Energy storage develope Kyon Energy has gained approval to construct a significant battery storage project in Alfeld (Leine), Lower Saxony, Germany. This upcoming facility boasts a capacity of 137.5 megawatts and a storage size of 275 megawatt hours, positioning it as the largest approved storage project in Europe to date.

The Alfeld storage capacity surpasses Europe's current largest facility by 50 percent. Plans are set for construction commencement next year, with the facility expected to be operational by the end of 2025. The capacity of the project in Alfeld is sufficient to supply one million households with electricity for one hour. 

"It is essential for the success of the energy transition in Germany to massively expand storage capacities. Battery storage systems are indispensable for the integration of renewable energies into our electricity grids and the security of supply in Germany. The approval of the project in Alfeld is a decisive step towards a sustainable and independent energy future," said Florian Antwerpen, Managing Director of Kyon Energy.

Bernd Beushausen, Mayor of the town of Alfeld (Leine), commented that "the town is very proud that the company has decided to build its new large-scale battery storage facility here in Alfeld. We are therefore delighted to be working with Kyon Energy to ensure that the town of Alfeld (Leine) can also act as a role model for the south of the district of Hildesheim in the area of the energy transition from 2025."

The storage facility will be built near the substation. The high storage capacity makes it possible to store surplus energy from renewable energy sources and feed it back into the grid as required. The storage facility charges at times of low demand and low electricity prices, which is particularly the case when generation from renewable energy sources is high. In turn, it discharges at times of high demand and correspondingly expensive electricity prices - in other words, at times when there is little renewable electricity in the grid. In this way, storage systems not only promote the integration of renewables into the electricity mix, but also help to reduce the overall electricity price. Renewable energies can be better utilized and dependency on conventional energy sources is further reduced.