RWE TO CONSTRUCT THREE NEW BATTERY PARKS IN GERMANY!
RWE are set to expand Germany’s battery storage infrastructure by building THREE new battery parks totalling a capacity of 600MW.
Located at the Westfalen Power Plant Site in Hamm, the new battery facilities will provide a substantial storage capacity of 1.2GWh, enabling them to deliver maximum output for up to two hours at a time. With the already recently operational battery system in Hamm, the site’s total storage capacity will soon reach 1.35GWh—sufficient to charge over 23,000 electric vehicles (EVs).
Nikolaus Valerius, CEO RWE Generation SE: “With the expansion of renewable energies, the need for technologies that can instantly counteract imbalances in the electricity grid is increasing. Battery storage systems are ideal for this because they are fast and efficient. The massive expansion of our storage capacity at the Westfalen power plant will make Hamm the battery storage flagship location of Germany. Our facilities will make an important contribution to stabilising the energy market by efficiently storing surplus energy and feeding it into the grid in a targeted manner - with a dampening effect on electricity prices for consumers and industry.”
Innovative Large-Scale Battery Technology
The three new battery parks will span over six hectares, utilising over 25,000 lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries housed in 316 high-tech overseas containers. This large-scale installation will significantly bolster Germany’s energy storage capacity, ensuring a more resilient and flexible power grid.
Battery Storage: A Key Solution for Grid Stability in the Renewable Era
As renewable energy adoption accelerates, maintaining grid stability is becoming more challenging. One critical factor in ensuring a reliable power supply is inertia, the fastest available balancing energy in the electricity system. Traditionally, coal-fired power plants provided inertia through the rotating masses of turbines. However, as renewable energy sources replace conventional generation, the number of rotating generators is declining. Battery storage systems offer a highly efficient solution by compensating for this loss of inertia, providing rapid-response grid stabilization and enhancing energy security in the transition to a clean energy future.
RWE’s battery storage systems will play a crucial role in balancing and stabilising the electricity grid, ensuring seamless integration of renewable energy sources. Designed with next-generation grid services in mind, these systems utilise state-of-the-art control technology and ultra-fast inverters to deliver instantaneous reserve power within milliseconds. This critical function, known as instantaneous reserve or inertia, helps compensate for the declining number of rotating generators from conventional power plants, reinforcing grid stability in Germany’s evolving energy landscape.
Project Timeline and Future Impact
The initial construction phases are already underway, with full-scale operations scheduled between 2026 and 2028. As RWE continues to invest in sustainable and smart energy solutions, these battery storage parks will significantly contribute to Germany’s energy security and price stability, supporting the country’s ambitious net-zero goals.
For further information surrounding arising BESS projects and opportunities, please reach out to our Energy Storage team here.
Sources: