Where Novi Sad’s Industry Once Thrived, Its Energy Future Is Now Taking Shape

The international conference, energy technology exhibition and B2B meetings SEE ENERGY 2026 will take place on 4–5 November at the Čeličana Cultural Station, located in Novi Sad’s Distrikt.

The seventh edition of the international conference and exhibition SEE ENERGY 2026 – ENERGY FOR INDUSTRY, organised by the National Biomass Association SERBIO, will take place in a distinctive setting this year, providing a new backdrop for discussions on the energy future of industry.

The site of a former industrial complex in Veliki Liman, now part of Novi Sad’s Distrikt, will bring together representatives of industrial companies, energy and technology providers, investors and experts from Serbia and the wider region on 4–5 November.

The choice of Čeličana carries special symbolism: a location closely connected to the city’s industrial past will become a meeting place for discussions on the technologies, investments and energy solutions shaping the factories of tomorrow.

From Industrial Heritage to Modern Energy Technologies

Today’s Distrikt emerged from the transformation of a former industrial zone in Veliki Liman, one of Novi Sad’s important centres of economic development during the 20th century.

Former production facilities, workshops and industrial buildings are now being repurposed to accommodate cultural, creative and other contemporary activities. This unique environment adds a special dimension to this year’s SEE ENERGY event.

In the past, industrial companies invested in machinery, production lines and new manufacturing capacities. Today, they face an equally important investment challenge: how to secure a more reliable, cost-effective and sustainable energy supply, reduce production costs and remain competitive in the market.

SEE ENERGY 2026 connects these two eras of industrial development, placing practical technologies, investments and business models at the forefront of efforts to help industry address the energy challenges of the coming years.

What Can Visitors Expect to See and Learn?

Over two days, SEE ENERGY will bring together a professional conference, an exhibition of energy technologies and equipment, and targeted B2B business meetings.

The programme is primarily designed for medium-sized and large industrial companies, major energy consumers, energy utilities, investors, engineering and design companies, technology providers and financial institutions.

The conference will showcase solutions that enable industrial companies to generate, use, store and manage energy more efficiently, with a particular focus on technologies that can be implemented in existing production facilities.

Key topics of the expert panels will include:

• Energy Inside the Factory: Gas engines and turbines, combined heat and power (CHP), industrial heat pumps and waste heat recovery.

• Waste-to-Energy: Opportunities to convert industrial and other waste streams into useful energy, including waste-to-energy facilities.

• Smart Energy Management: Digital systems, automation, monitoring and real-time energy consumption optimisation.

• Solar Power Plants and Battery Energy Storage: Integrating renewable energy generation, battery storage and grid connections.

• The Active Energy Consumer: How industrial companies can take a more active role in generating, consuming and managing their own energy.

• Financing Energy Projects: How to turn a technological solution into a bankable investment attractive to financial institutions and investors.

The conference and exhibition programme of SEE ENERGY 2026 will bring together representatives of leading international and Serbian companies specialising in energy, industrial technologies and energy management.

Participants include Huawei Digital Power and SKE Engineering, the conference’s General Partners, as well as Sungrow, Schneider Electric, Siemens Energy, ABB, LG Electronics, INNIO Jenbacher, Wärtsilä, SK Solar, MT-KOMEX, Elixir Group, PowerGrid Engineering, Resalta, Wood Chips, and others.

The full conference programme is available here.

Through discussions with industry experts and company representatives, participants will gain insights into practical experience, advanced technological solutions and opportunities for their implementation in industrial production systems.

Energy Technology and Equipment Exhibition – Solutions Industry Can Put into Practice

Alongside the conference programme, visitors will have the opportunity to engage directly with international and Serbian companies developing, supplying and integrating advanced energy technologies.

The SEE ENERGY 2026 exhibition will feature solutions presented by Huawei Digital Power, SKE Engineering, Sungrow, Solar SK, Emerson and IvDam Process Control, covering solar energy, battery energy storage systems (BESS), power electronics, industrial automation and the integration of modern energy systems.

The exhibition will showcase technologies related to renewable energy, energy storage, control and automation, as well as other solutions designed for industrial energy systems.

The German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Serbia) and the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (BSCC) will also have a presence in the exhibition area, further strengthening the event’s international business dimension and creating opportunities for direct business connections, knowledge exchange and new partnerships.

The exhibition aims to go beyond simply displaying equipment and technologies by directly connecting industrial energy users with manufacturers, suppliers and engineering companies.

Visitors will have the opportunity to discuss the specific needs of their production facilities, explore the practical application of new technologies and identify solutions to reduce energy costs and improve energy security.

B2B Meetings – From Technology Presentations to Real Projects

A key component of SEE ENERGY 2026 will be business meetings designed to connect industrial companies with technology providers, engineering partners, investors and financial institutions.

Through the B2B platform, participants will be able to present their needs, discuss planned investments and identify companies capable of contributing to the development and implementation of energy projects.

The programme will also highlight specific industrial challenges and projects seeking suitable technological, commercial or financial solutions.

Special emphasis will be placed on connecting companies with real energy needs and investment plans to partners capable of providing technology, engineering expertise, financing or project implementation.

