Germany’s transmission system operator Amprion will connect the world’s first decentralised grid booster in E.ON’s distribution grid. The modular battery storage systems stabilise the electricity grid, reduce interventions and thus save costs for grid customers. The first system will be implemented in the area of LEW Verteilnetz (LVN), a regional grid operator of the E.ON Group, in Bavarian Swabia.
Amprion and E.ON developed the concept as part of their cooperation, which has been in place since the end of 2020. The aim of the cooperation is, among other things, the joint development of innovative operating resources for system stability. The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) has now given Amprion the green light to implement the new grid booster concept.
“We are delighted to have received confirmation from the BNetzA for this innovative technology,” said Amprion CEO Hans Jürgen Brick. “The decentralised grid booster will help Amprion and E.ON to keep the electricity grid stable and at the same time reduce the costs of grid interventions and thus the grid fees in Germany.”
“I very much appreciate the close cooperation between E.ON and Amprion,” added Thomas König, E.ON Network Board Member. “The energy infrastructure of the transmission and distribution system operators is of outstanding importance for achieving the climate policy goals of the German government. Through our joint projects, we want to optimise network operations holistically. For the benefit of our customers and a climate-neutral energy system.”
Grid boosters are large battery storage units that help to increase the utilisation of the electricity grid. Only when a disturbance occurs in the transmission grid are grid boosters used to react quickly and thus counteract disturbance-related overloads so that no consequential damage occurs. The battery storage units can provide their power within seconds. This means that the utilisation of the resources does not have to be reduced by preventive redispatch before the disruption, which is why the costs for congestion management are reduced.
For the first time, the concept of the decentralised grid booster envisions connecting several smaller, modular battery storage systems in the distribution grid level. This structure reduces connection costs, increases the overall availability of the storage system and increases flexibility in the distribution grid. The modular components can also be realised more quickly and have less impact on the environment. The grid booster also reduces the need for intervention in the grid. The decentralised modules offer a total capacity of around 250 megawatts. The first system will be implemented in the area of LEW Verteilnetz (LVN), a regional grid operator of the E.ON Group, in Bavarian Swabia and is scheduled for deployment from 2026.
