1.4 GW: battery storage at former Grohnde nuclear power plant
3 hours ago
- #battery storage
- #renewable integration
- #energy transition
- The Emmerthal energy cluster is being developed on the site of the former Grohnde nuclear power plant in Lower Saxony, Germany, featuring large battery storage systems (BESS), ground-mounted photovoltaics, and a new substation.
- Three BESS projects by operators GESI, FRV, and Elements Green are approved, with GESI planning an 870 MW/3.84 GWh system and FRV a 600 MW/2.4 GWh system, potentially totaling 1.87 GW/7.8 GWh, exceeding the output of the former nuclear plant (1.36 GW).
- The cluster connects to upgraded 380 kV power lines via the new Emmerthal substation by TenneT, leveraging proximity to major north-south lines like RheinMainLink and SüdLink for energy trading between northern and southern Germany.
- Operational timelines are uncertain, targeting from 2026, but dependent on infrastructure like the substation (completion by 2030) and power lines (RheinMainLink by 2033, SüdLink by 2028).
- BESS projects are part of a broader trend, with Germany's total battery storage capacity at 5.2 GWh/3.2 GW currently and 10 GWh planned by end of 2027, alongside home storage exceeding 21 GWh.
- The cluster includes commercial areas aimed at local businesses to minimize traffic, with supporting grid upgrades like high-temperature overhead cables to increase capacity by up to 50%.