Waltrop Battery Park Advances to Construction Phase

900 MW battery storage facility to provide flexibility for the power system in Western Germany

Hamburg/Waltrop, July 20, 2026

The three shareholders of the battery park in Waltrop, North Rhine-Westphalia, jointly approved the next implementation phase and the associated substation and key infrastructure works last week. This marks another important milestone in the continued realization of one of Germany's largest battery storage (BESS) projects.

Upon completion, the facility will provide 900 megawatts (MW) of power and a minimum of 1,800 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage capacity, setting new benchmarks for utility-scale battery storage.

The project is being developed by a consortium consisting of Luxcara, an independent German asset manager for energy infrastructure; BKW AG, the international energy and infrastructure company headquartered in Bern, Switzerland; and numerous municipal utilities brought together under the leadership of Trianel through T-BESS 1 GmbH & Co. KG.

Philip Sander, Managing Partner at Luxcara, said: “We invest in infrastructure that enables the next stage of the energy transition. The Waltrop Battery Park combines proven technology, large-scale deployment, an excellent location, and a strong consortium of partners. These are exactly the conditions required to successfully bring ambitious storage projects onto the grid and into operation.”

Following the granting of the final permits for the substation and battery energy storage systems in May, Germany's Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) also provided important regulatory clarity by confirming that the exemption from network charges for advanced-stage storage projects will remain in place. This represents a key factor for the project's economic viability.

Key equipment packages have already been ordered, and preparatory works on site have been underway for several months. The next major construction phase is scheduled to begin in autumn 2026, with commissioning expected in 2028.

The individual battery energy storage systems (BESS) will be delivered and implemented independently by the respective shareholders.

About BKW

The BKW Group is a Bern-based international energy and infrastructure company, employing over 12,300 people. Its company network and innovative technologies enable it to offer customers a full range of skills in the areas of infrastructure, buildings and energy. The Group plans, builds and operates infrastructure to produce and supply energy to businesses, households and the public sector, and offers digital business models for renewable energies. Today, the BKW Group portfolio includes everything from engineering consultancy and planning for energy, infrastructure and environmental projects to integrated services in the field of building technology as well as the construction, servicing and maintenance of energy, telecommunications, transport and water utility networks. With trailblazing solutions, companies under the BKW Group umbrella create spaces for life.

About Trianel

Since its foundation in 1999, the Trianel municipal utility cooperative has been supporting municipal utilities on their path to transformation, with the aim of strengthening their independence and competitiveness in the energy market. Today, over 100 local authority shareholders and partners pool their interests through Trianel – in renewable energy project development, energy trading and procurement, and the development of flexibility options. The more than 450 employees provide support in optimising business processes across the entire energy value chain.