESS in Czechia: market outlook and the regulatory framework shaping deployment

B.E.S.S. practices: Lessons from the frontline of storage deployment

Technology

Understanding BESS technology: from lithium-ion systems to supplier landscapes

BESS system design in practice: sizing, cycling and operational considerations

Case study: Sourcing and constructing BESS in the real world

Ask me anything!

Financing & revenues

Project financing for BESS: how storage projects reach financial close in Czechia

How BESS generates revenue: offtake contracts, merchant, ancillary services and beyond

Case study: The BESS business case

Ask me anything!

BESS in operation

Operating and optimizing a BESS asset: performance, monitoring and control

Energy market trading with BESS: strategies and practical considerations

Case study: Owning and operating BESS assets

Ask me anything!

Closing remarks