Vattenfall to market 285 MW German battery portfolio

Vattenfall will market four large-scale BESS with a combined power capacity of 285 MW in Germany. According to the energy company, the projects are being developed by an independent flexibility provider whose identity Vattenfall has not disclosed. They are located at four sites across different German balancing zones.

Unlike virtually aggregated battery systems, Vattenfall says it will have direct control over the assets and their operation. The company describes the agreement as the first and largest marketing agreement to date for a physical battery portfolio in Germany spanning multiple balancing zones and grid operators. It also calls it the first physical battery portfolio of its kind in Europe.

All four projects have reached financial close, according to Vattenfall, while three are already under construction. Commercial operation of the first system is scheduled from January 2027, and the agreements with Vattenfall run through 2036. The company did not disclose the storage capacity of the projects in megawatt-hours.

Vattenfall will integrate the systems into its automated trading and optimization processes. Depending on market conditions, the batteries will participate in both wholesale electricity markets and balancing markets.

The energy company aims to optimize a battery portfolio with a total power capacity of 1.5 GW over the coming years. It also says it has around 270 MW of its own battery storage capacity in operation or under construction, with a further 254 MW planned at Brunsbüttel.

Vattenfall said long-term marketing agreements can also help facilitate the financing and construction of additional battery storage projects.