Financing BESS: What Banks Accept — and Where Deals Break

premium account

Recording from Tuesday, March 31, 2026 | Battery Business & Development Forum | Language: English | Duration: 66:07 .

Debt for battery storage is available, but conditions are changing as merchant exposure increases and revenue structures become more complex. This session brings together banks, developers, offtakers and investors to discuss what is currently financeable, how contracts are structured in practice, and where expectations diverge.

What you will discuss:

  • How much merchant exposure banks are currently willing to accept

  • What makes a tolling agreement truly bankable in practice

  • Where expectations between banks, offtakers and developers typically diverge

  • How financing structures change when revenue uncertainty increases

  • Whether refinancing and new structures can unlock projects without long-term contracts

  • At what point a project becomes too risky even for equity

Moderator

Ann Cocquyt
Director - PPA & BESS Transactions
Pexapark

Speaker

Marcus Starke
Director Energy Origination
NORD/LB

Ruben Valiente
Managing Director
MAXXEN ENERGY AG

Alexander Drousiotis
Vice President Structured Finance Energy
Santander Corporate & Investment Banking

Mikko Preuss
Chief Commercial Officer
terralayrGrace Kankindi

Grace Kankindi
Deputy Head of Investment Management
Aquila Clean Energy

Coen Hutters
Energy Transition Specialist
Rabobank

Nils van Afferden
Asset Originator Flexibilities and Batteries
RWE
Supply & Trading GmbH

Maxime Nekoian
Finance Director
Gresham House

Mark van Zon
Senior Director
ABN AMRO

Further Content
Battery Business & Development Forum
Start-up Pitch Session | New Players in BESS: Technologies, Business Models and Market Entry

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 5:10pm–6:00pm

premium account

Each company gives a short pitch, followed by brief discussion and feedback from the moderator.

Battery Business & Development Forum
BESS Routes-to-Market in Europe: Merchant, Capacity, and Tolling — What Works Where

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 11:45am–1:00pm

premium account

This session breaks down the three dominant routes-to-market in Europe and examines where they work in practice, how they are structured, and what risks they carry.

Battery Business & Development Forum
Hybridisation of Solar PV with BESS in Europe – the Best Alternative to Stand-Alone?

Wednesday, April 1, 2026 10:45am–12:00pm

free account

This session explores the regulatory, technical, and commercial advantages of hybrid renewable assets across Europe.

Battery Business & Development Forum
Deep Dive Europe 2: Made in Europe – How to Build a Competitive European Manufacturing Base

Wednesday, April 1, 2026 10:45am–12:00pm

premium account

This session unpacks EU policies such as NZIA, CISAF and EU-made bonuses, addressing competitiveness, skills, and raw material challenges.

Battery Business & Development Forum
Safety, Security & Sustainability – Aiming High Despite Huge Cost Pressure

Wednesday, April 1, 2026 1:00pm–2:15pm

premium account

This session highlights key technical and risk-related considerations impacting BESS bankability.

You are using an outdated browser

The website cannot be viewed in this browser. Please open the website in an up-to-date browser such as Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.