Trina Storage says EU funding rule on high-risk PCS has low impact on its BESS pipeline

Trina Storage says a European Union restriction barring EU public funding for battery storage projects using power conversion systems from high-risk countries has had a limited effect on its pipeline, as the company sources its PCS from non-Chinese partners and does not manufacture the equipment itself.

Gabriele Buccini, general manager of Trina Storage’s European operations, said the restriction extends an earlier limitation on high-risk-country inverters to battery PCS. The regulation applies to equipment linked to suppliers from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

The rule took effect May 1, 2026, and restricts eligibility for EU public financing instruments including the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Investment Fund (EIF) rather than imposing an outright ban – equipment from restricted suppliers remains legal to sell and install, but projects using it lose access to that concessional financing.

Projects already in the pipeline as of May 1 may qualify for grandfathering if they reach final approval by Nov. 1, 2026. But a broader phase-out for non-EU-funded, grid-connected installations takes effect April 15, 2027.

Buccini told pv magazine that Trina Storage’s PCS supply comes through manufacturing partners outside China, and that the majority of its projects to date have used European-origin PCS. He said the company’s software and plant controllers relevant to cybersecurity compliance are already European in origin.

Trina Storage is reviewing the origin of its battery management systems ahead of anticipated future requirements, though Buccini did not characterize this as a current compliance gap. He said the company may consider additional manufacturing locations for battery cabinets depending on how the legislation develops, without specifying that current cabinet manufacturing falls under the restriction’s scope.

According to Buccini, Trina’s approach to compliance predates the restriction. He described regulatory compliance as a baseline requirement and a factor shaping product development regardless of the funding rule, calling the restriction an added incentive rather than a change in company strategy.

Buccini said the restriction, alongside the EU’s Net-Zero Industry Act and related cybersecurity legislation, reflects a broader push to constrain supply chain exposure in European renewable energy infrastructure. He said the impact on Trina’s own projects has been limited so far, though the rules may slow development timelines for some developers industry-wide.

The funding restriction follows an April 2026 measure barring EU-backed financing for solar inverters from high-risk suppliers, extended the following month to cover battery PCS.