European real assets investment platform MetaWealth said it is entering the battery energy storage system - BESS market with multiple grid-scale projects in Romania, citing a growing mismatch between renewable power generation and grid flexibility. The long-term Romanian pipeline could reach 650 MWh and a total value of EUR 110 million.

The move marks MetaWealth’s expansion beyond property into energy infrastructure, as battery storage increasingly becomes a core component of power systems.

“Romania generates close to half of its electricity from renewable sources, yet it has limited operational battery storage capacity. That imbalance has increased the need for grid-scale flexibility, drawing institutional attention to energy storage as essential infrastructure rather than an emerging technology,” reads the press release.

The company said it will begin with an initial EUR 22 million investment covering 130 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage capacity. 

The first anchor project is a 100 MWh standalone battery system in Dumbrava, Neamț (Romania), located close to existing grid infrastructure and renewable generation capacity. In parallel, the company is developing 30 MWh of co-located storage across multiple sites connected to existing grid connections.

The first 30 MWh is targeted to become operational in the third quarter of 2026, with the full 130 MWh commissioned by Q4 2026. 

MetaWealth said the projects form the foundation of a longer-term Romanian storage platform, with a further 650 MWh under development across multiple sites totalling EUR 110 million.

“Battery storage has moved from being a supporting technology to becoming essential grid infrastructure,” said Richard McLaughlin-Duane, who leads Origination and Structuring at MetaWealth. 

“In markets like Romania, renewable generation has scaled faster than system flexibility. That creates volatility, but also a clear investment case for storage when projects are built to institutional standards with the right locations, grid access, and execution discipline from day one,” he added.

Battery storage has expanded rapidly across Europe in recent years, with installed capacity reaching more than 61 GWh by the end of 2024 and expected to increase tenfold by 2030, according to industry data cited by the company. While more mature markets have seen faster deployment, battery storage remains at an early stage in parts of Central and Eastern Europe.

Founded in 2023, MetaWealth has expanded its operations across several European markets and now manages investments in real estate, energy infrastructure, construction, and private credit. The platform said it plans to engage high-net worth and institutional investors on its expanding real assets strategy in the coming months, including at the MIPIM real estate event in Cannes in March.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: press release)