In this way, SEE ENERGY goes beyond the traditional conference format, becoming a platform where expert discussions can develop into concrete business agreements and new investments.

“We Want Čeličana to Be a Place Where Projects Are Agreed Upon, Not Just Where the Future Is Discussed”

Jelena Bunčić, President of the National Biomass Association SERBIO, the organiser of SEE ENERGY, emphasises:

“The choice of Čeličana as the venue for this year’s SEE ENERGY has special significance for us. We wanted to connect a place that reflects Novi Sad’s strong industrial heritage with the technologies and investments shaping the future of industry today.

This part of the city was once a centre of industrial production and development. Today, we want it to become a meeting place for factories seeking energy solutions, companies developing new technologies, and partners capable of financing and implementing new projects.

Our goal is not simply to spend two days discussing the energy transition. We want industrial companies to leave Čeličana with valuable contacts, new ideas and investment opportunities that can help reduce their energy costs and strengthen their competitiveness.

This is where we see the most meaningful connection between the industrial past of this place and its future.”

Novi Sad as a Meeting Point for Industry, Technology and Investment

By hosting SEE ENERGY 2026 at the Čeličana Cultural Station, Novi Sad gains another opportunity to demonstrate its potential as a meeting point for industry, innovation and international business cooperation.

The conference connects industrial energy consumers with technology manufacturers, energy companies, experts, financial institutions and investors from Serbia and the wider region.

In a setting that reflects the city’s industrial development, discussions will focus on a new generation of energy systems – from more efficient use of heat and electricity to digital energy management, battery storage and investment financing.

Approximately 300 visitors per day are expected, including representatives of industrial companies, the energy sector, technology and engineering firms, investors and business decision-makers.

SEE ENERGY 2026 will therefore provide an opportunity to bring together industrial energy needs, advanced technologies and the capital required to turn new energy projects into reality – all in one place, in Novi Sad.

SEE ENERGY 2026 – ENERGY FOR INDUSTRY

4–5 November 2026 | Čeličana Cultural Station, Distrikt, Novi Sad, Serbia

International Conference | Energy Technology & Equipment Exhibition | B2B Meetings

More information and registration: www.events-serbio.rs

t

Batteries Are Changing the Game: How Energy Storage Becomes the New Currency of the Power System

For decades, the energy sector relied on a simple equation — produce, consume, balance. But with the rapid growth of renewable energy, those rules no longer apply.
The wind doesn’t always blow when we need it, the sun doesn’t shine at night, and demand never waits.
In this new reality, battery energy storage is becoming what oil once was — the new currency of energy stability.

Energy That Doesn’t Disappear — It Waits

Energy storage is where innovation, security, and economics converge.
Battery systems are no longer just a supporting technology; they are becoming the foundation of a new electricity market.
The ability to store excess energy and release it when it’s needed most introduces entirely new business models — peak shaving, load shifting, balancing services, and even real-time energy trading.

Europe has already entered a phase where batteries dictate grid stability and energy prices. Serbia, though still in its early stages, is catching up quickly — the first permits for standalone storage systems have been issued, and plans for over 200 MW of battery capacity are now part of the national energy strategy.

Between Innovation and Regulation

Serbia’s battery storage market currently stands between innovation and regulation.
On one hand, the industry shows strong interest: investors, renewable energy producers, and energy managers recognize the potential for flexibility and reliability.
On the other hand, the lack of a clear legal framework and defined market mechanisms for ancillary services and balancing responsibilities still slows down sector development.

Yet, as regional examples show, those who first establish functional models for energy storage will not only control their costs — they will control time, the most valuable resource of the modern energy world.

Industry Focus at SEE ENERGY 2025

These challenges and opportunities will take center stage at the panel discussion
“Battery Energy Storage – Industrial Applications and Return on Investment”,
held on October 29 as part of the SEE ENERGY 2025 – Connect & Supply conference in Novi Sad.

The panel will bring together experts and companies already implementing BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) — whether as standalone projects or integrated within hybrid renewable power plants.
Discussions will go beyond theory to explore real market conditions, technical challenges, regulatory barriers, and above all, economic reality — how much stability costs, and when battery investments truly pay off.

Technology and Experience in Practice

Among the panel participants, Gordan Vujičić, Director of Strategic Development at ENEL PS, will share insights from projects where advanced UPS, hybrid, and battery systems were implemented.
With over three decades of experience in critical infrastructure, data centers, healthcare, and industry, ENEL PS provides solutions where uninterrupted power supply means the difference between continuity and downtime.

Through partnerships with leading global technology providers, ENEL PS demonstrates that digitalization, monitoring, and energy storage are not an expense — they are tools for efficiency, resilience, and competitiveness.

The Future Belongs to the Flexible

As Serbia prepares for a new wave of renewable energy projects and the mandatory integration of storage capacities, one thing is clear: batteries are no longer optional — they are essential.
In a system where both energy and time can be stored, those who can manage flexibility will become the new market leaders.

On October 29 in Novi Sad, this discussion will go beyond technology — it will be a conversation about the future of energy, an industry learning to plan in hours instead of years, and a new economy where stored energy is worth more than wasted energy.

SEE ENERGY 2025 – Connect & Supply
October 28–29, 2025 | Master Center, Novi Sad
www.events-serbio.rs