THE ROLE OF BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (BESS) IN ENHANCING THE RESILIENCE AND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE OF UKRAINE’S POWER SYSTEM

• Date: 2025
• Main Author: Diachenko , O.
• Format: Article
• Language: Ukrainian
• Published: Institute of Renewable Energy National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2025
• Subjects: battery energy storage systems (BESS); power system resilience; power system flexibility; renewable energy sources; microgrids.
• Online Access: https://ve.org.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/577
• Journal Title: Vidnovluvana energetika

The energy sector of Ukraine is one of the key foundations of national security and sustainable development: the reliable operation of the power system underpins the functioning of industry, transport, social infrastructure and critical facilities [1; 2]. The large-scale damage to generation assets and networks caused by military actions has clearly demonstrated the vulnerability of the traditional centralised model and brought to the forefront the need to transition towards a more resilient and flexible power system architecture [1; 3].International experience of the past decade shows that the rapid development of battery energy storage systems (BESS) is driven by a combination of factors: a substantial reduction in the cost of lithium-ion technologies, the fast growth of variable renewable generation (primarily solar and wind), increasing requirements for system flexibility, as well as the emergence of new market mechanisms focused on balancing and capacity regulation services [4–6]. Against this background, battery-based storage systems are increasingly seen as one of the key instruments for enhancing power system controllability, reducing the volume of forced curtailment of renewable generation and enabling more efficient use of existing grid infrastructure [4; 5; 7; 8].For Ukraine, which is simultaneously progressing towards synchronisation with the European power system and facing the destruction of conventional generation assets and networks, the integration of energy storage systems has a dual dimension. On the one hand, such solutions can strengthen the resilience and survivability of the power system under conditions of damage, ensure electricity supply for critical consumers and support the operation of local microgrids when transmission capacity is limited or backbone lines are unavailable [1–3]. On the other hand, BESS can become an important pillar of a long-term strategy for energy independence and decarbonisation, creating the preconditions for deeper integration of renewable energy sources and reducing dependence on imported fuels [4–7].The aim of this article is to examine the role of battery energy storage systems in enhancing the resilience and energy independence of Ukraine’s power system under conditions of war-related threats and subsequent recovery, as well as to identify the main levels and scenarios of BESS deployment and the key technical, economic and regulatory preconditions for their large-scale implementation.