Germany to remove large battery storage systems from grid connection ordinance

Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) is proposing to immediately remove battery storage systems from the country’s Power Plant Grid Connection Ordinance (KraftNAV).

The ministry is intending to supplement Section 1, Paragraph 1 of the KraftNAV, a rulebook for connecting power plants over 100 MW to Germany’s high-voltage grid, with the sentence: “This ordinance does not apply to energy storage facilities as defined in Section 3, Number 36 of the German Energy Industry Act.” 

The revision of the KraftNAV, first discussed at an event in Berlin in November, follows an overwhelming surge in battery storage applications.

BMWE’s justification for the amendment says that by exempting electricity storage systems it will avoid “firstly, processing grid connection requests for electricity storage systems according to the KraftNAV’s unsuitable requirements, and secondly, splitting the grid connection process for the generation and consumption sides of electricity storage systems.”

However, the ministry provides no indication of any future procedure by which grid connections for large battery storage systems will be allocated. Under the heading “alternatives,” it simply states: “No alternatives are apparent or equally suitable for solving the problem.”

The German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE) says they do not consider immediately removing battery storage from the scope of the KraftNAV as a solution if there is no structured procedure or alternative process. 

“Maintaining its application within the KraftNAV until a suitable process has been developed is absolutely essential from a systemic, regulatory, and economic perspective,” commented BEE President Ursula Heinen-Esser. “Anyone who removes the storage systems from the scope of the KraftNAV before a new procedure has been established is putting the cart before the horse. The consequences would be greater uncertainty and jeopardize the realization of projects.”

The federation has instead proposed the KraftNAV could be replaced with a prioritization mechanism. “Submitted projects should be evaluated according to criteria of system and grid serviceability, with preference given to those that contribute to reducing bottlenecks, using existing grid capacities more efficiently, and improving the integration of renewable energies into the system,” the federation stated. “Furthermore, only projects that have already reached a sufficient level of maturity and whose implementation is highly likely should be allocated a grid connection.”

As Germany’s Federal Council is not required to give its approval to the KraftNAV amendment, the new regulation could enter into force directly after consultations with the relevant associations, interministerial coordination and approval by the Federal Cabinet.From

From pv magazine Germany.