VESS Breaks Ground on Bulgaria’s First Vanadium Flow Battery Manufacturing Plant
Date: 21 Jul 2026 |
Source: vess.bg, 16 July 2026
On 16 July 2026, Vanadium Energy Storage Systems (VESS) officially broke ground on Bulgaria's first automated Vanadium Flow Battery (VFB) Manufacturing Plant, marking the beginning of a new high-tech industry and a major milestone in the country's clean energy transition. Located in the Zagore–Elenino Industrial Zone in Stara Zagora, the plant will become the cornerstone of HEROS Park (Thracian High-Tech Energy Complex), an integrated industrial ecosystem dedicated to renewable energy technologies.
The VESS manufacturing facility will comprise 6,928.7 square metres of built-up area and will house Bulgaria's first fully automated production line for vanadium flow battery stacks—the core component of long-duration energy storage systems. These systems are designed to support renewable energy integration, electricity grid stabilisation, industrial facilities, data centres, and other critical infrastructure requiring safe, reliable, and long-lasting energy storage.
The manufacturing plant is the first major project within HEROS Park, a next-generation industrial complex developed by Clever Synergy Investment Fund (CSIF). The wider development will integrate battery manufacturing, photovoltaic module production, logistics, metal fabrication, and recycling to create a complete clean energy value chain. The VESS battery plant alone is expected to create more than 120 highly skilled jobs, while the full HEROS Park development is projected to employ over 1,000 specialists.
Vanadium flow batteries are designed for large-scale, long-duration energy storage and offer significant advantages for renewable energy applications, including exceptional safety, a service life exceeding 25 years, and a fully reusable vanadium electrolyte. As demand for grid-scale energy storage continues to grow, the VESS manufacturing plant will play an important role in supporting Europe's transition to a more resilient and sustainable energy system.
Construction officially commenced with the ground-breaking ceremony on 16 July 2026, marking the start of a strategic investment that will strengthen Bulgaria's advanced manufacturing capabilities and position the country at the forefront of long-duration energy storage technology.