Turkey’s Astor Enerji to deploy 2 GWh of battery storage in Romania

Energy Vault and Astor Enerji have entered a strategic agreement to accelerate the deployment of large-scale energy storage and grid infrastructure across multiple markets.

Under the deal, the Turkish manufacturer of power transformers and high-voltage equipment secured 2 GWh of Energy Vault’s B-VAULT battery energy storage system (BESS) solutions which will be installed at four grid-connected photovoltaic projects in Romania.

Astor Enerji established a wholly owned subsidiary, Astor RO Energy, in Romania in April. A month later, it aquired three Romanian firms holding solar power projects with a combined capacity of 279 MW.

In return, Astor Enerji will provide transformers and high-voltage equipment for more than 1 GW of Energy Vault BESS projects planned in the United States, Australia, and Europe.

This collaboration is particularly timely given the severe supply constraints in the US transformer market, where wait times have ballooned from around 50 weeks to as high as 127 weeks, according to Energy Vault. The new deal will enable Energy Vault to source high-quality equipment from outside areas of US concern.

Transformers are essential devices that adjust alternating-current (AC) voltage levels – either stepping them up for efficient long-distance transmission or stepping them down for safe distribution to end users. According to a recent report from Wood Mackenzie, demand for transformers has more than doubled since 2019 amid a surge of clean energy projects and the need to replace old infrastructure.

According to Wood Mackenzie’s analysis, the United States is on track to face supply shortages of approximately 30% for power transformers and 10% for distribution transformers in 2025. Moreover, imports are expected to account for around 80% of power transformer supply and 50% of distribution transformer supply this year.