PHILIPPSBURG (dpa-AFX) - North of Karlsruhe, energy provider EnBW plans to build one of Germany's largest battery storage facilities starting in early summer 2026. According to the company, the planned capacity of 800 megawatt-hours would theoretically cover the daily electricity needs of around 100,000 households.
The final investment decision for the large-scale battery storage project at the Philippsburg Energy Park has now been made, the Karlsruhe-based company announced. EnBW did not initially disclose specific costs. The financing will not rely on government subsidies but is planned to be covered through proceeds from electricity sales, among other sources. The storage facility is scheduled to go into operation by the end of 2027, according to current plans.
Energy Transition Drives Need for Battery Storage Expansion
As the energy transition increasingly focuses on solar and wind power, battery storage systems are becoming crucial to balance fluctuating generation. They help stabilize the electricity supply and the grid. "They are an ideal complement to hydrogen-capable gas power plants, which are designed for longer operating periods," said EnBW Board Member for Sustainable Generation Infrastructure, Peter Heydecker, in a statement.
A few years ago, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE estimated the need for electrical storage at 180 gigawatt-hours (GWh) by 2045. However, current storage capacity stands at just 24.03 GWh, according to the Battery Charts from RWTH Aachen University.
This shortfall has prompted numerous similar projects: For example, energy company RWE broke ground at the end of October on a battery storage facility with a capacity of around 700 megawatt-hours in Gundremmingen, Bavaria. Meanwhile, Europe's largest battery storage facility to date, with a planned capacity of 4,000 megawatt-hours, is set to be built in Lusatia, as announced by energy company Leag in November.
Why Philippsburg?
The two reactor units of the Philippsburg nuclear power plant are currently being dismantled. On an adjacent section of the energy park, transmission system operator TransnetBW has built a major direct current converter station. This converter is part of the new Ultranet high-voltage line, which is designed to bring wind power from northern Germany to the southwest.
