ADS-Tec announces 2 GWh battery for southern Germany

ADS-Tec Energy says it is planning one of the world’s largest battery storage projects at a yet-to-be-named location in southern Germany. The Baden-Württemberg company said it plans to install approximately 1 GW/2 GWh of storage capacity “in one step and at one location.” A “double-digit megawatt range” solar plant will generate electricity for use on site, said the business.

German battery-based storage and fast-charging system provider ADS-Tec said the project would be “an important milestone in the company’s history.” The Nürtingen-based business will be responsible for project planning, including financing as well as implementation, operation, and maintenance.

ADS-Tec claims 15 years’ experience in lithium-ion storage technology and says it has built frequency-control power plants “that have been successfully connected to the grid for over a decade. With this expertise, and together with international partners, ADS-Tec Energy is laying the foundation for … successful implementation.”

The project announcement comes nine months after development work began. The facility has received unanimous approval from the local city council and a “positive assessment” from the transmission system operator, for connection to the high-voltage grid. Project development and finance are expected to be completed by the middle of next year and commissioning is planned for 2029, subject to regulatory approval. The plant is then expected to operate for several decades.

The combination of battery storage and photovoltaic systems “not only promotes the energy transition but also increases the economic viability of the entire plant,” said ADS-Tec. The company assesses the project’s economic potential very positively, “from both the operator and investor perspective,” noting “significant revenues can be generated.” Operation and marketing of the battery storage power plant will provide ADS-Tec with “access to the European wholesale energy market, the capacity market, and all physical grid services,” stated the company. A comparable plant would have generated revenue of more than €230 million ($269 million) in 2024 (based on that year’s market data) and would have benefited significantly from participation in wholesale and capacity markets.

Thomas Speidel, CEO and founder of ADS-TEC Energy, described the battery as “an incredible showcase project for critical infrastructure.” The dimensions planned are not unique in Germany, however. In June, Luxcara, BKW, and Trianel announced construction will start on the 900 MW/1.8 GWh Walltrop battery park in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2026.

From pv magazine Deutschland.