Germany will build an energy storage facility on the site of a decommissioned nuclear power plant
A German energy service provider is proposing to establish an energy storage facility in North Rhine-Westphalia. To this end, Westfalen Weser has been granted permission to utilize the site of a former nuclear power plant. The project aims to leverage existing infrastructure, including a transformer station and power lines, to facilitate its implementation.
The Würgassen nuclear power plant, with a capacity of 1,912 MW, was operated by PreussenElektra. It commenced commercial operations in 1975 and continued to operate until 1994.
Project parameters
The planned battery energy storage system (BESS) will have a power capacity of 120 MW and a storage capacity of 280 MWh. The estimated investment cost for the project is approximately EUR 92 million. It is anticipated that the facility will be completed by the second half of 2026.
The decision to construct the energy storage facility arises from the necessity to maintain stability and efficiency in energy supply amidst the rise in renewable energy production, which is often subject to weather-related fluctuations.
Growing trend for energy storage in Germany
According to an analysis conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy, the installed battery capacity in Germany nearly doubled last year, reaching 7.6 GW/11.2 GWh by the end of 2023. This marks a significant increase from the 4.4 GW/6.5 GWh recorded at the end of 2022. Moreover, the demand for energy storage among Germany’s western neighbors is projected to surpass 130 GWh by 2030.
Source: pv-magazine.com