RWE is set to construct a 400-megawatt battery storage facility on the former Dralon GmbH site in Lingen, Lower Saxony, marking the largest installation of its kind in the region.
Scheduled for commissioning in 2028, the system is designed to deliver its full output for at least two hours, equivalent to a storage capacity of 800 megawatt hours, positioning it as a critical asset for short-term grid balancing and peak load management in an increasingly renewable-heavy energy landscape.
The project addresses the structural challenge of integrating intermittent wind and solar generation into Germany’s power system. While gas-fired plants provide firm capacity for multi-hour or multi-day shortfalls, large-scale battery storage fills the gaps that occur on the scale of seconds to hours. According to RWE Generation SE CEO Nikolaus Valerius, the Lingen facility will absorb or inject power within milliseconds, enabling fast response to grid fluctuations and contributing to both stability and price reliability. The system is also equipped to provide advanced ancillary services, including instantaneous reserve, enhancing the inertia and resilience of the network.
The facility will consist of more than 200 lithium-ion battery units, over 100 inverters, 50 medium-voltage transformers, two high-voltage transformers, and dual switch panels. Connection to the grid will be facilitated through the nearby Hilgenberg substation, currently under construction by transmission system operator Amprion. Site preparation for the 8.5-hectare industrial area will begin on February 2, following the completion of all necessary permits.
