SH Netz publishes flexible connection agreements for BESS in Germany

German distribution grid operator Schleswig-Holstein Netz (SH Netz) has published detailed model agreements for flexible connection agreements (FCAs) covering standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS), co-located BESS projects with grid connection overcapacity, and flexible large electricity consumers.

SH Netz had already attracted attention over the summer after Eon announced ahead of Intersolar in Munich that it planned to roll out standardized, flexible connection agreements across all of its distribution grid subsidiaries by the end of the year. The agreements developed by SH Netz in cooperation with the operator of Eco Stor’s large-scale battery project in Bollingstedt served as a model. SH Netz had previously published broad parameters for BESS operation under an FCA.

The detailed connection agreements and their annexes are now available on SH Netz’s website. They cover three types of FCA: standalone BESS, co-located BESS with grid connection overcapacity, and flexible large electricity consumers.

Eon’s announcement caused concern in parts of the battery storage industry, with some market participants fearing that the energy company would establish a single standard. Eon representatives subsequently told pv magazine that regional grid characteristics would also be taken into account when designing the FCAs.

Alongside the FCAs, SH Netz has published additional customer information on co-located BESS and expanded its FAQs for battery storage and biogas plants.

SH Netz has also changed its procedure for allocating available grid connection capacity. The distribution grid operator will use a criteria-based allocation process intended to ensure that available capacity is allocated transparently, consistently and without discrimination.

The procedure will apply to grid connection requests from electricity consumers with more than 1 MW of capacity and battery storage projects with more than 300 kW of capacity. SH Netz will open registration for the current allocation round on Oct. 12 at noon, with applications accepted online until Nov. 23 at noon.

Transmission system operators and some distribution grid operators have changed their grid connection procedures in recent months, moving toward similar maturity-based allocation processes. Under these approaches, grid connection requests are no longer necessarily processed according to the date of application, with available capacity instead allocated in cycles based on various criteria.

From pv magazine Deutschland