Huawei Romania, Bamboo Energy, and Flexumers signed a strategic partnership to develop and test a pioneering solution aimed at monetizing distributed telecom backup batteries in ancillary and balancing markets.
The solution combines Bamboo Energy’s AI-powered optimization platform and Flexumers access to Romanian ancillary and balancing markets with Huawei’s advanced energy storage solution. The platform will dynamically manage energy storage and discharge based on real-time market needs. The project begins with an initial deployment of a small number of batteries installed in telecom sites with plans to scale the solution across the national grid.
The initiative addresses a significant untapped opportunity. Traditionally, telecommunications networks have relied on decentralized batteries solely for backup power during grid outages. These assets typically sit idle, representing a significant ‘passive’ operating expense. This partnership seeks to transform these assets into a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) to operate in balancing markets and provide new revenue streams for operators.
The joint project will focus on two primary avenues for generating revenue from existing telecom batteries:
- Price Arbitrage: Optimizing charge cycles to store energy during low-cost periods and consume it when prices are higher.
- Ancillary Services and Balancing Market: Testing the technical capability of aggregated batteries to participate in the mFRR (manual Frequency Restoration Reserve) and aFRR (automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve) markets.
“This collaboration marks a turning point for the industry,” said Manel Sanmartí, CEO of Bamboo Energy. “By proving that distributed telecom batteries can participate in complex balancing markets, we are not only helping operators offset costs but also providing the Romanian grid with the flexibility it needs to integrate more renewable energy,” he added.
“Huawei integrates digital and power electronics technologies, drives intelligent transformation through high-quality products, and continuously develops innovative energy infrastructure solutions for the digital industry. Through this collaboration, we aim to accelerate the green energy transition, support the sustainable development of telecom operators, contribute to grid stability, and help pave the way toward a greener, better future,” Yao Fengting, CEO of Huawei Romania, noted.
“Demand response is becoming one of the most powerful tools for building a more resilient and flexible energy system,” mentioned Marius Chiriac, Founder of Flexumers. “Through this partnership, we are demonstrating that assets originally designed for backup purposes can actively support grid stability while creating new value for their owners. By combining Flexumers’ aggregation and market expertise with Huawei’s technology and Bamboo Energy’s optimization platform, we are taking another important step toward making distributed flexibility a commercial reality in Romania,” he underlined.
This initiative represents the first VPP for DESS: Distributed Energy Storage System in telecom sites within the region, marking a significant step forward in the valorisation of critical infrastructure.
About Bamboo Energy
Bamboo Energy is a European software company specialized in advanced Energy Management Systems (EMS) and flexibility optimization. Spin-off from the Catalonia Energy Research Institute (IREC), Bamboo Energy combines cutting-edge research with practical deployment expertise to enable real-time control and monetization of distributed energy resources (DERs) -including battery systems, PV and wind plants, hybrid assets, and controllable demand-.
About Flexumers
Flexumers is a Romanian independent energy aggregator helping businesses turn energy flexibility into real value. By connecting distributed assets with balancing and ancillary services markets, Flexumers enables customers to actively support grid stability while unlocking new revenue opportunities.
About Huawei Romania
Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology infrastructure and smart devices. Huawei Technologies has been operating in Romania for over 20 years and is continuously making efforts to maintain the competitiveness and security of networks for the entire portfolio of end-to-end products, solutions and services.