Public consultation on the new energy storage tender

Any company operating in Hungary can apply on this new tender. The total budget is HUF 50 billion, of which HUF 25 billion will be allocated for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises. The expected number of successful applications is estimated to be 2500-2600 according to the issuer. Aid intensity is 30% for large enterprises, 40% for medium-sized enterprises, and 50% for micro and small enterprises. The minimum and maximum amount that can be requested per applicant will be between HUF 10 million and 1 billion, which also limits the project size.

The tender can be interesting with projects starting from HUF 30 million for businesses planning energy storage investments, but based on our previous experiences, in case of large enterprises, it can be primarily worthwhile for projects exceeding HUF 300-500 million.

An energy storage investment can serve multiple purposes, the most common of which include peak shaving, consumption profile optimization, and enhancing energy independence.

We consider the following details extremely important regarding the tender:

• An energy storage facility can be eligible on its own; however, technology for energy production can only be eligible together with storage capacity, up to a maximum of 30% of the costs.

• The eligibility of several costs is capped (e.g., construction costs, related infrastructure).

• The project must be completed by the end of 2027.

• A feasibility study is required.

• The Beneficiary must commit to a 5-year retention period.

No aid can be granted if a development aimed at residential housing would take place at the project site; if the energy production carried out at the project site is intended solely for feeding into the public network or district heating system is; or if the project's goal is to disconnect from the district heating system or the public network.

During the evaluation of applications, special attention is given to environmental considerations and the increase in energy supply from renewable sources (as well as self-supply), the increase in energy efficiency and the unit cost of the investment, moreover the lifespan of the planned capacity to be built and the proportion of recycled elements in relation to the total storage capacity. 

The tender is expected to be announced in August 2025, and further details of the application can be accessed via this link.

In the context of energy investments, other tax benefits and cash grants are also available. As for comparison,

• the advantage of the current tender over tax benefits could be that it covers a wider range of eligible costs, and energy production can also be eligible (though to a limited extent),

• compared to the available VIP cash subsidy scheme, the tender has the advantage that small businesses can also apply, and storage and production capacity can be eligible independently (capacity expansion is not required as the main investment).

The Jedlik Ányos Program includes ten calls for proposals. Opportunities for funding projects aimed at modernizing and developing district heating systems based on renewable energy, as well as supporting investments related to biogas and biomethane production, will soon be available. The public consultation and announcement of additional items are expected in the autumn.

PwC can provide assistance throughout the entire process related to the above opportunity, from the preliminary energy-technical and subsidy potential assessment of the planned project, through the preparation of the feasibility study, to the preparation of the necessary documentation for the tender and support in the application procedure. Our experts have extensive experience in energy consulting, cost-benefit and ROI analysis, tax benefits and cash subsidies related to energy, energy legal regulations, as well as energy auditing.

If such and similar tenders could be of interest to your company, we recommend contacting the PwC experts for a comprehensive exploration of potential opportunities.